Ben's Biz Blog

11,689 Consecutive Firsts

2008-09-05T16:04:10Z

Saturday, August 23rd, was a very special day in the world of baseball -- and not just because it was Julio Franco's 50th birthday. For it was on this day that the Huntsville Stars strolled into the hallowed pages of the Guinness Book of World Records.

Their accomplishment? Starting at 12:01 a.m. and ending right before that evening's 7:05 p.m. contest against Carolina, a startling 11,689 first pitches were thrown from the mound of Joe Davis Stadium.

It may take a logical leap to accept the fact that each one of these pitches was a "first", but this was nonetheless a very impressive accomplishment. The previous "First Pitch" record of 8,304 was set earlier this season by the Brevard County Manatees, and there is in fact a significant connection between these two franchises. Prior to re-locating to Huntsville this past offseason, Stars GM Buck Rogers served in the same capacity for the Manatees. It was Rogers, in fact, who instituted the first "World Record First Pitch" promotion in Brevard County.

Here's an excerpt from a press release sent out by Rogers after the Stars broke the Manatees' record.

"Gates opened at midnight and fans began throwing for the record books one minute later. Stars Manager Don Money threw pitch number 10,715 and the game's umpires were included in the final 25 pitches. Only two of the umps could find the strike zone, but that's no different than any other day in baseball so why worry about it now?"

Further research on my part resulted in me finding this blog post, which alleges that these umpires took part in the promotion at approximately 4:30 in the morning, driving straight to Joe Davis Stadium after working a game in Mobile the night before. And still, they are ridiculed. Anyways, back to Rogers' report:

"The youngest pitcher of the night was six-month old Maddux Welch, son of Stars Pitcher David Welch. Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer came out and helped the cause as well. The final pitch, the ultimate world record throw, was raffled off for the Muscular Dystrophy Association Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon."

Congratulations to the Stars on achieving this prodigious feat, one which will be remembered forevermore as one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of humankind.

Bold Font Indicating a Change in Topic: Over the past month or so, more and more teams have been sending me photos and recaps from promotions that were staged this season. Keep 'em coming! I am a huge proponent of symbiotic relationships between Minor League franchise and blogger.

And let me reiterate the fact that I appreciate hearing from everyone who reads this blog, no matter who you are or what you have to say.

benjamin.hill@mlb.com

Thanks.

A Thoroughly Flawed Evening in Jamestown

2008-09-04T15:55:39Z

This past Thursday, the Giants played the Patriots in a pre-season Super Bowl XLII rematch. Inspired by this gridiron pairing, the Jamestown Jammers staged "Salute to Imperfection Night" at beautiful Russell Diethrick Park.

I included this event in my final "Promotion Preview" column of the season, summing it up thusly:

"On this special evening, the club will pay tribute to the 2007 Patriots and other "imperfect" teams (such as the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers of 1976-77) in a variety of ways. Every fan wearing NFL gear receives free admission, and mascot Bubba Grape will take part in a re-enactment of Eli Manning's famous completion to David Tyree. Also taking place will be a "wide right" contest, in which fans will attempt to miss field goals in a fashion similar to the Bills' Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV."

I am happy to report that I have received a most amusing recap of the evening from Jammers director of baseball operations Scott Eddy, who breaks it all down in a succinct, point-by-point fashion:

"There was absolutely nothing perfect about this night at Diethrick Park in Jamestown as A) The home team was down 6-0 after two innings and as much as 15-0 at one point before finally losing 15-2 to Auburn."

B) There was rainfall for much of the evening

C) Our regular on-field host, an avid Bills fan, refused to announce the "Wide Right" re-creation. Taking his place, I was heckled quite heartily by many of the Bills fans in attendance. Brought back bad memories, I suppose. Our contestant did Scott Norwood proud- imperfectly wide right and he walked away with a prize.

D) The picture isn't very clear, but although Auburn took home a 15-2 victory, things weren't quite perfect for them, either. Their bus, parked alongside the stadium, was drilled with a foul ball, smashing one of its windows."

