33 replies to this topic

[TheGoldenGreek33]

Inspired by the 'Wacky Team Names' thread, I thought it'd make for interesting discussion to talk about all of the unique things people have seen at minor league games throughout the years.

From between inning fan contests like a dry water slide race to promo giveaway items like free air guitars, what are some of the most bizarre things you've seen at a minor league game?

I was at a Charleston RiverDogs game one time when it was 'Silent Night'. Obviously, there was no talking allowed (for the first five innings). It was like Bill Murray's attempt to set the lowest attendance record, or something like that. It was actually pretty cool. Nothing but the sound of the breeze, the crack of the bat, and the mitt popping. I'm told Murray's done things like this before.

I have more that I'll share, but I'm interested in hearing your stories. I love minor league ball, and stuff like this is half of what makes going to games awesome.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Went with a bunch of SoShers to a game in Manchester, NH a few years back, it was "Salute to Bread" night, and they played all the greatest hits by the band "Bread", and every fan got to take home a loaf of bread.

[Lose Remerswaal]

This just in: To recognize Atheists and Agnostics, the St. Paul Saints will play a game next month as The Mr. Paul Aints!

Details and discounts here

[steeplechase3k]

Back during the Enron collapse the Portland Beavers played in PGE Park, PGE is the local electric utility that was at the time party owned by Enron. The Beavers hand an "Arthur Anderson Night" if your ID had "Arthur" or "Anderson" on it, you got in free, and they had a suite saved for anyone named "Arther Anderson" that showed up. They also anounced that attendence as something like 12million (as certified by Arthur Anderson).

For an in-game thing, I was at a Eugene Emerlads game back in about 2003 (after a NW SABR meeting) and a player stole first base FROM SECOND. They were trying to do a hit and run and the batter fouled of about 6 or 8 pitches in a row so after each the runner had to walk back to first. On the final one the hitter swung and missed, but the runner still started walking back to first. He was about 10 feet from the bag when his 1B coach got his attenetion and he dove back to first just ahead of the throw from the (confused) pitcher.

[Cuzittt]

We have all certainly seen balls come onto the field from the bullpen. It happens quite a bit on fields where the bullpens are in foul ground but in the field of play. It even happens sometimes if there is a low fence (like Fenway).

Yesterday, I happened to be in Dodd Stadium watching the Tigers. And the reliever (a side-armer as it turns out) was warming. Now, I am not certain what exactly happened (ricochet off the glove of the catcher...) but the ball came exploding over a relatively high fence and bounced off of several seats before coming to rest. It was the first time I have seen a ball thrown from the bullpen into the stands in this manner.

[FelixMantilla]

Yes, this guy was watching an episode of Mr. Bean on his smartphone while the PawSox were playing at McCoy Stadium.

Edited by FelixMantilla, 12 July 2012 - 01:38 PM.

[OBPercent1]

Two things in Pawtucket that I saw live.

1. The Izzy Alcantara horse kick of the catcher- when it happened the guy sitting next to me asked if what he just saw happen did in fact happen.
2. The Delmon Young bat " flip" that kicked up and hit the ump.

[ypioca]

I want to buy a St. Mr. Paul Aints jersey so much.

Edited by ypioca, 12 July 2012 - 02:15 PM.

[brs3]

When I was at a Berkshire Black Bears game at Wahconah Park in 2003, a hitter fouled a pitch straight back. Instead of bouncing off the net, it tore through the net and ricocheted around the wooden bleacher seats behind home plate. Thankfully attendance was light and nobody was hit. Brady Williams was also manning third base, the son of Jimy.

[Doctuh]

At a Sea Dogs game in ~2004 I saw a pitcher get knocked out of the game during warmups. He was beaned in the back of the head by the catcher throwing to second.

[Doctuh]

When I was at a Berkshire Black Bears game at Wahconah Park in 2003, a hitter fouled a pitch straight back. Instead of bouncing off the net, it tore through the net and ricocheted around the wooden bleacher seats behind home plate. Thankfully attendance was light and nobody was hit. Brady Williams was also manning third base, the son of Jimy.

Same thing happened at Hadlock a few years ago. Came off the bat directly to the rear and *through* the net. It happened to be the tail end of a rainy April doubleheader. There were all of 20 people left in the stadium. Could have been a lot worse.

[Lose Remerswaal]

We have all certainly seen balls come onto the field from the bullpen. It happens quite a bit on fields where the bullpens are in foul ground but in the field of play. It even happens sometimes if there is a low fence (like Fenway).

