Finding a Diamond in the Corn

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

One of the most enjoyable stops on our recent baseball sojourn to the Midwest was visiting League Stadium in Huntingburg, Indiana, home of the Dubois County Bombers of the Ohio Valley League (OVL). The OVL is a summer collegiate circuit as is Virginia’s Valley Baseball League.

The ballpark itself is a delightful time machine that whisks fans back to the 1940s as you’ll see in the video below. The producers of A League of Their Own certainly thought so when they discovered, and then refurbished the park, using it as the home field of the Rockford Peaches. The World War II era atmosphere is given a big boost by the Bombers’ uniforms which are classic to say the least. Furthermore, the concessionaires and attendants wear replica Rockford Peaches uniforms, adding further to the vintage ambiance.

Local fans certainly embrace their ballpark and their team as 2,003 of them made their way through the turnstiles for what was the final regular season game the night Al and I attended. This is a very impressive figure, especially considering that the population of Huntingburg is approximately 6,000.

The game we witnessed began as a tight, well-played, contest that somehow transformed into a crazy, base-hit filled affair that ended inn a wholly unique way. The home-town Bombers lead 3-0 through five innings over the Madisonville Miners, when the latter suddenly struck a vein of singles. The Miners scored six in the sixth and five in the seventh, ultimately taking a 13-4 lead into the ninth. Three walks and two singles plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth and the Bombers had the bases loaded with two outs when the Minersville manager, lineup card in hand, came strolling out to the plate umpire. Dubois County had brought their right fielder in to record the final out in the top of the inning, thus sacrificing their designated hitter. However, the new right fielder batted in the old right fielder’s spot who was still in the game as the pitcher. The game ended when he was declared out for batting out-of-order, a run came off the board, and the Bombers lost 13-5 in a game that featured 31 singles out of 34 total hits. Neither Al nor I (nor it seemed anyone in the stands) had ever seen a game end in such a fashion.

(Note: As it turns out, the Dubois County Bombers won their first OVL championship, defeating those same Madisonville Miners by winning the final two games in a best of three series on July 31st.)

As was the case, however, seemingly wherever we went on this trip, it was the friendship extended to us that comprised the most memorable part of the experience. Mary and Mike Uebelhor of the Bombers were happy to have us shoot an episode of Off the Beaten Basepaths and gave us the run of the park. Naturally, we enjoyed talking college summer league baseball with them. All of the Peaches were friendly and knowledgeable. It is hard to tell if their excellent sense of fan service is a result of good training or is just their natural Midwestern inclination to hospitality. I suspect a combination of both. Two Peaches in particular, Joyce Lawrence and Alexa Rasche were very gracious in posing for photos. Even the first base umpire came over to the fence along the right field line and chatted between innings.

Knowing that one can drive across the Indiana countryside, through seemingly endless fields of tall and shimmering corn to find a community coming together on a warm summer night to root for their home town team is reassuring. The summer, the game, the sense of belonging bestowed upon two strangers from the East Coast are all reassuring. Some moments are eternal.

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A Warm Experience in Evansville

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

On July 18th, Al and I ventured to Bosse Field in Evansville, Indiana, on what may be mildly described as a warn evening. The heat index, which had risen to 113 during the day, was still over 100 degrees at game time, which was 7:05. Naturally, this did not deter us and we happily took our front row seats behind the home town Otters’ dugout.

The entrance to Bosse Field.

The entrance to Bosse Field.

Evansville is one of 14 teams in the independent Frontier League, which is now based in the Mid-West. This night, the Otters were taking on the Joliet Slammers. An independent league, as the name implies, is unaffiliated with Major League Baseball. The players play for the love of the game or for one more chance to get noticed by a major league organization. A league rule sets the team salary at $75,000 and yes, you read that correctly: That’s the salary cap for the entire team and so, these boys average a little over $3,000 per season given the 22 man roster. Players live with a host family each summer. Also by league rule, players must be under 27 years of age with the exception of one player per team who may be designated as a “veteran.” The veteran must be under 30 years of age. (Click here for official player eligibility rules.)

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Joliet center fielder, Charlie White, takes a strike in the first inning. Otters’ catcher is JD Dorgan.

