We started the outing off with a visit to the famous Tony Packo's for some signature food. There is now a Tony Packo's right across the street from the ball park and we started there.
I had no choice but to order the M.O.A.D. (Mother Of All Dogs). My brother-in-law Andy also ordered the M.O.A.D. It was indeed as large as it looks. It was not so much a hot dog and a foot long kielbasa on a bun covered in chili and cheese. It was accompanied by a bowl of chili and paprika dumplings. I have to admit, I could not quite finish it. Andy however was victorious.
After filling up at Tony Packo's we walked across the street and entered my second Fifth Third Field of the year. West Michigan was the first, and Toledo the second. Not scheduled to pull off the trifecta and hit Fifth Third in Dayton, maybe next summer.
The Mudhens are the long time Triple A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers and they were taking on the Syracuse Chiefs, the new Triple A affiliate of the Washington Nationals.
It was Bad Hair Night at Fifth Third and thanks to Great Cuts, they handed out free combs. The Mudhens promotions staff took the bad hair theme to heart.
View from behind home plate. Fifth Third has a nice downtown setting like Parkview Field in Fort Wayne and probably had the most immaculately kept field to date.
A view of the Roost. I love the minor league ball parks that really pull off a theme in the park and do something unique. The Roost is down the right field line and is an upper deck connected to the two adjacent buildings that help frame the right field corner.
Who is that batting third for the Chiefs? He looks familiar.
Of course, it is former Chicago Cub, Corey Patterson leading the charge for the Chiefs. Too bad he isn't producing those numbers at the major league level. I'm not sure how Dusty Baker doesn't have him patrolling centerfield for the Reds.
Mudhens hitting early.
Wait, is that another Molina brother that catches? A follow-up screen made the specific point that he is NOT related to Yadier, Bengie or Jose of the famous Molina catchers.
The mascots, Muddy and Muddonna were popular and had a long line of kids looking for autographs. This is the second Muddonna following the pig at the St. Paul Saints game.
View from the left field foul pole looking back toward home plate.
View from the base of the right field pole.
View from straight away center. At Fifth Third Field, there is a concourse where you can walk all the way around the entire field. Most minor league parks, below Triple A have seating limited to foul pole to foul pole. The Triple A parks are a little bigger.
No Sausage race here. Instead the have Jamie Farr-madillo, Jim Flealand and Kitty Holmes. I don't even know what to say about this. I wish Jim Flealand was smoking a cigarette. Kitty Holmes won going away.
Hens score, but not enough as they fell 6-5 to the visiting Chiefs.
After the game they had a high school home run derby. The player here was caught in full extension as he put one out in a professional stadium.
Tonight's attendees included my dad, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and cousins.
Front Row: Me, Richard Marks, Jesse Marks, Andy Morris
Back Row: John Marks, Dan Marks, JJ Jordan
Back Row: John Marks, Dan Marks, JJ Jordan
The quintessential Mudhens home hat. Wanted to get the alternate hat which had a yellow feather, but stayed true to the summer and scored the standard home fitted hat.
2 comments:
Corey Patterson is a bum!
It's John Jordan (aka JJ)...but I won’t tell!! lol!! You know we really could have used the combs for Put-In-Bay. :)
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