All Star Game!
Tonight Major League Baseball will present the annual All Star Game. The most famous names in baseball will be there, including my current favorite, Jacob deGrom (Let's go Mets!). It will be an impressive display meant to entertain and inspire the fans.
Last week Drew and I went to another All Star Game, one on a much smaller scale, but still a lot of fun.
Our Long Island Ducks are part of an independent baseball league, the Atlantic League of Professionall Baseball. The league is composed of 8 teams, divided into two divisions, Liberty and Freedom. The Ducks play in the Liberty Division. This year, the Ducks hosted the league's All Star Game.
It was a sold-out game, of course. Capacity crowd, and lots of newcomers to our ballpark -- we actually had to get an usher because someone inadvertently took our seats instead of their own.
The evening started with a Home Run Derby, won by a player named Deibison Romero.
There was professional entertainment, before the game and between innings. Bucket Ruckus is the drum act, the Amazing Tyler is the balancing act:
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The players and coaches were introduced with great formality. Freedom first:
And then Liberty:
I cried when Buddy Harrelson made his way onto the field, it's the first time we've seen him all summer.
And then there were the mascots.
Even a flyover by a pair of helicopters (only caught one of them on camera).
Robbie Rosen sang the national anthem.
And then it was time to play ball.
The mascots with the Heroes of the Game:
And this guy made his way up to our section. He's very entertaining.
There was even a mascot race -- first time all summer Quackerjack has won a race.
And a dance-off, too.
Last week Drew and I went to another All Star Game, one on a much smaller scale, but still a lot of fun.
Our Long Island Ducks are part of an independent baseball league, the Atlantic League of Professionall Baseball. The league is composed of 8 teams, divided into two divisions, Liberty and Freedom. The Ducks play in the Liberty Division. This year, the Ducks hosted the league's All Star Game.
It was a sold-out game, of course. Capacity crowd, and lots of newcomers to our ballpark -- we actually had to get an usher because someone inadvertently took our seats instead of their own.
The evening started with a Home Run Derby, won by a player named Deibison Romero.
There was professional entertainment, before the game and between innings. Bucket Ruckus is the drum act, the Amazing Tyler is the balancing act:
l
The players and coaches were introduced with great formality. Freedom first:
And then Liberty:
I cried when Buddy Harrelson made his way onto the field, it's the first time we've seen him all summer.
And then there were the mascots.
Even a flyover by a pair of helicopters (only caught one of them on camera).
Robbie Rosen sang the national anthem.
And then it was time to play ball.
The mascots with the Heroes of the Game:
And this guy made his way up to our section. He's very entertaining.
There was even a mascot race -- first time all summer Quackerjack has won a race.
And a dance-off, too.
Yes, I am easily entertained.
I should, at this point, talk about the 50/50.
The Ducks run a 50/50 raffle at every home game. A 50/50 is a very simple raffle. The winning ticket takes home half of the proceeds of the raffle, and the other half goes to the Ducks' charitable foundation. The more tickets that are sold, the bigger the pot. We were at a Ducks game on July 7 -- a Saturday night -- and the woman sitting directly behind us won the 50/50, about $700. At the All Star game a few days later, the people sitting directly in front of us won the 50/50, this time over $1,000. And should I mention that the people sitting in front of us at the All Star game were sitting in the seats we'd normally buy?
It was a good game. Liberty took and early 1-0 lead, then Freedom scored three runs. The game was tied 3-3 going into the bottom of the 9th. It looked like the game would go into extra innings, and then Liberty won the game on a two-out RBI single. The MVP was Alfredo Rodriguez, who was responsbile for the RBI's that tied the game as well as for the RBI that won the game for Liberty.
Had a few technical difficulties with the after-game firewaorks. But they were fun to watch:
I should, at this point, talk about the 50/50.
The Ducks run a 50/50 raffle at every home game. A 50/50 is a very simple raffle. The winning ticket takes home half of the proceeds of the raffle, and the other half goes to the Ducks' charitable foundation. The more tickets that are sold, the bigger the pot. We were at a Ducks game on July 7 -- a Saturday night -- and the woman sitting directly behind us won the 50/50, about $700. At the All Star game a few days later, the people sitting directly in front of us won the 50/50, this time over $1,000. And should I mention that the people sitting in front of us at the All Star game were sitting in the seats we'd normally buy?
It was a good game. Liberty took and early 1-0 lead, then Freedom scored three runs. The game was tied 3-3 going into the bottom of the 9th. It looked like the game would go into extra innings, and then Liberty won the game on a two-out RBI single. The MVP was Alfredo Rodriguez, who was responsbile for the RBI's that tied the game as well as for the RBI that won the game for Liberty.
Had a few technical difficulties with the after-game firewaorks. But they were fun to watch:
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