Bosse Field, the Otters’ home, is what initially drew us to Evansville. Opened on June 17, 1915, Bosse Field is the third oldest professional ballpark in the country behind only Fenway Park (1912) and Wrigley Field (1914). The park was used as a set in A League of Their Own, the 1992 film about the All American Girls Professional Baseball League in which it served as the home ballpark of the Racine Belles. For a more in-depth look at Bosse Field, click here for a video history of the park, and here for David B. Stinson’s excellent post on Bosse.

Bosse Field is not just an old ballpark; it is a place where the wonderful ambience of ballparks past remains alive not only in the architecture, but also in the buzz from knowledgeable and friendly fans who fill the seats.

We saw an exciting 4-2 Evansville victory by the first place Otters, a team night whose 41-19 record makes them as hot as the night we attended. (The Otters continue to lead the Eastern Division as of this writing nine days later,) Neither the game, nor the ballpark, nor the heat was the most memorable aspect of our visit to Bosse Field, however. What we most enjoyed was warmth of a different kind—that which emanated from the fans with whom we sat. We talked at length with Dave Meyer, a local teacher and athletic director who was there with his dad and his daughter. A well-versed baseball fan in his own right, Dave was eager for us to meet General Manager Bix Branson who in turn was more than happy to take us to his office and show us the photo taken on the day that Bosse Field was officially opened one hundred years ago. Such congeniality was a given on our trip through Kentucky and Indiana, and I know I speak for Al when I say that this is the “souvenir” that we will most cherish whenever we reflect on our trip.

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Fans stand for the National Anthem.

Coming soon, a post on League Field in Huntingburg, IN.

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Our Road Trip By the Numbers

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

It’s good to be home, although it wasn’t good to be cutting the grass within a half an hour of being home. Al graciously agreed to help and we knocked out that chore. Our road trip to Louisville produced some interesting numbers:

1,468.9 miles traveled

6 times that we crossed the Ohio River

3 states to add to our list of places we have played (Kentucky, Indiana, & Ohio)

3 ballparks visited and 3 games attended

2 barbecue shacks visited (one in Kentucky and one in Indiana)

2 Hooters visited (Of course; they tend to come in pairs, although one was in Indiana and the other in Kentucky.)

1 World War II ship visited.

The Hillerich & Bradsby Factory and Museum

The Hillerich & Bradsby Factory and Museum

1 giant bat found

It became impossible to count the number of friendly, hospitable people that we encountered on the trip, but it is a topic I am happy to blog about at some point. Later in the week, I hope to detail our stop at Bosse Field, and in the near future, I will post a video about League Stadium and our wonderful evening there.

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Craziness at the Reds Game

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

Al and I had a great time at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati this afternoon,

Great American Ballpark

Great American Ballpark

despite the heat and a strong thunderstorm that delayed the bottom of the first for (officially) 47 minutes. The ballpark is beautiful with fantastic views of the Ohio River, one of the advantages of sitting one row from the very top of the stadium.

Al takes his swings.

Al takes his swings.

Before the game, we took some swings in the batting cage outside the ballpark proper, which means, therefore, that we have now added Ohio to the places we have played. (Hey, it was all that we could do because we’re pretty sure that they wouldn’t let us play catch in the middle of I-71 although they might have because once again, everyone loved our shirts.

As for the game itself, the Indians won 5-3 in 11 innings, despite stranding 18 runners, thanks to four bases loaded walks in four different innings. The last time the Reds walked in four runs was 45 years ago in September of 1970. This is in keeping with some strange things that we’ve seen in ballgames this trip. As it was, the Indians took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Cincinnati rallied with two outs and none on to tie the score.

Hey! I'm talking about the view of the river.

Hey! I’m talking about the view of the river.

Fittingly, the winning run was walked home in the top of the 11th. We enjoyed the final four frames from the comfort and air-conditioning of the Newport, Kentucky Hooters. The view there is fantastic.

We made it as far as Williamstown, Kentucky after the game, which is a bit north of Lexington. Tomorrow we re-cross those 1,029 West Virginia mountains and hopefully, arrive safe at home.

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Heat & Highlights

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

Al and I have had many adventures since I wrote less than 48 hours ago. Our trip has now covered over 700 miles, which is about the same number of degrees it is outside. We have managed to visit the Ohio River Valley during the first week in which any serious summer heat has set in. And it is serious. As we were coming back from lunch here in Evansville, Indiana, the heat index was 113. Good thing we played some ball in the cutest little park we’ve ever seen.

