Wordless Wednesday
baseball
Quote of the Day
“Football is to baseball as blackjack is to bridge. One is the quick jolt. The other the deliberate, slow-paced game of skill, but never was a sport more ideally suited to television than baseball. It’s all there in front of you. It’s theatre, really. The star is the spotlight on the mound, the supporting cast fanned out around him, the mathematical precision of the game moving with the kind of inevitability of Greek tragedy. With the Greek chorus in the bleachers!” Vin Scully
Gateway Grizzlies
On Monday, we went to a Gateway Grizzlies game. It was honor roll night, and Moose’s teacher had awarded him two tickets, (even though Early Childhood doesn’t actually have an honor roll), so we ordered some extras, and went to the ballpark. Grandpa and Grandma even got to come, making it a really special night.
I’d never been to a Grizzlies game before. Actually, I’ve never been to any minor league game before. Now, technically, the Grizzlies aren’t a “minor league” team, because they’re not affiliated with Major League Baseball–they’re a part of the Frontier League. I guess the best way to describe them would be as a club team–they’re professionals, but not what you usually think of when you think professional baseball players. But everything I’ve ever heard about minor league games fit our Grizzlies experience, so I’m equating the two.
W got to see the Grizzlies play the Normal CornBelters (no, I didn’t make that up!). It was a very fun experience. The park is small, and only seats about 6,000, so no matter where you sit, you’re close to the action. We had a good view of the game, and all of the other action, especially the opposition’s bullpen. And by bullpen, I mean players sitting directly in front of the stands, and warming up on the warning track.
In between innings, there were all kinds of ridiculous contests that were very fun to watch. The groundskeeper’s children racing around in human-sized hamster balls. Racing eyeballs. “Fights” involving giant boxing gloves. It was all hilarious, and to be perfectly honest, more fun than watching the actual game. Sorry Grizzlies. But the entertainment was really what made the game special.
The food at the park was also an experience. The Grizzlies are known for what they call “Baseball’s Best Burger.” Said burger is served not on a bun, but in a Krispy Kreme donut. I don’t care what they say, it’s gross–order at your own peril. On the other hand, they had funnel cake fries–delicious! They also serve brisket nachos (among other varieties), which we did not get to try, but I’m hoping to sample on our next visit. And the concessions are way cheaper than those at Busch Stadium, which almost makes up for the fact that you can’t bring any outside food into the ballpark.
Grizzlies games are also very child-friendly. The mascot, Izzy the Grizzlie, (you read that right), is constantly wandering the stands, and stops to pose with any child, (or more likely parent), who wants a photo. I should know–we took a lot of them! There’s a children’s play area in one corner of the ballpark, complete with batting cage, climbing equipment, and slides. There’s also a “kid’s parade” between innings, during which the children at the game are encouraged to parade around the park with Izzy, while chanting “Let’s Go Grizzlies!” Turkey and Bunny loved that!
Walking around the park with Moose before the game, I had the chance to look at all of the team logos for the Frontier League. This was one of my favorite parts of the night. As I wasn’t really familiar with the league, you can imagine how familiar I was with the teams in the league–in other words, not at all. In addition to the CornBelters, there are also Beach Bums, ThunderBolts, and Otters. My favorite, however, was the Joliet Slammers. I never would have gotten the joke if I hadn’t seen the logo–the name to me just implied grand slams. But, no, it’s a reference to the Joliet Correctional Center. Too funny!
It was a great night. We’re hoping to get to go back there later this season–it’s a fun, relatively inexpensive way to spend an evening as a family!
Quote of the Day–We Are Cardinal Nation
This poem was on the back of one of the many of the Cardinals schedules we have lying around the house. I’m just sappy enough that it brought a tear to my eye (but if the thought of Stan Musial doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, I really have to question whether or not you have a soul)!
“We are Cardinal Nation.
We are the 3 million in the stands and the millions more at home.
We are generations of generations.
We are a father, a son, and a scorecard.
We are Ducky, Dizzy, and The Rajah. Albert, Yadi, and Waino.
We are a hard nine.
We are a kid, an old radio, and a disregard for bedtimes.
We are curtain calls and the Clydesdales.
We are sac bunts, hitting the cutoff, and the 4-6-3.
We were “America’s Team” before there was such as a thing as “America’s Team.”
We are 1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 14, 17, 20, 24, 42, 45, and 85.
We are “Go Crazy Folks” and “That’s a Winner.”
We are Hornsby’s .424 and Gibby’s 1.12.
We are Bonilla’s hamstring and a rookie named Albert.