So there you have it, folks. The Jammers really couldn't have asked for a more imperfect evening. Which begs the question: If one attains their stated goal of imperfection, is this, in itself, a form of perfection?

I, for one, am going to spend the remainder of my day pondering this deep philosophical query.

The Most Sought-After Free Agent in All of Sports

2008-09-03T18:53:09Z

After a memorable final season that included war re-enactments, drug test tomfoolery, and prominent bobblehead placement, the Devil Rays' time in Vero Beach has come to a close. The club has been purchased by the Ripken Baseball ownership group, and will re-locate to Port Charlotte in 2009.

These are obviously sad times in Vero Beach, made even sadder by the fact that the D-Rays final homestand was marred by horrendous weather. But the most upsetting aspect of the franchise's demise is that Squeeze, the team's loyal and very popular mascot, is out of a job. Fortunately, the D-Rays' front office is working hard to find him a new home. Communications Manager Christa McElyea reports:

"Instead of putting Squeeze out to pasture, or 'taking him to a farm where he can roam free' we have decided to instead put him up for public adoption. We have invited local teams, fellow Florida State League teams, church groups, children's organizations, not-for-profits, and pretty much anyone else who feels they can give Squeeze a loving home, the opportunity to take him in as one of their own."

All the info regarding this unprecedented offer of mascot adoption can be found here. Whomever ends up with Squeeze will end up with an extremely talented and multi-faceted individual.

He is skilled at leading Senior Citizens in the Chicken Dance:

One of the stars of the Big-Headed Grapefruit Bowling League:

And a passionate proponent of proper stretching techniques:

And, most importantly, he plays well with others:

Those who wish to adopt Squeeze must submit their applications by Friday. Either act now, or resign yourself to an existence that is completely lacking in jovial anthropomorphic grapefruit.

A Shocking End to the Season in Binghamton

2008-09-02T16:33:52Z

Last month, I did a post on the Binghamton Mets' nightly "Spiedie Race", in which a Spiedie Sandwich, a Chef, and a bottle of Marinade engage in a race across the ballpark in a battle for costumed character supremacy.

A follow-up post soon occurred, in which "Chef" shared a shocking tale of unprovoked mascot violence.

But even more shocking than this was the fact that, going into the last day of the season, Marinade had yet to win a Spiedie Race. As fans poured into NYSEG Stadium for the B-Mets' last home game on August 24, they were certain that history was going to be made. That, somehow, someway, Marinade was going to find a way to emerge victorious. This young fan, decked out in a pro-Marinade t-shirt, summed up the the mood at the ballpark:

But when the race began, Marinade was nowhere to be found. For reasons that are still shrouded in mystery, he opted out of the contest altogether. Showing a blatant disregard for those who had supported him so unwaveringly throughout the season, he instead went up to the roof in order to best enjoy the beautiful late-summer weather. Here's a surveillance photo:

But perhaps Marinade had received a tip-off regarding what was to come. For, during the race, an unidentified Mets pitcher donned a pink gorilla suit and ran onto the field. This sole objective of this neon-hued faux-simian was to keep Marinade from winning. But, with Marinade on the rooftop, the gorilla's presence in the race turned out to be merely a superfluous distraction.

Clearly, there are now more questions than answers regarding this highly unorthodox conclusion to one of the B-Mets' signature in-game promos. After it all occurred, the disappointment in the stadium was palpable. B-Mets' director of video production Eric Long reports that "one little boy sobbed to the Marinade afterward, admitting that he had brought balloons and a trophy to give to the Marinade on what was supposed to finally be his big day."

As disappointed as that little boy may have been, hopefully he learned a valuable lesson that day. Namely, that although things don't always go as planned, hope shall always spring eternal. And when victory finally comes to the Marinade, be it in 2009 or beyond, it shall taste as sweet, spicy, and pungent as the product that he consists of.

Update! The relief pitcher in the pink gorilla suit has been identified. Click here.

