Reds Mascots

The Reds are doing great this year!! Oh, and I love mascots!

John Gordon- Twins broadcaster

John Gordon who started out calling games for the Spartanburg Phillies in 1965 sent a great note recently. He has been with the Twins since 1987 and has spent time with the Yankees and with a favorite of mine, the Clippers!

John answered some questions for me. He says his favorite players were the great Kirby Puckett, and Carl Willis.

A favorite sports town in Kansas City.

I also asked about Spartanburg and he said, "I have fond memories of Spartanburg (I met my wife there). No more professional baseball there."

Thanks John! I became a fan of Carl Willis during our time in Cleveland, as he worked with CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, and Fausto Carmona. Great guy! Oh, and check out some of my recent entries here. KC is quickly becoming a favorite town of mine too!

Wild Pitches

Yeah, this is the point in the year when I find myself in a personal slump. The minor league season is over. What do I do now? Seriously, what do I do now?

I will try to attend some of the independent league basketball games that will be going on around the state of Kentucky in a couple of months but I will miss baseball!

Book Review: Cobb by Al Stump

I think I have read enough books on Ty Cobb now!

After reading a handful of books on the legend, I think I have concluded that he is the most fascinating athlete in the history of ever!

I have to say, there is a real difference in the way Cobb is presented in this book compared to the Ty Cobb in other books.

Author Al Stump does mention that Cobb helped support some old timer fellow baseball players who needed some financial help. He does give credit for the medical center and scholarship he set up.

Otherwise, he paints a villainous picture of Cobb.

I guess, after my personal visit to Royston Georgia and the Ty Cobb Museum, I want to like the guy. I want to believe that he was a great player, and a good guy.

I wasn't around during Cobb's time, and I did not know him. Al Stump did.

I guess, if you are going to read up on Ty Cobb, this book and some of the others would be needed.

Stories about his love and hate with teammates is covered thoroughly here. Also, Cobb is linked to gambling, even admitting that he was OK (under certain conditions) with throwing a game if needed.

Herschel Greer Stadium- Nashville, TN.

Here are some pictures I took at a recent trip to Greer Stadium in Nashville.

I have read about the park feeling outdated and all. Well... that is accurate. The park is outdated, which is a great reason to get down and experience the Sounds at Herschel Greer Stadium before they move on.

The guitar scoreboard is amazing and one of a kind. I do love a nice urban skyline, but the guitar just looks great.

On our way to the park, we looked to our right and saw the back of the scoreboard right next to us! Driving to an unfamiliar park and recognizing a part of it- knowing you are close is a great feeling.

Then again, it would be cool to have that Nashville skyline peaking over the outfield wall!

Surely in the near future, the Sounds will be playing in a more modern park. Indianapolis, Louisville, and Memphis come to mind when I think about great parks in downtown areas. Both the city and the team benefit from the relationship. I am certain Nashville will do the same at some point, and it will be exciting.

Still, cool older parks, a little bit out of the main city areas are becoming harder to find. Getting to and parking at Greer is no problem. The place is filled with friendly staff that seem to enjoy their job.

Herschel Greer Stadium is still nice, attractive and full of baseball life, though it is one of a dying species of parks.

Kris Atteberry- Twins Broadcaster

Kris Atteberry has been with the Twins since 2007. Before that he called games for the independent St. Paul Saints baseball team.

Kris sent me a note recently about his work and his career.

He says that he feels blessed with a great group of guys, mentioning Cuddyer, Kebel, and Redmond.

I asked about his favorite players growing up.

"Always loved Jim Abbott, George Brett, and I loved the Giants and Will Clark as a kid.

Wild Pitches

Its funny, sometimes you get a situation in baseball where a conflict happens, and there is really no right or wrong, but still, you have 2 conflicting sides.

I love Joe Maddon. The guy defines cool. Plus, he is classy.

There was the situation this week where he got tossed for arguing about a Jeter at bat.

A ball looked to hit Jeter (later, it was shown that the ball actually did not hit Jeter, but he played it off like it did). The ump gave Jeter the base. Maddon argued that jeter was not hit, and Maddon was ejected.

Its just one of those odd situations. I am not a fan of cheating, thought Jeter really did not cheat. He did what he could to get on base. He did what he should have done.