In Garvin Park near Bosse Field along Don Mattingly Drive in Evansville, IN.

In Garvin Park near Bosse Field along Don Mattingly Drive in Evansville, IN.

It must have been built for four year olds; regardless, we can now add the State of Indiana to places we have played.

From there we visited LST325, the only original such craft left from World War II.

LST 325

LST 325

This ship landed supplies to American troops late in the day on June 6, 1944, making 40 such trips from England in total. It is anchored on the Ohio River in Evansville, because interestingly enough, Evansville boasted the largest inland ship yard during the war and cranked out over 100 such craft.

Tonight we head to Bosse Field to see the Evansville Otters of the independent Frontier League play, but it was last night which provided us with our highlight so far. We saw the Dubois County Bombers play in League Stadium,

League Stadium, Bombers v Madisonville Miners, July 17, 2015

an event that proved to be one of the most enjoyable baseball experiences that I’ve ever had. The Bombers lost 13-6, but the ballpark and the folks who run the Bombers helped make our visit a delight. A big thanks to Mary and Mike Uebelhor for their hospitality, as well as to all the employees who went out of their way to make us (and everyone, for that matter) feel welcome. Any ballpark aficionado needs to make a pilgrimage to League Stadium.

Another special thanks to Peaches Joyce and Alexa!

Two peaches and a plum.

Two peaches and a plum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ll provide more detailed posts about our adventures upon returning home and of course, we have several more to go!

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A Lot of Miles and A Little Baseball

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

As is often the case whenever Al and I travel together, we manage to find great ballparks and delicious barbecue joints. The former we found in Cannonsburg, Kentucky as we were heading to lunch. The Luther E. Craig Baseball Complex is a beautiful Lion’s

Our old Kentucky ballpark.

Our old Kentucky ballpark.

Club ballpark complete with enclosed press box, a covered grand stand, and a beautiful, level, soggy field. This last feature is a result of the tremendous rainfall that has covered this part of the country. Every river, run, and puddle that we crossed was high and muddy. In fact, at one point, a gentleman came over to the field and we feared that he was going to invite us to leave. Instead, he invited us to help push the lawn tractor out of a marshy spot over on the football field. We were happy to oblige.

We are in Frankfort tonight and will head to Louisville and the H & B Factory and Museum in the morning. We ventured into Staxx Barbecue in Frankfort tonight as recommended by the desk clerk here at the Bluegrass Inn. Staxx was delicious and not likely to be our last stop at a barbecue shack.

We covered 480 miles today; 200 of which were across the country and 280 of which were simply up and down about 1,029 hills between Williamsport and Frankfort. Those 1,029 hills were populated by roughly 29 people. If a market for tree-filled mountains in the middle of nowhere ever develops, then West Virginia will be well on its way to being the richest state in the Union.

I’m not sure when the next post will appear, but it should be no later than Saturday afternoon. Keep following our trip on Twitter @austingisriel

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Bats, Bombers, and Bosse Field

Posted on July 14, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

To the Bat Factory! No, not the place where Bruce Wayne has his alter-ego’s accessories manufactured; I’m talking about the Hillerich & Bradsby Louisville Slugger factory where baseball bats are turned out by the thousands every year. My long-time road trip buddy and non-genetic twin, Al Smith, and I will head to Louisville, Kentucky on Thursday and we are inviting you along, at least virtually speaking. I’ll post at least a couple of blogs along the way and you can follow our adventures on twitter @austingisriel.

Our plan is to travel on Thursday and hit the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory Friday morning, but we’re seeing far more than that. After the museum tour, we head to Huntingburg, Indiana to see the Dubois County Bombers play in League Stadium where the movie A League of Their Own was filmed. From there it’s out to Evansville on Saturday for an Evansville Otters Frontier League game at Bosse Field, the third oldest ballpark in regular use in the country (behind Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.) Sunday morning will find us trekking to Cincinnati for the Reds afternoon game against the Indians. Monday we head for home.

Of course, we won’t limit ourselves to merely visiting baseball sites, for we are sure to play in every state that we visit. You can see some of those places here. So far we have played in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia (many times!), North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and the Bahamas (yes, we took our gloves on a cruise.) After this trip, we will add Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio to our list.

