Commentary: Not surprising that Charlies nostalgia keeps growing

Even on the Charleston Charlies’ first night of existence, April 16, 1971, things were trending toward nostalgia.

The name itself, Charleston Charlies, was brand-new and fashionably alliterative, and it was catchy and distinctive enough to withstand the test of time, especially compared to the humdrum moniker of their opening-night foe, the Syracuse Chiefs.

Half a century later, those Charleston Charlies of yore and their venerable home, Watt Powell Park, still generate baseball talk, reminiscences and old photos, many of which pop up continually on social media.

As we look back, of course, hindsight and the passage of time embellish the memories. Further embellishing them is the knowledge that such future notables as Dave Parker, Tony La Russa, Richie Zisk, Kent Tekulve, Terry Puhl, Vo