Showcasing the Showdown

2008-08-28T17:26:28Z

On Saturday, August 16, a Mascot Showdown for the ages took place at Fresno's Chukchansi Park, as the Grizzlies' own Parker went head-to-head with the legendary Phillie Phanatic in a battle for costumed character supremacy.

In anticipation of this momentous event, I wrote a preview detailing what fans could expect from the evening. Now, it is time for the review.

Bradley Collins, the Grizzlies Director of Mascot Relations and Parker's best friend, was kind enough to provide me with a recap of what took place. All photos contained therein are courtesy of Don Davis, whose work can be viewed at dadphoto.com.

Collins reports:

"We started off pre-game by doing solo introductions, first Parker, then the Phanatic. The rest of pre-game was a great mix of improv, messing with umpires, shining Andruw Jones' head and the highlight may have been when we did an ATV stare down near the centerfield gate (Parker and Phanatic drove at each other full speed narrowly missing each other).

The Phanatic did some classic schtick during the Mid 3 break followed by a Squirt Gun duel in End 3. Parker and the Phanatic started off back to back, took 5 paces and then proceeded to squirt our on-field MC and everyone near the dugout."

"In End 6, there was a cat-fight as the Phanatic came out and seduced the first base umpire to Alicia Keys' "In and Out of Love", then Parker followed suit and seduced the umpire to "Let's Get It On". Apparently the Phanatic was a bit more attractive in drag as the umpire wound up kissing the Phanatic instead of Parker."

"In End 7, the final showdown of the evening, each mascot had to cross the Balance Beam of Greatness to be awarded the title "Best Mascot in Baseball". While Olympic fanfare played over the speakers, the Phanatic slowly but surely crossed the Balance Beam of Greatness. Then it was Parker's turn. Dressed in his tutu, Parker managed to make it half-way across the Balance Beam of Greatness and was then distracted by the Phanatic, who flashed him. This caused Parker to fall and hit his groin on the Balance Beam, signaling the crowd to sound out "OOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhh".

The Phanatic was given the award Best Mascot in Baseball, followed promptly by a round of boos from the hometown fans, so the Phanatic graciously gave the award to Parker to cease the booing. So technically the Phanatic retained the title, but Parker gave him a legitimate run for his money."

So there you have it, folks. The Phanatic remains the best mascot in all of baseball. BUT FOR HOW LONG? Parker is down, but certainly not out...

Shatel-ing It Like It Is

2008-08-27T20:57:25Z

A substantial backlog of fascinating material has accumulated here at Ben's Biz Blog headquarters, and I am greatly looking forward to sharing my bounty of Minor League news.

But, today, time is of the essence, and I simply do not have it in me to do a powerhouse post. Instead, let me fill you in on a thoroughly ridiculous promo that was staged by the Omaha Royals this past weekend. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how it came about.

1. On August 19, columnist Tom Shatel of the Omaha World-Herald makes the following observation: "...the Royals shouldn't be afraid of $6 parking prices (at the new downtown stadium) because people pay that much to park in the Old Market. That's a fair point. But the Royals would be going from free parking to $6. Plus, you can't get lavosh at a Royals game."

2. After doing some research, the O-Royals' front office learns that "lavosh is of Armenian origin. It is a flat bread used to celebrate in the Jewish fashion. There is no yeast in it and it can be eaten during many Jewish festivals and Holy days."

3. Armed with their newfound knowledge of Jewish flatbread, the club announces that a special lavosh pizza will be available at the ballpark on Saturday, August 23. It consists of chorizo sausage, roasted bell peppers, onions and smoked gouda sauce, and is named after Shatel. Furthermore, fans have the option of "Shatel-ing" their nachos by replacing the chips with lavosh crackers.

4. Finally, the club stages an on-field promo -- "'Shatel Lavosh Toss,' where participants will toss large lavosh crackers into a container. If they win, they will receive free parking to all Omaha Royals games that will be played at the new downtown stadium.

