Ballgame

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game.

- Jack Norworth

There's nothing like a good old baseball game. Baseball is one of the very few team sports I enjoy. Anyone can join in a sandlot game, and the minor leagues are fun to watch. Last night the Toledo Mud Hens tried pounding the snot out of the Louisville Bats, and kept it up for a full nine innings.

Ticket To Paradise Lost

My uncle, a sardonic man who, by comparison, makes me appear to be a gentle lamb of Christianity got us the tickets. We had great seats and so were able to enjoy the game. Uncle Sardonicus shouted advice to the umpires and the Mud Hen coach.

Fifth Third Field Mud Hens

Zack Cozart, Louisville Bats

I included Mr. Cozart here because he was kind enough to walk over and give a foul ball to a small boy at the edge of the bleachers. Nice move, Zack.

Alfredo Figaro, Toledo Mud Hens

Alfredo pitched most of the game until he finally hit one of the Bats with a pitch. After a consultation with the coach and several other players Alfredo continued to pitch and then hit another Bat two innings later.

Muddy

Here's Big Bird's cousin from the wrong side of the tracks. Muddy was born July 6, 1989.

Final Score

We lost! Oh well. This was a good game. The Bats got one run up at the top of the ninth, then brought in Aroldis Chapman who struck out three Mud Hens in a row without breaking a sweat. The man's fast ball was breaking 100 mph consistently. Here's a link to the official game summary by Kyle Rowland.

Unlike some people I know, I don't consider it a complete waste if my team fails to win. I go to Fifth Third Field to enjoy myself and watch a good game of minor league baseball. Watching a game where the final score is 50 to zero is not my idea of a good game.

For anyone who doesn't know, the Mud Hen is an actual bird. The American Coot (Fulica americana) is commonly known as a mud hen or marsh hen.