07.29.09 #21 Schaumburg Flyers vs Fargo-Morehead Redhawks

After the softball exhibition, I felt I needed to also see a regular game at Alexian Field, so I headed out to see the Schaumburg Flyers take on the Fargo-Morehead Redhawks of the Northern League.

The same random mascots of Bearon the Bear, Orange Man and Bat Girl joined in for some more fun.

The managers take to the field to turn in their line-up cards. Only a few days later this same league erupted in a melee when Fargo-Morehead's Manager Doug Simunic traded punches with the Winnipeg manger. Tonight's game was more more subdued.

Sitting close and the park is not nearly as full as the softball exhibition gimmick.

Flyers pitching.

Redhawks pitching.

Flyers batting

Flyers scoring.

Whoa! A Randall Simon sighting. Sausage race participants everywhere are taking cover and hiding from this known abuser of sausages.

Great sky framing this picture from behind home plate as twilight gives way to evening.

Sitting close.

The Rick. Actually did not respond to questions of if he was "The Rick" from the ESPN commercials. Guessing he hears that way too much and finds no humor in it. Oh well, its nice to heckle the visitors.

Hang from this Velcro and get hit by a home run and win a car. No luck tonight.

Sky was really putting on a show tonight.

Northern League standings.

Attendees: Daren Ellefson, Jason Holy and myself.

All games are actually broadcast on AM 1410, who knew.

Flyers hat, repeat performance from Monday night.

07.27.09 #20 Schaumburg Flyers vs Chicago Bandits

This next one was a first. I went and watched a women's National Professional Fastpitch Softball team, the Chicago Bandits take on a men's independent Northern League minor league baseball team, the Schaumburg Flyers. This one came up out of nowhere and as such, I did not have team to line up people to attend. I actually saw the announcement in the paper that morning and checked for tickets and they only had single seats available. Apparently the owners of the two teams would talk over beer about what would happen if the two teams played and finally they made it happen.

When I got to Alexian Field, I was greeted by my second traffic jam of the year, with the first being the Rochester Red Wings game in New York. After fighting traffic, I approached the park and was met with the long lines seen in this picture.

Even the tickets promoted the Battle of the Sexes Part Deux as they were promoting the event.

The players on the women's side were living up the event. Here starting pitcher Eileen Canney is signing a shirt for a fan. There were Bandit players lined up all along the fences interacting with the fans. The home team Flyers were largely ignored by the crowd.

The Badits milling around and taking it all in. The crowd was still filing in and the game was delayed a half hour to accommodate the onslaught on fans.

The Bandits posed for a team photo before the game. First time I have seen a team do that this season.

There was a fly-over by the bi-plane pictured here to get the game started. Must be a special event.

The LOOP girl from the local radio station promoting the event steeped to the newly created mound to toss the first pitch.

Got to throw out a shout to my old roommate John, the company he works for, Links Technology, had a prominent advertisement in right field.

The Battle of the Sexes Part Deux logo was painted on the field. They were really playing this angle up.

Finally the teams took the field for the National Anthem and it was about time to play ball.

Oh wait, we had to bring the mascots out too. There was a guy in a full body lycra suit, that was called orangeman, a girl dressed like Bat Girl who was a bat girl and Bearon, the bear mascot.

The Flyers took the field first and they were playing by softball rules, including the shortened infield. I was curious how the men would do pitching. I didn't find out until after the game, that the Flyers brought in a ringer from Australia to start the game.

Stacy May-Johnson at bat for the Bandits. The women stuck with the aluminum bats they use, while the men used the wooden bats they use.

The Flyers struck first by getting some hits and plating a pair of runs in the third.

Here is a view of the temporary mound constructed for the game as the Bandits bat.

The Flyers imported some help in the pitching department, bringing in Andrew Blackshaw, an Australia fastpitch softball player. Eileen Canney was throwing 65 mph on her fast ball and Andrew's pitch shown here tipped the gun at 78 mph.

After Canney pitched a few innings, the Bandits brought in Kristina Thorson for a few innings.

The women really knew how to pitch and were throwing change ups as slow as 41 mph. Some of the guys swung so far out in front of the ball they could have swung twice. The change ups were devastating.

As with an minor league game, promotions are the name of the game. The Flyers have the El Pollo Loco Taco Race.

Two tacos racing a chicken. Not quite the Sausage Race, but it was interesting.

A little in-game mound maintenance.

The wheels fell off after the Flyers brought in relief pitchers, a couple amateur guys from Wisconsin. After a couple of walks, hit batters and a couple of hits, the Bandits leapt back out in front with a 4-2 score.

The young fans were all over and seemed to really pull for the Bandits.

The view from behind home plate of the park with the modified field.

Alexian Field announced a new attendance record of 8,918 which was 418 over capacity. Definitely no empty seats and they were standing room only several rows deep.

