CHARLOTTE — Former Charlotte Hornets teammates Muggsy Bogues and Dell Curry can be seen on baseball cards after the backcourt duo suited up for the Gastonia Rangers on a summer night in 1991.
“George Shinn, at that time, was the owner of the Hornets, and he had a relationship with the ownership of the Gastonia Rangers,” said Bogues, former Hornets guard. “They wanted to get some people in the stands during that time and bring some money to the team. And they asked Dell and myself if we would join the team.”
Bogues didn’t play organized baseball growing up, but Curry pitched for Virginia Tech. He was drafted in 1985 by Bogues’ hometown Baltimore Orioles.
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Curry even pitched at the Rangers game in 1991.
“We had such a blast,” Bogues said. “Dell was throwing some heat to these guys.”
Dell pitched three innings, striking out four batters before the game was called off because of rain. Bogues made his mark, too.
“I played second base,” Bogues said. “The guy hit a beam line down first, and it was for the first baseman, but you know the quickness that I had. I thought I could get to it. So I really rushed to it, made the play, threw the guy out and of course, it was such a big hype. It took about 20 minutes to get to the dugout. I was so excited.”