Back at it...

March the 5th. A litle over a month to go before Opening Day. So here we are, back at the ball yard, getting back in order for the new season. Tim and Knute have been at it for most of the last few weeks of February, getting things done as the weather allowed. So here we all are again, after a long layoff, doing what we can to get the field into tiptop shape for the 2011, 25th Anniversary season. 25 years. And I'll have been around for 16 of them. Doesn't seem possible. We'll be back on successive Saturdays for the whole month of March, weather permitting. The way the weather has been this winter, things are shaping up for a cold, wet, Spring. Not my idea of a good time. But it's great to get back out on the field, to play in the dirt and hang out with the gang. Didn't realize how much I've missed that gang until we got together and caught up on what was happening in their lives the past 6 months. Well, it's been several weeks since I've been able to get back to this entry, so I'll just leave things the way they are and move on to the next segment and try to catch up.

Wrap it up, and do it again...

It's been quite a while since I've been here. So much has transpired since my last post, I'm sure I'm going to miss something. So I'll try to hit the highlights. As I'm sure you know the Sens did not make it out of the first round of the playoffs, falling to Altoona, the eventual league champions. But as recent seasons go, I guess you can see the silver linings. Like making the playoffs, surviving Strasburg mania, and getting the new stadium up and running. But, as we all do that time of the year, it was good to finally get the 2010 season in the book and get to other things we neglected all spring and summer.
The most prominent were the weddings of 3 members of the crew, Izzy and Knute and Asheleigh. Izzy's wedding was the last Sat. In Sept., a gorgeous day. He looked very handsome and his wife Rebecca looked beautiful, as did their 2 children, Jacob and Isabella. The reception was held on the main concourse of the stadium and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. I'm happy to report, a good time was had by all.
The 2nd wedding was the 3rd weekend in October, of Knute and Asheleigh. It was a nice day, although not quite as warm. Their wedding was held outdoors at the Milton Hershey Alumni Garden. Another member of the crew, my son Alan, officiated and it was a very nice ceremony. We then moved to the ballpark, again, for the reception. (it has become 1 of my favorite reception spots...) The reception was held, due to the somewhat cooler weather, was held inside the stadium club. Again, as with Izzy's wedding, it was very nice with excellent food. And, again, I'm happy to report that a good time was had by all. And, apparently some had an even better time than others. I'm very happy to report that Izzy and Rebecca are expecting their 3rd child, sometime in July.
Not too much new to report from my end. I spent my off-season tinkering with my old cars and going to some shows. I was able to garner a 2nd place for my 82 VW Vanagon at a show in New Jersey, a major coup for me. My 2 sons were able to move out of their apartment and into places of their own, so I spent some time moving furniture and doing little fix-it jobs. And my wife and I enrolled in a weight loss program right after Thanksgiving, the logic of which we have yet to discover. Dieting through the Christmas season was not fun. Come to think of it, dieting the rest of the year isn't much fun either. But we're perseveringly and doing quite well, I'm happy to say. As I finish writing this, I've just returned from my 2nd annual (hopefully) trip to Spring Training in Florida. More about my trip in the next installment.

It's on like donkey kong...

Well the playoffs are in full swing. As I write this, Trenton has already reserved a spot for themselves in the finals and the Sens are hanging on for dear life. They started out on Wed. night with an impressive 10-5 win up in Altoona, hanging a couple of 5-spots up to snag Game 1. The idea was to get at least 1 win on the road, so they could clinch at home. Thursday nights game was a little less impressive, with both teams playing sloppy baseball and the Curve coming out on top 6-4. But the objective was met. We were all at the ballpark, putting the final touches on the field for Friday's game. The Sens took an early 1-0 lead and there was talk of plastic sheeting for the clubhouse. That was a bit premature as it turned out. When I got to my car to head for home, it had turned into a 3-3 tie and went downhill from there to 6-3. They managed to put up 1 in the 8th, but that was as close as it got. So onto Friday night. It was kind of strange, but familiar to me walking into the ballpark for a playoff game. Back when I started on the crew in 1996, playoff games were a given. We were always there. And for my 1st 4 years, all I knew were championships. Got real spoiled. We were that close in 2002, losing in game 5 of the championships. So tonight, I was getting that old feeling of anticipation. To finish at the top of the heap. Forgive me if it sounds a little maudlin, but it never gets stale or old or corny. #1 feels good. I like it. But the road got a little rougher Friday evening. It was a nice night for baseball. There was a smallish crowd, but pretty much what I thought it would be, due to competing with high school football. The first few innings shaped up to be a pitcher's duel, with neither team doing much damage. But Altoona caught a couple of breaks, got some timely hitting, a couple of miscues on the Sens side, and all of a sudden it was 7-0. And the Sens just couldn't make anything happen until, with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, Adam Fox, the crew's personal favorite all year, hit a 2-run pinch-hit homer. But too little, too late. So its onto to Game 4. 4 PM start to accommodate the Penn State fans. Let's see if the boys have anything left in the tank. They fought the odds all year long to get here. Live to play another day. We'll discuss that tomorrow. Later...

On the brink...

Sept. 6th, Labor Day 2010. The last day of the regular season.