Now, as someone who possesses only a superficial knowledge of O-Royals ballpark negotiations, lavosh, Omaha's Old World Market, and the journalistic stylings of Tom Shatel, it is quite possible that I do not fully understand the club's motivations for staging this evening of lavosh-related ridiculousness.

Nonetheless, I hope this promotion serves as an inspiration to other Minor League teams. The next time a local journalist makes a snide reference to your club's parking and ethnic food-related deficiencies, don't just smile and turn the other cheek. Instead, incorporate said reference into one of the most baffling promotions of the year!

Tat-two

2008-08-22T20:36:25Z

Regular readers of this up-and-coming blog may recall this post, which detailed the Quad Cities River Bandits' surprisingly successful "Tattoo Night" promotion.

Yesterday, the Lake County Captains followed suit with a "Tattoo Night" of their own. Artists from a local tattoo studio set up shop at the ballpark, and five fans ended up making the decision to indelibly brand themselves with the Captains' logo. Jonathan Levey, the Captains' promotion manager, was kind enough to send along the following photo of one such fan:

If any other teams have been able to implore their fanbase to get a team logo tattoo, then by all means send along some pictures (benjamin.hill@mlb.com).

Meanwhile, I will simply implore my vast cadre of loyal readers to have a great weekend. Things are getting busy here at MiLB.com headquarters, but rest assured I shall find the time to make a few posts next week. There are a few things sitting in my inbox that just cannot be ignored.

Freshwater Subterranean Crustaceans Need Your Support

2008-08-21T17:35:47Z

Hard as it may be to believe, the 2009 season is a mere seven months away. And in the Minor Leagues, where change is a constant, every season brings with it a host of changes big and small.

One of the biggest such changes on tap for '09 is that the South Atlantic League's Columbus Catfish will be re-locating to Bowling Green, Kentucky. And with the new location comes...wait for it...a new name!

After receiving more than 1100 entries in a "Name the Team" contest, the club has narrowed it down to seven choices. All of these names have something to do with the history, culture, or fauna of the Bowling Green area, and all of them are awesome in their own way. But, I think you'll agree that one name is a little more awesome than the rest. Let's see if you can guess which one has received a coveted Ben's Biz Blog endorsement.

Speedsters
Cave Shrimp
Hot Rods
Bluegills
Turbos
Sparkplugs
Mammoths

Of course, my winner is Cave Shrimp. From the team's website:

"Mammoth Cave, located near Bowling Green, is home to the endangered Kentucky Cave Shrimp, a sightless albino shrimp. The blind cave shrimp has been registered as an endangered species since 1983."

I have long advocated for teams to be named after species that are either albino, sightless, or endangered, so to see this holy trinity encompassed into one moniker is a dream come true. Whether you agree with my choice or not, make sure to cast your vote here. And, rest assured, I will continue to provide updates on the evolution of this new franchise throughout the coming months.

Strange Doings Afoot in Mobile

2008-08-20T17:38:41Z

This past Friday, a couple of hunters announced that they had found a Bigfoot carcass in the woods of Northern Georgia. While this dubious claim was quickly debunked, it nonetheless inspired a real-life Bigfoot to make his presence known at a Mobile BayBears game.

Here are some details from one of the weirdest press releases of the year:

"It was business as usual in Mobile on Friday night until a dark, furry creature appeared from beyond the right field wall and began galloping around the warning track with seemingly no purpose, although he did manage to swipe a Braves' jersey during his trek from the Georgia woods."

While Bigfoot may not have meant anyone any harm, BayBears mascot Teddy Bear wasn't about to take any chances.

"Fearful of nothing and no one, Teddy Bear took it upon himself to chase down the sasquatch and club him unmercifully until he retreated back into the freezer and grainy, unreliable photos that made him famous."

The threat of getting pummeled by a usually adorable mascot seems like it would deter Bigfoot from attending games in the future. Clearly, it is easier to reside in the realm of freezers and unclear photography. Nonetheless, the BayBears offered free tickets to Saturday's contest to any local Bigfeet who wished to attend.