Maddon did too.

Corky Withrow- Kentucky Explorer Magazine, Sept. 2010

I have mentioned "Kentucky Explorer" magazine before and it once again needs a mention.

There is a nice note about Corky Withrow, formerly of the St. Louis Cardinals. The article deals more with his Central City basketball career, but still, a nice Kentucky/baseball related article.

Corky is living in Owensboro now!

MMA Fighting at Applebee's Park in Lexington

Hey, if you are near Lexington, you might want to go to Applebee's Park tomorrow night (September 16). They are again hosting an MMA event. Looks like the action starts at 7!

http://lexington.legends.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t495

A Strong Right Arm- The Story of Peanut Johnson

I picked this book up at our recent visit to the Negro League Baseball Museum.

That cool artwork on the cover is worth the $6 price tag alone.

The story is a very easy read, I think the book is written for grade school or middle school readers (a teacher actually wrote it, and she did a great job). But it is still the story of Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, one of the few female players ever to play pro. She played with the Indianapolis Clowns, and was one of 3 women to play in the Negro leagues.

It is great that that there are so many of the players from these leagues still with us. I have said it before- EVERY pro team needs to have a Negro Leagues tribute night at least once a year.

I really like this book about Mamie making it to the pro level. I felt a bit disappointment about the way she and a friend were treated when they tried out for the All American Girls professional Baseball League.

Still, she made it, and she holds a very unique place in the baseball history books.

Kansas City Royals

After visiting St. Louis and the Cardinals, we drove about another 5 hours and visited the Kansas City area. I enjoyed my time in this entire area very much! In addition to having a great baseball tradition in the area, Kansas City has a lot of other things going on for it.

Kansas City is simply a great area. I thought it was easy getting around, pretty calm and just an easy area to deal with. We loved the hallmark visitor center, and just driving around the area. They have a great mall area, and lots of good food!

We had tickets to catch the Royals doing battle with the Tigers.

I have heard others say that the Royals play in a very unique venue. Kauffman Sadium is truly unique.

Sitting right next to the KC Chief's Arrowhead Stadium (the two making up the Truman Sports Complex) Kauffman Stadium is a sight. It is right off of the interstate.

Having the venue pretty much surrounded by parking spaces and huge parking lots does take away from the game day experience in my books. Unlike our other game in St. Louis, you can't get a room walking distance from the game and just go there. You have to deal with traffic and parking.

I did see a lot of tailgating going on. There were still many people showing up and having a good pre game experience.

I guess the pregame experience comes down to a personal choice. I like walking past local shops and other places on my way to a game. Others enjoy the hanging out by your vehicle for hours before the game.

At first I wanted to compare Kauffman to PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Not because of appearance or anything, but because it is casual, and has a very relaxed vibe. AND it is easy to get good tickets at a very good price.

I did not see ushers hassling people, and the crowd was good. The experience was comparable to a AAA game.

I mean that in a good way. Sometimes major league parks are too big and chaotic. Most AAA parks are eventful and exciting, bit calm enough that you can relax.

The fountains are as spectacular as I had heard, and the club has done a great job with their Hall of Fame. EVERY team (major and minor) needs a Hall of Fame at their park!

To be honest, I thought I would have a good time in Kansas City, and seeing the Royals, but I was shocked at how nice the area, and the team is.

J.R. Towles- Astros and Lexington Legends

On September 2nd, the Lexington legends inducted JR Towles into their Hall of Fame.

This was very cool because JR has spent a good amount of time playing with the Astros at the highest level.

Those of us that have followed the Legends for some time, remember seeing him at games and chatting with him.

I remember him coming off as a humble, scrappy player who packed a punch. I remember thinking that he had "it." Each year you look for those players that pack a punch, and seem motivated to make it. JR was at the top of my list of players likely to get to the show.

The Legends had a night devoted to him. He came out and made a nice short speech. I thought it was very cool that his wife got to throw out a first pitch, with JR again behind the Lexington home plate to catch it.

It was very cool of JR to make it back to Lexington for the night. All Legends fans can claim JR as one of our own!

Wild Pitches

If you happen to be in the Jackson, Tennessee area this weekend, go to a Diamond Jaxx game!!! They are letting people in for FREE to Saturdays playoff game! I really wish I could be there.