On the road again!

On the road again!

Hope you’ll be ready on time Thursday morning because you don’t want to miss this trip! Please tweet, IM, and email us as we go. It will be like having you right there in the back seat with us.

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Last Saturday, This Saturday, and Another Stupid Sign

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

A terrific storm came through our area last Saturday night, but not before the relatives of some of our Washington County major league ballplayers were introduced before the game. (See the previous post!) I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Karen Cole, one of Dave Cole’s twin daughters with whom I used to work. (For his SABR biography which I wrote, click here.) I also had the pleasure of meeting Kristi Friant, a niece of the county’s very first major leaguer, John Wilson, who pitched four innings for the 1913 Washington Senators. I was amazed that we found anyone connected to John, but as it turns out, Wilson had a long career as a coach and physical education teacher at the Naval Academy. Wilson’s inclusion in the Suns’ ceremony has caught the attention of Alan Feinberg, a Senators historian, which once again demonstrates what a small world Baseball is.

Relatives of former major leaguers from Washington County line up before the Hagerstown Suns game on Saturday, June 20.

Relatives of former major leaguers from Washington County line up before the Hagerstown Suns game on Saturday, June 20.

I had the ultimate pleasure that night of making it to my car before the deluge. Ah, the little victories in life that mean so much.

This Saturday, Social Graces Ballroom Dance Studio, where Martha and I take lessons will hold its grand opening. The new studio, on the east end of Berryville, VA is beautiful and was refurbished almost entirely by volunteer labor. Check here for the schedule of events, which run all day and are free and open to the public. If you ever wanted to try ballroom dancing that’s the day to come give it a whirl! You can also see if my lessons have paid off as my instructor, Danielle Beaulieu and I will be giving a swing performance at 3:00.

Finally, how can you tell if the guy who does your store sign suffers from bi-polar disorder?20150617_112513

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Come Celebrate Washington County Baseball Heritage Night on June 20!

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

Washington County has produced its fair share of major league baseball players and the Hagerstown Suns will honor them this season before the June 20th game versus Delmarva at Municipal Stadium as part of “Washington County Baseball Heritage Night.” The night is being held in conjunction with the Suns 35th Anniversary celebration.

Players born in Washington County who made it all the way to the big leagues include John Wilson (1913), Ike Powers (1927-1928), “Boots” Poffenberger (1937-1939), Vic Barnhart (1944-1946), Dave Cole (1950-1955), Leo Burke (1958-1965), Mike Draper (1993) and Nick Adenhart (2008-2009).

“For a relatively small county like this to produce eight major leaguers is remarkable, and it demonstrates the passion that area residents have for the game,” said Chris Easom, General Manager of the Suns.

Two other Washington County natives will also be honored. Mickey Billmeyer, a major league coach will be recognized as will Clyde Barhnhart, who was born in Buck Valley, Pennsylvania, but was a long-time county resident. He was also the father of Vic Barnhart.

The former players or their families will be represented on the field before the game.

I will be participating in a book signing before the game and include local authors Bob Savitt (The Blue Ridge League) and David B. Stinson,whose book Deadball: A Metaphysical Baseball Novel prominently features Municipal Stadium.. . . and hits a long fly ball which is caught at the wall.

In addition, a baseball card poster featuring former Suns players will be given to the first 1,000 fans in attendance.

The Hagerstown/Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has formed a Suns 35th Anniversary committee and has assisted in organizing this night. The committee is very interested to know if there are any Washington County big-leaguers who have been missed. To date, the committee has been unable to locate any relatives of John Wilson, the first big-leaguer from the county who hailed from Boonsboro and appeared in three games for the Senators. Wilson died in 1954 and is buried in Annapolis, MD. If you have relevant information, please contact the CVB at 301-739-3246.

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An Adventure Began Six Years Ago Today

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Austin Gisriel

Today marks the anniversary of one of my life’s great adventures. Six years ago today, a group of college ballplayers assembled at Rebel Park in New Market, Virginia and I was right there with them, asking questions, taking notes, and ultimately chronicling their season in Safe at Home: A Season in the Valley.