Yesterday, I happened to be in Dodd Stadium watching the Tigers. And the reliever (a side-armer as it turns out) was warming. Now, I am not certain what exactly happened (ricochet off the glove of the catcher...) but the ball came exploding over a relatively high fence and bounced off of several seats before coming to rest. It was the first time I have seen a ball thrown from the bullpen into the stands in this manner.

I guess you weren't at Fenway Park on September 16, 1975 when Ross Grimsley was warming in the bullpen

[Rasputin]

Myron Noodlemen

Three triple plays

A perfect game

then there was the popcorn incident, but that was spring traning

[someoneanywhere]

Well, I can tell tales of gator wrasslin' and the like, and I can even tell tales of Nuke LaLoosh -- they filmed Bull Durham when I was in school at UNC, and we went over and sat in as "extras" in the crowd. We drank beer while Kevin Costner practiced saying "cocksucker" just right.

But I have to say that the most impressed I ever was would be back in '10, during the infamous Drive-Crawdads playoff brawl. Impressed mainly because the guy leading the charge out of the Drive dugout, like a Marine going on a grenade, was Billy McMillon.

[EP Sox Fan]

Growing up El Paso had a AA minor league affiliation with the Milwaukee Brewers called the El Paso Diablos. Some of my fondest memories growing up were going to watch them play in their antiquated ballpark named Dudley Field (which was mentioned and pictured in a National Geographic piece on minor league baseball). I was at this game when Strelzin was ejected by the home plate umpire. I don't think I've ever seen or heard of such a thing before or since.

The Diablos also had a custom which I though was cool. When a member of the team hit a home run, the batter (after he was done circling the bases) would take his helmet and walk along the fencing where the crowd would put money in the helmet. I always thought Gary Sheffield was an asshole because he would always send the batboy with his helmet.

I found a pretty cool picture on that tradition:

[OttoC]

Myron Noodlemen
...

He'll be here at the game tomorrow night in Little Rock.

Then, there is Bark in the Park night when fans can bring their dogs in the stands

Somebody mentioned loaf of bread and I recall a period when it seemed as though every minor league I attended had someone handing out loaves of bread when you left the park.

[Detts]

Well, I can tell tales of gator wrasslin' and the like, and I can even tell tales of Nuke LaLoosh -- they filmed Bull Durham when I was in school at UNC, and we went over and sat in as "extras" in the crowd. We drank beer while Kevin Costner practiced saying "cocksucker" just right.

But I have to say that the most impressed I ever was would be back in '10, during the infamous Drive-Crawdads playoff brawl. Impressed mainly because the guy leading the charge out of the Drive dugout, like a Marine going on a grenade, was Billy McMillon.

And just for fun:

[Lose Remerswaal]

He'll be here at the game tomorrow night in Little Rock.

Then, there is Bark in the Park night when fans can bring their dogs in the stands

Somebody mentioned loaf of bread and I recall a period when it seemed as though every minor league I attended had someone handing out loaves of bread when you left the park.

Heck, the Dodgers and Mets do Bark in the Park (among other teams), so it's very much not a minor league dealio

[AZBlue]

At an Arizona Fall League game in 2011, I was sitting beside a Blue Jays scount chatting about some of the Red Sox propsects on the field. We were behind the dugout on the first base side. A couple of 9 to 11-year-old boys with baseball gloves had been roaming Scottsdale Stadium for two hours chasing after foul balls but finally came back to where their moms were sitting in the first row behind the dugout. They were hot and tired and the moms bought them drinks. The boys had lost out during all of the scrambles for foul balls and home run balls. One was standing with his back to the infield. I motioned to him to face the field, because we were all in the line of fire and a righthanded hitter was at the plate.

The kid couldn't figure out what I was trying to tell him and faced directly toward me. He cupped his glove behind his ear to hear me better. At that moment, the batter hit a screaming line drive into the empty seats between the boy and me. The ball bounced off of a seat and shot over my head (directly away from the field). The ball then bounced off another seat and next hit the railing behind me and then shot back toward the first base dugout on a line where it landed in the kid's glove. He did not have to move it an inch.

The scout and I had been talking about how the kids had been running ever since we had been sitting there with no luck getting a foul ball. We just looked at each other and shook our heads. Obviously, we had never seen anything like it.

[AZBlue]

I also saw Sam Horn field a ground ball cleanly when he was playing first base in the Carolina League in 1984. How about that for bizarre?

[Rasputin]

I also saw Sam Horn field a ground ball cleanly when he was playing first base in the Carolina League in 1984. How about that for bizarre?

You tell me you saw him hit a curve ball, I'll be impressed.