We are Robison, Sportsman’s, and Busch.
We are “Seat Cushion Night.”
We are Ol’ Abner, among other Shannon-isms.
We are “Brummer’s stealing home!”
We are 1892, and 1982. (And not to mention ’26, ’31, ’34, ’42, ’44, ’46, ’64, ’67, ’06 and ’11.)
We are the Gashouse Gang, Slaughter’s Mad Dash, and Brock for Broglio.
We are backflips on Opening Day.
We are peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and home runs that break things.
We are a porch swing, a summer night, and the crackle of the Mighty ‘MOX.
We are Whiteyball and the baby blues.
We are Mike Laga and the Legendary Foul Ball.
We are “Meet you at Musial.”
We are 42,396 on a Tuesday night.
We are 475 home runs, 3,630 hits and 3 MVPs, despite WWII.
We are George Kissell.
We are two birds on one bat. And always will be.
We are generations of Hall of Famers, 11 World Championships, and counting.
We are the first team this side of the Mississippi…
And the best fans this side of anywhere.
We are Cardinal Nation.”
Wordless Wednesday
The First Injury
We’ve now had our first baseball injury of the season. Ironically, it wasn’t even Turkey who got hurt!
We were outside at the elementary school’s ball field, because Turkey wanted to practice batting. His siblings were recruited as fielders, a job which most of them love. Bunny and Ladybug especially enjoyed chasing the balls in the outfield, (to be truthful, it was really the infield…most of the players on Turkey’s team can’t reach the outfield yet). They even tried throwing a few to him, which didn’t really work out so well…they’re kind of wild pitchers.
Anyway, someone, (I won’t name any names, but her names rhymes with funny),
was so interested in chasing the ball, including the ones she dropped and rolled away from her, that she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going. And someone, despite my earlier warnings about just this matter, walked right next to the batter while he was swinging.
I stood there and watched, knowing exactly what was going to happen, yet powerless to do anything, as the bat made contact with her head. Fortunately for her, Turkey doesn’t really swing that hard or fast yet, but it was still a solid contact. She started shrieking immediately, and the quarter sized, purple bump was also immediate. We rushed home, of course, to put ice on it, and to call the doctor (who was thankfully on call), and find out if we needed to head to the E.R.
The doctor wasn’t too concerned, but told us what to be on the lookout for. After hearing that, I think my heart rate finally returned to normal. Bunny enjoyed all of the extra attention she received from her siblings, but she’s not a big fan of the bump on her head.
It was a terrible thing to watch…one of those moments where everything seems to be in slow motion, and you still can’t do anything about it. Hopefully, all of the children have learned a lesson about being careful on the ball field. Sometimes, the only way you learn something is do what you’re not supposed to do, and suffer the consequences. Thankfully, this time, the consequences weren’t as severe as they could have been.
I think we may be the only family in which the fielders need batting helmets more than the batter!
Tweet Me in St. Louis
I’d like to say that the reason I went to tonight’s Cardinals game was because I’m such a generous wife, and went with Ryan to support him at a kind of work event–Social Media Night. The truth is, however, that I really wanted to get a t-shirt that says “Tweet Me in St. Louis” on it–plus, who doesn’t love a baseball game?
Social Media night at Busch stadium consisted of three things: 1.) $20 tickets in the Lower Left Field Box; 2.) The previously mentioned free t-shirt; 3.) A pre-game “mixer” with cash bar.
The seats were good. We got really close to a foul ball at one point (and I freaked out!), and it was nice to sit on the lower level for a change. The angle of the seats was a little strange, but once I got used to it, it was good, and we could see all the action on the field just fine. I could have done without the idiots sitting behind us, however–they were clearly not interested in the baseball game at all.
I love the shirt. Yes, I know it’s totally dorky, but I think it’s cute. It was also nice to be able to throw on an extra layer, as by the end of the game, the temperature was in the low 50s (it is still May, right?). Plus, I love a good play on words, and the shirt accomplishes that nicely.
The mixer was lame. For something geared toward people using various forms of “social media,” it didn’t appear that anyone there was interested in being social at all. We pretty much just got our shirts, walked around the area in which the mixer was set up, and left to wander the ballpark.
Which brings me to one of my favorite parts of the evening: We finally got to see one of the All-Star arches from a few years back up close! I’ve wanted to get a look at one, and take a picture, ever since the summer the All-Star game was here…so, since 2009, I guess. We saw them all over town, then, but we either weren’t able to stop, or I didn’t have the camera on me, so I couldn’t get a photo, but while we wandering around a part of Busch Stadium that I don’t think we’ve ever been through before, we found two of them. Mission accomplished!