The Bandits held on and posted the victory 4-2. The game really proved to be a tremendous success and I would not be surprised to see them continue it in the upcoming years.

Goodnight from Alexian Field.

Here is the Schaumburg Flyers home hat.

07.25.09 #19 Green Bay Bullfrogs vs Wisconsin Woodchucks

After a week long family vacation, I was set to finish the week with a quick run up to Green Bay, Wisconsin for a summer Lambeau Field Tour (topic of another post) and a Northwoods League college wooden bat league game between the Green Bay Bullfrogs and the Wisconsin Woodchucks from Wausau.

From the very start, this trip was shaping up to be a true classic. In fact it calls for the gimmick of a Top 10 list. Presenting the "Top 10 Ways you know you are in Wisconsin for a baseball game":

1. Tailgating starts more than an hour before the start of a minor league game.

2. A scalper drives by on a motorized beer cooler, yes a cooler with and actual engine on it. First scalper of the year, I might add.

3. Players warm up by playing catch with a football.

4. Pulled Pork sandwiches are ordered "Hold the bread!"

5. The familiar quest to drink a beer an inning starts with 3 pre-game beers.

6. More people are sitting in the All-You-Can-Drink section than the rest of the stadium.

7. Loudest cheer of the night is for 1/2 price beer when a designated visiting batters strikes out.

8. Not one, but two bachelor parties start up an impromptu sing-a-long to the Beach Boys "Iko-Iko"...and no one thinks this is odd.

9. Discussion of their hatred for the Chicago Bears is topic of many conversations.

10. Bloody Mary's at the bar after the game are made with bacon-infused vodka. Quite tasty I must add.

The pre-game tailgating was going hot and heavy when we arrived. There was actually another lot that was completely full of tailgaters. I think they consider this tailgate training camp getting ready for football training camp tailgating.

We opted for the All-You-Can-Eat-and-Drink Party Deck tickets. $25 got you a choice of three types of Leinie's beer or Miller Lite, brats, hot dogs, hamburgers and pulled pork and the usual sides. They were doing brisk business in this section. Let's just say they like beer and brats in Wisconsin.

Steve hitting the meat line. I'll have a brat...and a hot dog...and some pulled pork...and a hamburger.

Pre-game warm-ups include throwing a football and running deep patterns. Must be a two sport athlete.

A very poor Jimi Hendrix wanna-be playing the National Anthem on his electric guitar. Noble attempt, but there was nowhere to hide when the wrong chords started springing up. For those that have been to concerts with me before, no I did not buy his CD.

View from the Party Deck in right field. We had good seats and the rain ponchos we bought came in handy during the brief storm.

Ah, my pulled pork sandwich, hold the bread, as suggested by some of the regulars. They just claimed the bread got in the way. Pretty good sandwich I must say.

Play ball! The Frogs at bat

View from behind home plate.

It was also St. Patrick's Day at the park and the celebrated with lots of Drop Kick Murphy's music and green bases. There was even green beer, although we stuck with the untinted variety.

Here I am getting to know Jeremiah. Apparently he was a bullfrog.

Closer view of the Frogs at bat.

The intrepid right fielder sporting his special St. Patricks jersey which was available in a silent auction.

What would you expect as a between inning promotion at the Bullfrogs game, but a rousing round of leapfrog. This is always funny when the people participating have been on the party deck all game.

Steve and I posing for pictures. No explanation necessary.

Sun set over the Jo. Joannes Stadium was a nice little community field, similar to the Single A facility in Beloit.

The Bullfrogs held on for arousing 5-3 victory, mainly be committing fewer errors. A big second inning put it away.

The jersey auction was big with the families, girlfriends and the local groupies. Here the players are shedding the jerseys right off their backs.

Tonight's attendees and the host and hostess for the weekend, Steve and Beth Siebert. Beth finished the weekend off with a fantastic egg casserole on Sunday. Highly recommended.

Steve and I found a Valparaiso player, Bryce Shafer, on the opposing team and had to get our picture taken with him. I think Bryce was somewhat confused by the whole thing. I am guessing there are not a lot of Valpo baseball fans travelling around the Northwoods League. Hopefully it didn't throw him off as he was starting the next game for the Woodchucks.

Nice tri-color hat with the GB frog logo. One of the more colorful and unique hats of the summer.

After the game we stopped at the Titletown Brewery for a sampler, which in Wisconsin means 9 beers. Quite good, although it made for a rough finish after the beer an inning at the game.

On the drive home on Sunday, the trusty GPS located a winery not too far off the highway. Oh course I had to stop. Once I got there, I realized it was beyond my wildest dreams. Not only was it a winery, it was the Branch River Trout Hatchery and Winery. My very first combination trout hatchery and winery. What a fitting end to a weekend in Wisconsin.