The Sens won last night, crushing Binghamton 13-3. I must confess, I haven't listened to any of the games on the radio. And the boys have done well without me. I won't be listening today either, since I'll be on my way back from Delaware and out of range. Just as well, I don't want to jinx things at this stage of the game. So I'll check the score periodically via the Internet phone. At the very east, they've booked a trip to Bowie tomorrow night for a 1 game playoff, so win or lose, they get to play 1 more game. I hope they take care of business today and punch their ticket for Altoona. And that means at least 1 more game at home this Friday night. If they could get at least a split in Altoona, then they would play Saturday as well. And if they could actually move to the finals, we would be there Monday and Tuesday, too. 6 weeks ago, I never thought I would be playing out this scenario for you. Around July 4th, they looked dead in the water, probably limping down the home stretch, battling to finish at .500. The grounds crew guys were looking forward to an early exit and getting back to our home lives and routine. Its been a long season, with some long home stands, and as I related in the last post, I've worked a lot of games this year. And I never thought I'd be saying this, but how about 4 more. Its been an 8 year drought since we've been to the playoffs. And this team reminds me a lot of the last team to be there, the 2002 team. They came from way behind, had a great August run, had a bunch of guys who really stepped up, and cleared the way in the last few days of the season. And it was against a Reading team who was way ahead at the All-Star break and had the audacity to put playoff tickets on sale then, only to implode down the stretch. The Sens swept them over the Labor Day weekend, eliminating them from the playoffs and punching their own ticket in. They went on to make it to the finals against Norwich, losing in the 5th game of the championship round. Is this a team of destiny, too? Time will tell I guess. In any case I'll here to witness and document it. I'll check in tomorrow and let you know how it all shakes out. Until then, Happy Labor Day and see ya. Later...

That's all folks...

Sunday Aug. 29th. This is the one we've looking forward to for about 4 weeks. The season tends to drag this time of year. Between the heat and just plain old fatigue, we're ready for the end. I've enjoyed this season as much as any of the past 14 that I've been around for. I certainly have been here for the bulk of it. Counting today's game, I've worked about 61 of the 71 games. That's the most I've ever worked in a season. I'll probably cut back next year and only work about 60. When I arrived, all the pre-game work was done, except for a couple more rounds o of watering the infield. It would need it today with an expected temp. of 91. Izzy was cooking up a storm again today, so we definitely would be eating well today. And drinking. (after the game). we went into this game on an up note. The Sens were still in 2nd place by 1 and a half games over Bowie. They took a tough 2-1 loss on Saturday night before the largest regular season crowd ever, 7900 and change. Any by all reports, there wasn't any exaggerating, because, apparently it was tough to move around. There wouldn't be nearly as big a crowd today, but bigger than a standard Sunday, since they were giving away all kinds of good stuff. All of the grounds crew gang were in the house today and is was a little cozy in the dugout today. We had to kick out the one photographer who usually makes himself at home in our area, but noone felt too bad about it. We don't care for him too much. The game was a back and forth affair until the Thunder opened up a 5-2 lead going into the bottom of the 8th. The Trenton pitcher walked the 1st 2 of out batters, when Marvin Lowrance, the hero of Friday's game, launched a 3-2 pitch onto the right field boardwalk to knot things up at 5 each. The sore stayed the same until the bottom of the 10th, when with 2 men on, Jesus Valdez hit a single to center field and Josh Johnson, on 2nd, raced home, through a stop sign, to plate the winning run and sending the last day crowd home happy and kept the Sens in front of Bowie. Of course we still had all the post game hoopla, including a softball game between the Harrisburg police and firefighters. So we had something to eat and drink and watched the game for a while, then said our good-byes. I didn't clean out my locker today. Something tells me I'll be back in a little less than 2 weeks. For a playoff game. Imagine that. Its been a long time coming. I wanted the season to be over today. But I'll take a couple of more games. Could we actually win the championship? Stranger things have happened. Anyone remember the September of 1999? So until Labor Day, the actual last day of the season, later...

Just a plain old fan...

Friday Aug. 27th. I'll be in the ballpark tonight, again, as usual. But tonight I'll just be a plain old fan. I'll be sitting in Dugout Suite C, with family and friends, in a pre-anniversary celebration. My wife and I, my older son, Alan and his new bride, his in-laws Dan and Deb and their daughter Rachel, our friends Lou and Cheri from around the corner, my nephew Dan, and even my younger son Mike. Mike hasn't been to the ballpark in quite awhile, so it should be an interesting experience for him. And for me, as well. I haven't been to a game as just a fan for, well, I can't really remember the last time. In the last 15 years, I could probably count them on 1 hand. But tonight I was going to sit back and enjoy it. I might even watch the whole fireworks show at the end. Never get to do that, because I'm usually cleaning up. The place was in a frenzy when we got there. The so-so crowd they had originally expected, had exploded during the day and promised to be a sellout. And it looked like they would break the single season attendance tonight as well. And they did. Biggest single season attendance going the whole way back to 2001. And with a big crowd expected for Saturday's game, they should pad that total quite nicely. As it should be for a new ballpark. The game started slowly, but got interesting down towards the end. The grounds crew performed well in their role with guest performer Myron Noodleman, sticking their drag time dance moves. And we even had some scoreboard face time, with Dan competing for fabulous prizes in the movie clip contest. He won. As did the Sens, with a huge home run by Marvin Lowrance in the bottom of the 8th to give the Sens a 3-2 lead. Cole Kimball made it stand up, striking out the last 2 batters for the win. After all the post game hoopla, we hung out for a little while, until the traffic thinned out, said our goodbyes and headed for home. Just like the rest of the fans. So until Sunday and the season finale, later...

Last home stand update #1

Wed. Aug. 25th. The 3 game series with Portland is in the book. We took 2 out of 3 and hopped over Bowie into 2nd place by a half game. The weather held, although on Monday night it looked it could open up at any time. It was tarp time after the game Monday and Tuesday, but Wednesday we did not have to put it on after the game, due to a favorable turn in the weather. The next opponent will be the Trenton Thunder and all the Yankee fans will be here. Great. The boys will have their work cut out for them for the 4 game finale. I'll only be in for the 1st and last games. Friday night I'll be attending with family and friends and sitting in a dugout suite and Saturday I'll be out with my wife, celebrating our wedding anniversary. And then back in for the wrap-up. I'll check back in. Later...