The other awesome part of the evening? The game’s end. Not that the game was over, but the way it ended–and RBI single to win it in the ninth. Perfect. Fireworks, players celebrating on the field, fans celebrating in the stands, the requisite drum line outside the stadium–just what you hope for at a baseball game.
And the scene outside the stadium was something else. Throngs of happy Cardinals fans, making their way back to cars, train stops, buses, bars…wherever. And the line of buses waiting for passengers! Amazing. Street musicians. Rickshaws. All of the typical post-game sights and sounds you’d expect after a baseball game, with a festive air following a really close couple of innings.
Tonight was the perfect baseball game. But, just like we had a rehearsal the night before our wedding day, this was just the trial-run for tomorrow’s baseball-related events. Details to follow…
An Early Mother’s Day
We celebrated Mother’s Day a day early today–at the ballpark!
I think these seats were the best ones we’ve had at Busch Stadium so far. They were on the top deck, but they didn’t feel as high up as the last time we went. We were also on the third base side of home, so our view of the game was awesome! The skyline view was equally as awesome–especially the Arch. It’s also the first time we’ve really had a good view of the arch mirrored in the grass of the outfield, which has always amused me as far as ballpark aesthetics go.
The day was perfect–sunny and in the low 70s, with a nice breeze. It was also hat day, which was fun, and I think the hats are actually really cool. The only downside to the game was the fact that the Cards lost. I think Moose’s face sums up how we all felt about that!
Biting the Hand that Feeds You
I’ve been following Ryan Franklin’s lackluster start to the baseball season, and his eventual demotion, mild interest and mild amusement. You kind of have to be amused with the Cardinals pitching situation, because if you’re not, you’ll most likely end up crying over it.
Following another disappointing appearance and blown opportunity in the first game of a double-header against the Nationals, Franklin had some things to say about Cardinal Nation, and some of those things were not very nice:
“Sure, I hear it. I guess they’ve got short memories, too, because I think I’ve been pretty good here. It doesn’t bother me, but you know, it just shows some people’s true colors, you know?
You’re either a fan or you’re not. You don’t boo your own team. I don’t care who you are or what you say. Just because you spent your money to come here and watch us play and somebody happens to make one bad pitch and gives up a homer, you don’t start booing them?
I’ve been here for five years and four years, I’ve been pretty good. You should go write stories about the fans booing. They’re supposed to be the best fans in baseball. Yeah, right.”
Now, I actually agree with him about the booing. I was taught that you don’t boo at sporting events, period. Not the opposing team, and certainly not your team. I even agree with him that just because you pay for a ticket doesn’t give you the excuse to act however you want. But I do think he’s mistaking fans’ frustrations with fans showing their “true colors.” And I really think he goes too far at the end of his tirade, with his sarcastic, “Yeah, right.”
I’ve lived in St. Louis long enough to see that the Cardinals truly do have one of the best (if not the best) fan bases in baseball. And I say that having also lived in Chicago, which is known for her long-suffering fans. There’s just something special about this baseball town, the same way there’s something special about Green Bay and Packers fans.
Common sense suggests that when you, as a paid athlete, know your fans are already frustrated, and looking for someone to blame, you don’t inflame the situation by lashing out at those fans. That’s certainly not going to win you any friends, and ends up making you look ridiculous in the process. Instead of criticizing the people who are responsible for your paycheck, maybe you should just keep your mouth shut, and work on improving yourself to get back to that “pretty good” status.
(To his credit, Franklin did apologize for his statements after the fact. It may be too little, too late, though–it’s hard to forget harsh words spoken in anger.)
The Markel Opening Day Foodstravaganza
My husband created an awesome new family tradition. Read on (make sure to click the link to get full details and photos!) to see how we plan on spending future Cardinals Opening Days, unless, of course, we’re lucky enough to actually spend one at the ballpark someday!
“The Cards blew it on Opening Day, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have a great time, and I think we’ve just established a new tradition here at the Markel household. There’s no possible way I was going to be able to get tickets for all six of us to go, so we had to be creative and figure out a way to have some fun while staying home during the game.
The first step is to act like a real St. Louisan and immerse yourself in the game and the festivities which surround it as early in the day as possible. This means turning on the news, because every TV stations’ news crews here were all down at the ballpark where they belong. If you want to do something heinous in St. Louis and escape media attention, Opening Day is a pretty good choice in terms of timing. A good high speed chase or even a political scandal would be a good choice.”