My wife knows that I have a past rooted in baseball. With my Dad (Bucky) having aspirations to play professional baseball, I have memories of leather baseballs, "Nesefoot oil" being rubbed into leather gloves and sweaty jocks. So with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (a semi-pro team located in Appleton and part of the Seattle Mariners) just down the road, my wife seemed driven to get me out to the old ball game.
In the movie Bull Durham, Kevin Costner is trying to make it to the "Big Show" for one last time. The Show is short for major leagues. Anyone playing for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers aspires to make the Big Show. By the way, Alex Rodriquez, the highest paid player in major league baseball came through the Appleton Farm System.
So we went to a ball game. This is a game of detail. It is fun to watch a hitter work a pitcher to a full count. A double steal is a thing of beauty. A pitchout is a strategic call. Details, details, and more details.
Grandsons Dominic and Tommy happened to be in town and guess what, they joined us. The term "show" took on a whole different meaning. "Circus" might have been a more appropriate description.
We walked into the stadium and we got advertising materials handed to us, four (I counted them) computer mouse pads sponsored by different groups, some coloring books and a free ticket for Dominic and Tommy to get a free hot dog and soda. Welcome to Timber Rattler Stadium.
I walked our "tribe" down to one end of the stadium where they have a grassy knoll and the kids could get rid of some energy. They rolled down the hill and threw Tommy's precious stuffed elephant back and forth like a baseball. Pretty soon another boy was throwing "Peanuts" around and my biggest fear was it would end up on the playing field. The closest it came was hitting the protective fence. While all this was going on I was watching this "drop dead" gorgeous gal talking to one of the baseball players over the fence. Those baseball players get it all.
Eventually it was on to hot dogs and soda. My wife added cotton candy which is the fluffiest, stickiest stuff in the world. Dominic on one side of me eating cotton candy with gooie fingers and Tommy on the other side of me with gooie fingers. Talk about being in a sticky situation. A trip to the water fountain solved the whole thing.
Did I mention Fang. He is the Timber Rattler mascot. Tommy and Dominic got their pictures taken with Fang. They also got an autographed baseball card of Fang.
We got a stuffed baseball that was thrown into the stands as a promotion and when Timber Rattler Mirano got a base hit, they threw frisbees into the stands. Yep, we got one of them too.
You get the idea, the "show" was not professional baseball for the purist. It was all the entertainment taking place around us. It included a slicked up Pee Wee Herman type leading cheers and dance routines between innings.
We left after the sixth inning with the Rattlers leading 6-0. I don't know who finally won the game. I don't really care. A good time was had by all.
Next time, if there is a next time, I am going to Rattler game with a baseball affectionato that knows the fine details of the game and is not distracted by all the diversions. Baseball is a serious game. It is statistics. It is strategy. It is steeped in tradition. It is not some "Pee Wee Herman knock off" dancing with an umpire to the song YMCA. Or, maybe I've got it all wrong? No, I don't think so?
It was a memorable evening.
Love,
Dad