Home Plate is a professional baseball and softball instructional facility located in Peachtree City, GA (approximately 30 minutes south of the Atlanta airport http://homeplate1.com/ ). Owner/operator Lloyd Thompson, a former professional baseball player, runs a highly qualified staff of professional instructors.  The most asked question is about the name of the team.  Lloyd personally named it the “Chili Dogs”.  He had played the game of baseball all over the country for many years and wanted a name no one else had (professionally or at the amateur level).  He had never heard of a team with that nickname and adopted it for his program.  It definitely creates an identity all its own.  Next the team wanted to make a name for itself (no pun intended) as an Elite program. Therefore, several of the teams compete all over the country in showcase events, Elite tournaments and league World Series.  The successes of the Chili Dog teams have earned them national respect well beyond the unique name.


The 11U Home Plate Chili Dogs entered the 2008 season returning 8 players from their 2007 Elite 24 team that finished in the top 10. In addition, this team had won the Georgia AAU State Championship against an impressive list of Major Teams in the state.  A roster full of versatile players was the goal for the 2008 season.  In the off-season the team added four new full time players.  The players were selected to increase overall depth in all key areas of the game.  It has been commented that the Chili Dogs have developed and played four deep at each position.  The Chili Dogs have developed all of its players to pitch and so far 11 different pitchers have toed the rubber in tournament play.  This will help protect the arms during a long season.  In 2008, the Chili Dogs have won 36 games while losing only 8 and tying one.  They have won 4 tournaments including the Georgia AAU Major State Title by beating the #1 ranked Travel Ball Select’s team (ECB Astros) in the same day.  And everyone who saw the 11U Tournament of Champions at East Cobb knows Home Plate can play with the best (14 of the 24 teams were ranked in TBS national ranking system).  A “break-out” game against the fourth ranked Florida Fire had re-established the Dogs as not only a worthy opponent but a team that should be included in Travel Ball Select’s ranking. You can expect the Chili Dogs will continue to play hard on their way to the final event of the year, the 11U AAU Disney National Championship.  If the name doesn’t get your attention, the play of the team will.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/hide comments

Show/hide comment form