I think they are in a really cool area and I like their park.

Check out their web site too, they are going through a name change next year. Next year they will be known as the Jackson Generals!

http://westtenn.diamondjaxx.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t104

Well, the minor league season is pretty much over. Don't expect another blog entry from me until April of 2011!

Just kidding! I would like to reassure all three of my followers that I still plan to post something every 2-3 days on average. Not sure what I will be posting, but I will put something up.

Droid panoramic photo- Lexington Legends

I mentioned that my buddy Rick just got a new Droid phone. I love cameras and I love taking pictures- especially at a game.

I have had a good time splicing photos together and making panoramic pictures.

Rick took this photo the other night using his Droid. The gadget directs you to move your camera to a certain point, then it takes the photos- 6 in a row back to back. It takes about a minute to take the series of 6 pictures and then the Droid puts them all together, almost perfectly.

Click on the photo he took the other night at Applebee's Park in Lexington. I reduced its size to 1/4th. Other than that, it is totally unedited. You might notice a few small flaws, but I am very happy with the results.

Al Pawlowski- Cleveland Indians Broadcaster

Al Pawlowski who does some play-by-play work for the Cleveland Indians sent a nice note recently.

I mentioned that I followed the Tribe for a very long period of time, after spending a decade in the area.

"I grew up following the Tribe like you."

Al has done a lot of other work for the Indians, including acting as their park host/announcer from 1999-2006 and worked broadcasting for other pro and college sports teams in the area.

Eric Collins- Dodgers Broadcaster

Eric Collins, who is currently doing some great broadcast work for the Dodgers and may be better known for his work with just about every major sports team in Chicago, sent a nice note recently.

"I'm getting a chance to live out a dream watching the greatest organization in pro sports play on a nightly basis."

"I hope you're enjoying the broadcasts as much as I enjoy bringing them to you!"

Thanks Eric!

Wild Pitches

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jeff_pearlman/09/01/cricket.scandal.mlb.doping/index.html

Check out the above article about the recent cricket scandal. Jeff Pearlman makes a great point about maintaining a sports integrity. Thanks Jeff!

Most of the local teams are finishing up their home games. In fact, I will probably attend my last minor league game of the season within the next few days. What now?

I was at the Lexington Legends game last night and had a lot of fun. There was a "flash mob" that was very entertaining. It started out with 2 couples jumping up on each dugout and doing a dance, them others joined in. Before it was over, both dugouts had a bunch of dancers, and there were some in the isles. It was pretty cool, and appreciated by the fans. We did snap a couple of photos that I might get up later. I would like to get more info on this, as it looked cool, it was enjoyable, and rehearsing for something like that is a great way for kids to spend their time! Kind of random, like a prank, but not destructive... and artsy! Very cool. Maybe one of the coolest things I have watched at a game recently (other than the action on the field)!

My buddy Rick has one of those new Droid phones. Generally, I am pretty resistant to technology. This thing is too cool. The Droid has a feature that just might sell me on it. Generally, I like phones for making phone calls, and cameras for taking pictures. This gadget, however, has a GREAT panoramic feature. It takes 6 photos in a row, and then pretty much stitches them all together instantly. I love taking panoramic photos at ball parks. Stitching can be a hassle though. This phone pretty much takes care of it all. I will get some examples up soon. I know there is the Sony camera that Taylor Swift is endorsing (and I always get my expensive gear based on celebrity endorsements) but I really like this Droid. Oh, and you can take regular pictures, use the internet, and make phone calls with it.

Crosley Field Book

This book has been out for several years, but I just very recently picked up my copy.

Its funny, this park was finished with baseball way before I came along. An older friend noticed me reading the book, and he mentioned that he had been to some games there as a kid. He was very excited to flip through the book.

There are a lot of pictures and history in this one. The players had to walk through the crowd to get to the diamond. Traffic was a huge issue in the area. A young Pete Rose used to try to bum tickets years before he would play at the park.

I thought this book would be a very quick read, but it was not. You read about the park and the players, then you gaze at the photos for some time, thinking about the place.

The authors do a great job of discussing the parks very early history, its evolution, upgrades, etc. You read about the park's early days, its significant moments, and finally, there is info about what is in the area now where the park once stood.

