Tagged: Pete Rose
Color Labor Day Red
Cincinnati Reds vs. Milwaukee Brewers (National League)
Great American Ballpark-Cincinnati, OH: Oh, Labor Day. When most people are smart enough to take a day off and relax, we decided to head up to the Queen City for some Reds baseball. As usual, we parked in Newport and took the boat over to the ballpark. Since the boat always drops us off at the back of the park (duh, like, it can’t travel down the street and around the corner…), Trevor and I decided to walk around and check out the façade. I took a photo of some of the statues featured out front, such as the greatest catcher ever Johnny Bench and ‘Charlie Hustle’ himself, Pete Rose. The Rose statue is new to the ballpark this season.
I thought we had great seats again, in the bleachers, but the front row which gave us a great view of the field.
The game started a little slow, and the Reds finally took a 1-0 when Joey Votto took a walk in the third inning to drive in a run. Not very exciting, I know, but a run is a run.
Trevor wasn’t happy in the hot sun, so we found some seats with some shade, and a little closer to the action. The Reds scored another run in the 6th, when Eugenio Suarez earned a walk. Yeah, I know. Yawn. But then Tucker Barnhart hit a double that plated two, so business was picking up. The Reds were up 4-0, and I was feeling pretty good about the game.
The Brewers came storming back top of the seventh, however. Homer Bailey got the start for the Reds, and he pitched a solid six innings, giving up three runs and striking out four. A pair of home runs tied the game at four going into the late innings.
Still tied at four bottom nine, it was hero time for Billy Hamilton. He hit his first right-handed home run of the season to set off the fireworks and give the Reds the win! Relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias got the win for Cincy. This was a great way to spend Labor Day, even though I only got a half-hour nap in before working all night. It was worth it for a fun day of baseball with Trevor. FINAL: Reds 5, Brewers 4.
Photos property of Minoring In Baseball
M.I.B. Prime 9: Our top moments of 2016
It’s that time of year, again, to look back at all the fun things in terms of baseball that we accomplished. For the second year in a row, we missed out on a baseball trip, so the list won’t be all that diverse when it comes to location. That’s not a terrible thing, however, as we moved to Kentucky this year and reaped the benefits of living in an area with plenty of college, independent, minor league, and major league baseball nearby. If the list was to 10, it would have included my birthday, where I was able to spend a fun day with my boys at the Louisville Slugger Museum and a Bats game, but we did other fun stuff that made the cut. So, without further ‘ado’ let’s get to it…
9) Star Wars Night: Star Wars will always be a hit, and this year we went to the event at our new home field in Louisville. The Bats host a decent night of space adventure fun, and the game itself was a walk-off win. Even Boba Fett was there, who we missed last year, so it capped off a great night.
8) Our first Reds game: Our first Cincinnati Reds game was a great experience. We took a boat from Newport across the river to avoid traffic and parking, and that avoided a lot of my stress of visiting a Major League game. We got great seats off of Seat Geek, so we were able to get a great view of the game, and Brian got a game ball from Eugenio Suarez. It was a hot day, but worth it to take in the Great American Ballpark in all it’s glory. It’s an amazing place to watch a game, and although the Reds had a rough season, the games are always fun!
Brian with Crash on Opening Day
7) Whitecaps Opening Day: Opening Days are always fun, even if there is snow on the ground, and the temps are more suited for hockey. We wanted to get a Whitecaps game in before the move, and give my dad a fun birthday present at the same time. Despite the cold, we had a great time together, and every trip we make back to Michigan during the season, we will always try to work in a Whitecaps game. In a strange way, the weather was a fitting ‘goodbye’ for us.
6) Our first Cards game: Sometimes you go someplace that just feels like ‘home’. That’s exactly what happened to us when we entered Jim Patterson Stadium for the first time in early March. Before Minor League opening day, and while down doing some house hunting, we couldn’t resist taking in a ball game. This is a great venue, and the Louisville Cardinals have a good baseball program, so this was a fun game for sure. It’s hard to believe the games are free with the ACC being such a competitive conference, so no surprise they pull in some good crowds. With my love for college baseball growing with every game, Cardinal baseball will be a staple in our lives for years to come.
5) Y’All Star Game: We lucked out, as the Frontier League All Star, or Y’All Star, Game was held in Florence, KY this season. We’re pretty familiar with the independent Frontier League, spending some time at some of the Beach Bums games in Traverse City. We were able to cheer on some of our Bums, as well as players from the home town Florence Freedom. The game hosted mascots from the Reds and other Frontier League teams, as well as Jake the Diamond Dog, and Myron Noodelman who was absolutely hilarious. In all, just an enjoyable night of baseball, and we’ll definitely make it back to Florence for a Freedom game next summer.
