The Asheville Downtown Association today announced that Asheville-native and Atlanta Braves star, Cameron Maybin, will serve as grand marshal for the 2015 Asheville Holiday Parade, presented by Bojangles of WNC on Saturday, November 21. The grand marshal float is sponsored by Deerfield Retirement Community.
Maybin’s family knew he would be a baseball player at the age of three. His dad Rudy said, “Cameron always had a ball or bat in his hand. He just loved it.”
When he was 12-years-old, his dad was influential in locking down his summers as a bat boy for the Class A Asheville Tourists. He felt it would help Maybin stay focused on the game. “A batboy has to stay alert; it can be dangerous as they’re in the hot zone for fouls.” Maybin’s dad also knew being around the players and coaches would give him exposure to tips and techniques he wouldn’t have found out otherwise.
Maybin played baseball at T.C. Roberson High School, where as a freshman, he led his team to a state championship and was named the tournament’s “Most Valuable Player.”
The 10th overall pick in 2005, Maybin was drafted by the Detroit Tigers, and after a couple years in the minors, was called up in 2007. At 20, he was the youngest player in the American League, and in just his second major league game, picked up his first career home run off All-Star pitcher, Roger Clemens. Now centerfielder for the Atlanta Braves, Maybin has posted 10 home runs and 52 RBIs in the 2015 season.
The Asheville Holiday Parade, presented by Bojangles of WNC, rolls, dances and marches through downtown Asheville on Saturday, November 21 beginning at 11am. The parade features nearly 100 entries including marching bands, dance and cheer squads, nonprofits and businesses.
After the parade Maybin will make his way to Ingles JingleFest in Pack Square Park to sign autographs.
Applications for parade entries are due Friday, October 3 and available at ashevilledowntown.org. More information about the Asheville Holiday Parade and Ingles JingleFest also at ashevilledowntown.org.
2015 sponsors include: Bojangles of WNC, Ingles Markets, Deerfield Retirement Community, The North Carolina Arboretum, Holston Gases, Asheville Eye Associates, Harmony Motors, Kudzu Branding Co., Aloft Asheville Downtown, WLOS ABC 13, My40, Mix 96.5, Star 104.3, 98.1 The River, 99.9 Kiss Country, Scene, Asheville Citizen-Times, WNC Parent, WNC Magazine, Laurel of Asheville, Sound Extreme Entertainment, Asheville Color & Imaging and Macaroni Kids.