One of the saddest pictures I have ever seen relating to baseball is in this book. There is a photo of the park being used to as a scrap yard.

Rich Herrera- Tampa Bay Rays Director of Radio Operations

Rich Herrera is one of those few radio guys that has done everything, and he has done it for several teams in several sports! In baseball he has worked for the Giants, the A's and now the Rays. He worked for the Fox Sports Radio Network hosting his own show!

Rich sent me a very kind note answering some questions.

"It is hard to pick one favorite player."

He says that he loved working in San Francisco as it is a great sports town but he is really enjoying his current situation in the Tampa Bay area!

Rich asks me if I am a UK Wildcats fan! Thanks for asking Rich, and yes I am!

Wild Pitches

The weather is better in my area, and I am still trying to squeeze in a few more games before the season is over!

Just a couple of random thoughts/opinions......

I hate to see Lou Piniella step out, but I understand his need to leave. I think he will always be around baseball in some way.

I am still thinking about seeing the San Diego Chicken in Indianapolis! In fact, here is a link to the Chicken's page, and a blog post he had about how much he enjoys performing at Victory Field in that town. I especially like what he has to say about naming rights, and the actual name, "Victory Field"! Take a moment to read his post:

http://www.famouschicken.com/victoryfield.html

San Diego Chicken in Indianapolis

Indianapolis is one of my all time favorite places to go outside of the great state of Kentucky. I am always looking for an excuse to go there.

Well, I had a great excuse to go there a little while ago- The San Diego Chicken was making an appearance!

I have watched a lot of the current minor league characters make the rounds. I love them all. And, as I have mentioned before, I love mascots. Unfortunately, the Chicken was about the only one I had not been able to catch.

There is something so exciting about the Famous Chicken. He has been around since 1974 and he is full of integrity. Ted Giannoulas has always been the San Diego Chicken, even going to court over it.

I don't think anyone would have held it against him if, at some point, he decided to pass down the costume. Really he could have franchised the gimmick at some point, but he has not. He is the Chicken, and his relentless touring during baseball season gives him more cred than just about anyone in the sports world that I can think of.

He gives 100% too. Items at his merchandise table at the game were more than affordable. Hand signed photos were sold for $2. Plus, he always sticks around after the game to sign autographs for everyone.

Seeing the Chicken at Victory Field is ideal. In my opinion, downtown Indianapolis is very easy to drive through, parking is never much of a problem, and there is plenty to do within a short walk. Plus, the Indianapolis Indians have a great staff.

The San Diego Chicken did not come out until at least the 3rd inning, but after he came out, he was visible for most of the game, coaching 1st base at one point, and taunting the visiting team. He held up posters of girls in bikinis to distract the pitcher. He actually got into a play fight with the other team twice, once coming out to Rocky theme music, and wearing boxing gloves.

My favorite moments involved the Chicken posing for photos with small children, putting his beak over the tops of their heads. Bringing out the "little chicks" and taunting the umpire was great too. Oh, and he had a dance off with the Indians mascot, Rowdy.

The combination of Indianapolis Indians baseball, the great town of Indianapolis, and the Famous San Diego Chicken made for a great night at a ball game. I really hope that the San Diego Chicken continues doing what he does, as it is classic and totally unforgettable.

Manuel Rivera Strikes out 4 in 1 inning- Lexington

I don't know if anyone noticed this, but there was a 4 strike out half inning during the Lexington Legends game against the Greenville Drive on Friday night.

Lexington's Jiovanni Mier struck out swinging. A wild pitch went past the catcher, and Mier ran safely to 1st. Interestingly, Jiovanni would end up scoring after stealing second. He looked to be picked off easily in a steal attempt to third. Another off throw pitch convinced Mier to go on home, and he scored.

Jacob Goebbert, Ben Heath, and Jonathan Meyer also struck out in the inning. Heath's strike out was similar to Mier's, but the catcher threw him out at first.

It was fun watching this 4 strike out inning. Credit Drive pitcher Manuel Rivera with 4Ks in the inning! Here are some photos I took.

St. Louis Cardinals

When I was much younger, I drove through St. Louis with some friends a couple of times. The place seemed so big and intimidating.