4) Loons Uniform and Logo Unveiling: It’s not too often you are able to enjoy a baseball event in February, but that’s just what we did when the Great Lakes Loons hosted an event to showcase the teams new logo and uniforms. Along with seeing the new logos, the mascots Lou E. Loon and Ral E. Camel entertained us. Brian was able to get his face painted and took the mic to try his hand at announcing. We ended the day by taking some cuts in the batting cages under Dow Diamond. Not a bad way to spend a winter day. I also wanted to add, that the Loons took their new look all the way to the 2016 Midwest League Championship!
3) Rose Number Retirement: Everyone has an opinion on Pete Rose, and whether you love him, or hate him, he is without a doubt one of the best hitters in the history of this great game! I met my best friend in Newport, and we had a great time at the ballgame, and seeing Reds legends like Rose and Johnny Bench in the pre-game ceremony. Like him or not, I did get to witness some history. 14 forever!
2) The San Diego Chicken!: Just like the afore mentioned Bench, I grew up watching the San Diego Chicken on the TV show The Baseball Bunch. He is far and above other mascots, and the skits he puts on are flawless and amazing. The Chicken has a magical presence that keep both children and adults tuned in to his every move. He was nice enough to meet with all his fans, also, and definitely made another one in Brian. This was an amazing night at the Bats game with the Chicken.
It’s all about the hardware!
1) Mariners win the Championship!: Brian has really prospered from the move, but nothing more than what he’s been able to accomplish on the ballfield. He was lucky enough to join the Mariners a handful of games into the season when we moved down. The league down here is very different, and a lot more competitive. Brian fit right in, however, and had a great season at the plate. He was blessed with good coaches who pushed him hard but also let the kids have some fun. Being part of this team was a great experience and I’m glad he was able to be a part of it. The championship game was probably harder on me, but the kids were able to hang on for the win.
Looking ahead to 2017: I’m really looking forward to next season, and the adventures that baseball will take us on. We’ll have a full season with the Cardinals and Bats to look forward to, and the ACC Baseball championship here at Slugger Field, also. Brian will be playing ball again so we’ll keep tracking his success as he moves up a level next season. I’m looking forward to visiting new ballparks, especially some others here in Kentucky such as Lexington and Bowling Green. I wouldn’t mind hitting the road, either, for trips to Evanston, IN or Nashville, TN that aren’t all that far away, either. Until then, I wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas!
Photos property of Minoring In Baseball
14 Forever
Cincinnati Reds vs. San Diego Padres (National League)
Great American Ballpark-Cincinnati, OH: What a day for fans of Pete Rose! And what a weekend, for that matter. We were lucky enough to be in attendance when the Reds retired Pete Rose’s #14 on Sunday. It was a hot day, but worth to be in the presence of some of the greatest players in history, including Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, and Barry Larkin. His induction into the Reds Hall of Fame, and his jersey retirement were a long time coming, so the crowd was pretty hot for Pete, also. Rose gave a great speech, and was very humble, and thankful to his teammates, manager Sparky Anderson, and especially to the fans. Here is the video I took of his speech:
Here are some more photos of the ceremony. The Hit King looks calm and cool as always, even in the 95 degree heat! I like the one where he’s about to give Bench a good bro-hug!
After the ceremony, the game got underway. It was a good one for Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani. He pitched eight scoreless innings, while scattering only five hits, and struck out five. DeSclafani even knocked in a run to help his own cause! Closer Tony Cingrani came into the game to close the door, and ensure Cincinnati’s first shut-out of the season.
Another big winner of the day, was Mr. Redlegs during the mascot race:
The Reds were led offensively by Jose Peraza, who went 2-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Catcher Tucker Barnhart pitched in as well, going 2-3 with a walk and an RBI double. Jay Bruce also added a solo home run in the win. FINAL: Reds 3, Padres 0.
Despite the heat, it was a fun day at Great American Ballpark. I’m glad I was there to witness Charlie Hustle’s jersey retirement, and a rare Reds win. I was only able to score tix for the upper level to this game, but made sure my buddy and I were in the first row, so I was able to get some decent photos. On my way home, I went up and down the dial, but just couldn’t find WKRP on the radio…
Video and photos property of Minoring In Baseball
Minoring In Baseball 