[OttoC]

Heck, the Dodgers and Mets do Bark in the Park (among other teams), so it's very much not a minor league dealio

I've only seen one game at home with the Mets and the Dodgers, so I would have had to have been fairly unlucky to encounter that. But I had no idea such a pernicious practice had spread to the major leagues.

On another front, though, I spent several innings at the Arkansas Travelers' game last night talking with a former Red Sox farm hand from the earlier 50's, who also scouted for them for five years. It was fun talking about players I watched while growing up that he played with. I needed a voice recorder.

Edited by OttoC, 14 July 2012 - 06:31 AM.

[Lose Remerswaal]

I've been to Dodger stadium twice, and they had Bark in the Park at the 2nd game. First one was Interleague against the Angels, so no promotions necessary (it was the same night the Mets were beating the Yankees until the Mets SS (Reyes?) dropped a popout that would have ended the game.

Been to Citi Field once, probably going again next month, and that day is Bark in the Park day.

[keninten]

I've been to Dodger stadium twice, and they had Bark in the Park at the 2nd game. First one was Interleague against the Angels, so no promotions necessary (it was the same night the Mets were beating the Yankees until the Mets SS (Reyes?) dropped a popout that would have ended the game.

Been to Citi Field once, probably going again next month, and that day is Bark in the Park day.

Luis Castillo dropped Arod`s popup and let 2 runs score. I`m going to go throw up now.

[Troy O'Lovely]

Anyone else remember the Fullerton Flyers having "juice" night in honor of Jose Canseco coming to town with the Long Beach Armada? They gave away juice boxes to their fans.


http://sports.espn.g...tory?id=2542749

[GreenMonsterVsGodzilla]

The coolest between-inning entertainment I ever saw was at a San Jose Giants game a few years back...they drove an ice-cream-type truck onto foul territory, and two of the pitchers (I guess must have been starters a couple days removed from games) took turns knocking the headlights out. I haven't been to a ton of minor league games, so maybe this isn't bizarre or unique, but damn it sure reinforced how good these guys are, even at Single-A. It wasn't 60 feet away, but must have been at least 30-40.

[OttoC]

Seen on the board at the Sea dogs-Fisher Cats game last night:



follow-up

[soxhop411]

http://www.baseballa...ree-blind-mice/

"We've just entered the twilight zone at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Our music man, Derek Dye, has been EJECTED from tonight's game. The umpire, Mario Seneca, was apparently not happy when Derek played "Three Blind Mice" after a questionable call. With no music system, a fan has stepped up to call out player introductions from the stands.

Umps are power hungry even in the minors

[Rasputin]

Seen on the board at the Sea dogs-Fisher Cats game last night:



follow-up

I think I have the same cooler.

I think I have different stuff in it than they do.

[Lose Remerswaal]

This wasn't in a Minor League game, but yesterday I saw something in a game I had never seen before:

Runners on first and second, less than 2 outs.

Lefty pitcher (with a good history of pickoffs) on the mound.

First baseman snuck in behind the runner on 1st, pitcher used his "A" move and got the runner heading back to the bag, and by a good 3 feet.

I blame the first base coach on this.

[TheGoldenGreek33]

I don't know why first basemen/pitchers don't try that more often. Since they aren't holding the runner on, sometimes these runners have outrageous leads that a simple timing pick off play would, I think, easily pick the guy off. Or, if the guy is getting a big secondary lead as well, even a designed pitch out if the catcher has a good arm.

[Lose Remerswaal]

I expected to read that it was "against the unwritten rules" and that they'd throw at Gonzo next time he batted. But they didn't.

[bill]

I also went to a few Travelers games while going to school in AR in the 90's. I wasn't at this particular game but Fernando Valenzuela pitched in a rehab game one night. They not only sold out the park, they put a rope up in the outfield in front of the big fence from pole to pole and sold thousands of standing room tickets for people to watch on the warning track. I believe there was only one "ground rule double" hit all night.

Edited by bill, 09 August 2012 - 05:34 PM.

[bill]

The most memorable play I have ever seen was watching a Middletown High School game at Palmer field in 1973. A runner tried to score from second on a single to left. The left fielder made a perfect throw and he was out by twenty feet, the catcher holding the ball standing directly in front of the runner approaching the plate. The runner planted in front of him, did a front somersault over him, and landed with both feet on home plate.The catcher never tagged him, he just stood there in shock of what just happened. The runner had a huge smile on his face over this incredible feat he just accomplished, then the umpire called him out.I had never seen that play again until this year, a Bengals wide receiver did a similar flip at the goal line over a defender for a TD. It was the only high school game I went to that year.