By Tanner Hood

Capital City baseball fans scored a double in education and entertainment Aug. 28 and 30 as the Alabama Peanut Runners took the field against the Biloxi Shuckers inside Riverwalk Stadium.

Clad in maroon and cream jerseys featuring a peanut running with a microscope and jar of peanut butter, the Montgomery Biscuits temporarily traded in their traditional butter-and-blue uniform to assume the new look — a play aimed at honoring the life and legacy of Dr. George Washington Carver. 

“A big piece of this idea is not just changing our name and coming up with a new logo for the team to wear but creating an educational platform,” said Biscuits General Manager Michael Murphy. “The main focus was to create something that could honor Dr. Carver and the work he did with peanuts and throughout agriculture.”

Carver served as an educator, researcher and innovator in the early 20th century at Tuskegee University (TU). His contributions to agriculture included finding more than 300 uses for peanuts, as well as establishing sustainable farming practices. Murphy said promoting Carver’s legacy is a home run for Alabama agriculture. 

“We wanted to create this platform to get involved with career technical organizations such as FFA, FBLA, FCCLA and others,” Murphy said. “We want them to engage with this work and show off their skills through a variety of creative projects and competitions with other schools and organizations.”

The effort was developed alongside TU and offered a new opportunity to educate the Biscuits’ extended community. Dr. Olga Bolden-Tiller, dean of TU’s College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, promoted the event and highlighted Carver’s importance. 

“Tuskegee University is proud to help the Montgomery Biscuits expand the influence of George Washington Carver to a new generation of students,” Bolden-Tiller said. “Our partnership — and the Biscuits’ tribute — helps magnify his legacy in so many ways.”

Involving the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) was a priority, Murphy said.

“We’ve had a relationship for several years with APPA, and it was one of the first organizations that came to mind when working through the planning stages of this project,” Murphy said. “We’re very thankful for the organization’s continued support of this platform and what they do for peanut growers across the state.”

APPA Executive Director Libbie Johnson and Henry County farmer Andrew Gamble attended the game Aug. 28. From their booth on the concourse, they interacted with fans, answering questions about modern peanut production practices and Carver’s impact. 

Carl Sanders is APPA’s president. The Coffee County farmer said celebrating “The Peanut Man” doubled as a way to honor all peanut producers, past and present.

“Any time we can promote that peanuts are good, healthy and nutritious, we’re glad to be a part of it,” Sanders said. “Dr. Carver did a lot for peanut production, nutrition and uses, and he helped establish the peanut industry we’re proud to represent today.”

Murphy said he expects this won’t be a one-off event. 

“Hopefully, this is something we can continue for a long time,” he said. “We like to create things that make people ask, ‘Why?’ and spark conversation. It’s so much more than a cool hat and jersey. It’s being able to extend that educational platform for agriculture.”