Macon Bacon

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The Macon Bacon are a wood-bat, collegiate summer baseball team in Macon, Georgia. They play in the Coastal Plain League (CPL) West division at Luther Williams Field. The team began in 2018. Colors are red and black, and the mascots include Kevin Bacon, The Grease, and Notorious P.I.G.

Ownership and leadership
The team is owned by Macon Bacon Baseball LLC, with Brandon Raphael as managing partner and president. Local investors include Dr. Daniel Erthal, Ron Shipman, and Jonathan Pitts. The team has had several managers over the years, including Danny Higginbotham (2018–2019), Jimmy Turk (2019), Kyle MacKinnon (2021), and Kevin Soine (head coach in 2022).

How it started and the ballpark
In 2017, the Macon-Bibb County Commission approved a CPL franchise for Macon and signed a ten-year lease for Luther Williams Field. That lease was extended to 2037 in 2024. Renovations to the ballpark began before the 2018 season, funded in part by SPLOST (about $2.5 million).

Name and early history
A name contest produced more than 1,500 submissions. Five finalists were Macon Bacon, Macon Soul, Macon Hits, Macon Heat, and Macon Noise. Macon Bacon won the vote.

Season highlights and milestones
In 2018, the Bacon were named the CPL Organization of the Year and sold out 11 of 23 home games. They finished second in CPL attendance and were 10th in attendance among all summer leagues. They reached the CPL playoffs in their first season but were eliminated in the first round by the Savannah Bananas (4–15).

In 2019, Macon reached the Petitt Cup finals, finishing as runner-up to the Morehead City Marlins in a best-of-three series (Morehead City won 2–1). In 2020, during the shortened season, Macon advanced to the CPL Championship and beat the Savannah Bananas 6–5.

Recent ownership change
In November 2023, owner Steve Delay announced the team would be up for sale. In August 2024, Macon Bacon Baseball LLC completed the purchase, with Brandon Raphael and local investors continuing in leadership roles.

Notable players
Over the years, some Bacon alumni have moved on to professional baseball, including players who have been drafted by MLB teams.