I could not have asked for a more colorful cast of characters, nor for a more interesting team to follow. Nor could I have asked for a better season about which to write. Even losing to eventual champion Haymarket in the semi-finals made for a better ending than had the Rebels won it all. After upsetting arch-rival Luray in the first round of the playoffs in exciting fashion, the loss to Haymarket revealed a certain nobility in the battered squad that would not have been revealed in victory.

Lucas Jones who served as the Rebels’ head coach is now the head coach at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Virginia. Married to his high school sweetheart Karla, he also “manages” two little ones: Gavin, age 2, and Hadley, age 8 months. He was strongly influenced by his experience that summer:

“I had a professor say all the time that life is about relationships, relationships, relationships. It does not hold truer than that summer. I learned a lot about how to coach but I learned more about how to love and treat people with understanding and compassion. Outside of the influence of my wonderful parents, family, and friends, the New Market experience showed me what it takes to be a great husband and father. I am ever so grateful for my time with everybody involved with the “family” that summer. It has made me into the family man I am today.”

Ryan Stauffer, a left-handed reliever credits the help of Coach Dan Rollins that summer for helping him earn a 2nd Team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference award as a starting pitcher in his senior season following his stint with the Rebels.

“I know for a fact my last year of Millersville baseball wouldn’t have been the same without my experiences in New Market. I had a good sophomore year which prompted my entry into a league as good as The Valley, but if you check my junior year stats, you’ll see I was a wreck going in to New Market. Coach Daniel Rollins worked side bullpen sessions during downtime that summer and completely turned me around. I ended up with a successful finish to the end of the New Market season, and rode that wave into my final year at Millersville.”

Stauffer also fondly recalls the “bullpen shenanigans” that occurred (fans of that season will remember the shark hats, for example) as well as his connection to the Lonas family with whom he lived.

Having worked at Richard Torovsky’s vineyard, he states that, “I’m forever more appreciative of the work that goes into a bottle of wine after working in the vineyards that summer. I never knew 8:00 am could be so hot and miserable!”

A meteorology major, he finished his undergraduate degree in May 2010 and completed his masters in the spring of 2012. Married to Leah Kirstein in April of 2012, Ryan is on track to complete his PhD in meteorology by the end of this year at which time he will seek a post-doctoral position with NASA Goddard in Greenbelt, MD.

For reliever Jake Guengerich, 2009 was merely the first of three summers with the New Market Rebels, making him one of the few three-year players in the team’s history. He married college sweetheart, Jordan Tickle, and they live in Tampa along with their dog, Chipper. (Jake is ever the Braves’ fan.) Jake took a position with Lockheed Martin upon graduating from Florida Southern College. Like Lucas and Ryan, his memories immediately turn to the people he got to know in New Market.

“I met a lot of great people and made friends I still talk to today. I also remember it as the beginning of a great relationship with my host family, Patricia Jones and her boys Brandon and Nate. I will be forever grateful for my first season there that led to 2 more great seasons that followed.”

Right-hander Jay Lively still says that the summer of 2009 was “the best summer I have ever had without a doubt.”

He adds, “Not having known anything about the Valley, I still felt like I was coming home to a place that wasn’t even familiar. And my teammates and coaches were all great guys with great personalities that made the whole season something enjoyable. The bullpen guys were especially great just from how much time we spent together out there behind left field. The post-game meals where we got to see other host families and recap the game were something I try not to take for granted. Lastly, the beautiful scenery that was the Valley is something I still recall. I will never forget the first full moon game we played at Rebel Park where it crept up from behind the mountain backdrop of the field. Truly an unforgettable experience.”

Jay is currently living in Washington, D.C. and works for Clark Construction. He graduated from George Washington University with a civil engineering degree.

It is not surprising to find that the memories involve not victories and losses, but friendships. It is the same with me. Even as names slip away and final scores become fuzzy, the camaraderie that was extended to me by the coaches and players will always remain fresh: the bus rides, shagging fly balls, talking over the game with Mo Weber at 2:00 a.m. . . . these are the true treasures for me of that wonderful, adventurous summer of 2009.

Best of luck to “my” Rebel team and to the 2015 team as well, who, coincidentally report today. To Lucas and Ryan and Jake and Jay and all the rest of the 2009 Rebels, I hope that in 2059 you can say to your grandchildren, “Did you know that Grandpa is in a book? I want you to read about one of the greatest times of my life.”

Rebel Park at dusk, 2008.

Dusk at Rebel Park

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