Maybe its that I am older, or maybe living in a big city like Cleveland for a decade has changed my perspective. Or, maybe it was the fact that any city bigger than Evansville Indiana seemed huge to me back then.

This time around, however, the place seemed just right.

We drove in to town early on a Friday and St. Louis appeared just right to me. You see the Arch from a ways off. You are pulled to it. We looked around feeling the need to park, and go right to it.

We resisted that initial urge, and went to our hotel. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that our hotel was situated right between the Arch and the Busch Stadium. We parked at our hotel, and walked to the points we wanted to see.

The Arch is just amazing. We were able to spend some quality time here while in town. We took the egg shaped pod to the top and looked out the windows. There was a bit of a line, and you are in a closed in space, but this is with out a doubt a "must do" at some point in a lifetime.

We walked down to the park and had a meal at Joe Buck's (look for a review elsewhere on this blog). We had a nice time there, and continued to walk around town before the start of our game.

St. Louis has a very unique vibe going on before games. We passed a number of bars and nice restaurants that felt very open. For blocks, you could see casual fans hanging out and enjoying themselves.

As a side note, we heard more than one bar band that was in tune. Bar bands in other areas, please take note! Singing, and playing in tune is important!

You can really have a very complete game day experience here near the stadium. There is a very nice fan experience going on all around.

There was a coffee shop inside of the Hilton near the park and we stopped for coffee. Inside of the hotel, a piano player played "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and outside a very competent bar band played. Street vendors sold peanuts and red bird hats.

St. Louis knows something that many other baseball areas have not figured out. MANY cities with major league teams need to take note. Having your ballpark in an easy to access downtown area with plenty of appropriate businesses is good for everyone.

The crowd was festive but pleasant. I did not notice any panhandling, or graffiti. Fans greeted and laughed with each other. You could feel safe walking with your children in this area before game time.

Busch Stadium is all that too. The staff was friendly and helpful not not intrusive.

The Cardinals had a very nice, well stocked and well managed gift shop. I noticed that the cashier made a point to address me as Mr. AND she pronounced my uncommon last name correctly. Retail people remember that. That earns an A+.

I love skylines at parks. Like the Pirates, the Cardinals have a great one, at least from where we were setting.

Another cool thing about the Cardinals. They will do a "happy birthday" type message on their side scoreboards for FREE. They loop them too during an inning, so, if you miss it the first time, get your camera ready. You'll probably have a couple more opportunities to get a picture of the message.

We had a really nice time in St. Louis and I am looking forward to getting back again soon. Especially if you are in Western Kentucky this is a nice, 3 day weekend trip.

Wild Pitches

Hey, check out this link about Luke Holko Day hosted by the Scrappers. I have mentioned Luke here before. He was accidentally hit by a foul ball at a Mahoning Valley Scrappers game a year ago. It brings me a lot of joy to read that he is doing better. Also, the Scrappers officially added the 5 year old to their roster for a game recently!

http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100818&content_id=13625012&vkey=news_milb&fext=.jsp

In the Frontier League, the River City Rascals signed little person Nick Hagan in a Bill Veeck tribute event.

http://frontierleague.com/cgi-bin/dist/news.cgi?id=1282245760

Book Review: Gary Carter

When I was a very young kid, the Mets were my team. Gary Carter was my favorite player.

I always thought he was positive and honest. he was always smiling, and just seemed to have a friendly, great attitude.

He is still one of my all time favorites. As I have gotten older, I have found other players that I admire for the same, or for other reasons, but many of my favorite moments in baseball that I witnessed first hand (on TV) involve Carter.

Interestingly, there are a few books out there on "The Kid."

I read "The Gamer" some time ago, and I recently picked up "A Dream Season" and had it finished in a couple of days.

In my mind, Gary will always be a member of the Mets. I do think it is cool that he is the only guy in Cooperstown wearing an Expos hat, though that will not be the case much longer.

I did not know a lot about Carter's time with the Dodger's and his rough relationship with Lasorda until I read The Gamer. I also did not know much about his time with the Giants.

Both books cover some of the same ground, most obviously the 86 World Series.

The Dream Season book was published in 1987, so the 86 season was still fresh in the minds of Carter and all of the Mets fans.

Both are fun reads, especially if you were a fan of baseball in the 1980s.