None took them up on the offer, apparently. In fact, the BayBears website no longer even lists the Bigfoot press release, as the team's focus has now shifted to the fact that Stan Musial's cousin's 9-year-old great-granddaughter will be playing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at the ballpark this Friday.

Perhaps this promotion was a mere figment of my imagination, and only exists in my frazzled mind. Nonetheless, between mascot beatdowns, historic organ performances, and re-located childhood residences, it is clear that attending a game in Mobile is anything but your average day at the ballpark.

There's No Hope In Dope

2008-08-19T18:45:36Z

When we last checked in with our friends in Vero Beach, it was to highlight their "Revolutionary War Night" promotion. In that post, it was mentioned that one of the club's upcoming promos would be "Anti-Doping Night". This special evening was strategically scheduled two days before "Olympic Night", and was expressly designed to "promote healthy living and a drug-free lifestyle."

Also on the Anti-Doping Night agenda was the distribution of 200 urine sample cups, a humorous nod to the standard drug test procedure. D-Rays Communications Manager Christa McElyea reports that not everyone "got it" when it came to the urine sample cups. Take this woman, for example:

But after conversing with a team employee, and obtaining more information from a passing golf cart, she soon understood what was going on:

Meanwhile, it didn't take long for immature (yet creative) fans to start improvising new uses for the cup. This guy found out that it holds beer just as well as it holds urine. Well, let's hope that's beer:

Next up on the D-Rays' promotional schedule is the 1-2 punch of "Keep Indian River Beautiful Night" and "Bike Night", on Wednesday and Thursday nights respectively. Urine sample cups will not be included as part of any of these promos, but, nonetheless, you're in luck if you will be able to attend a game on either of these nights.

President Bobarack Bobama

2008-08-14T19:12:01Z

Last week, the six Minor League clubs operated by Mike Veeck's Goldklang Group staged "Bobblection 2008." The premise behind this promotion was simple, according to my Promotion Preview column from two weeks ago:

"Bobblection is very simple at its core," I wrote informatively. "Upon entering the stadium, fans will select a bobblehead doll of either Barack Obama or John McCain. The first candidate to run out of dolls (there will be 500 of each) is declared the winner."

The people have spoken, and the leader they prefer is bobblin' Barack Obama. Here are the results:

GOLDKLANG GROUP BOBBLECTION RESULTS

TEAM OBAMA McCAIN

Hudson Valley, NY 750 (51.3%) 713 (48.7)

Brockton, MA 500 (52.3%) 456 (47.7%)

Charleston, SC 500 (58.1%) 360 (41.9%)

St. Paul, MN 1250 (58%) 906 (42%)

Sioux Falls, SD 500 (55.2%) 405 (44.8%)

Fort Myers, FL 500 (54.4%) 419 (45.6%)

TOTALS 4,000 ( 55.1%) 3,259 ( 44.9%)

Astute observers will note that three of the teams listed above (Sioux Falls, St. Paul, Brockton) are from the Independent Leagues, that wild and wooly bastion of the Minors that is officially outside of the Ben's Biz Blog jurisdiction. For one shining moment, Bobblection was able to unite these normally isolated factions of professional baseball. As a candidate of HOPE and CHANGE and UNITY and other buzzwords that signal a NEW ERA, Barack Obama would certainly approve.

In other news: I will be out of the office over the next several days, for two exceedingly good reasons. Blog content will most likely be sparse, but do not think I have abandoned you. I would never do that.

A Biz Blog Exclusive Gets Even Exclusive-er

2008-08-12T20:38:54Z

Last Thursday, I provided the world with an in-depth post on the B-Mets' nightly Spiedie Race. Toward the end of this mighty display of my journalistic prowess, I included the following photo, and asked readers to provide a caption:

My vast cadre of loyal readers once again kept a rigid adherence to the "never, ever comment" school of blog readership. But that is of no matter. Because I received something better than a caption. I received a first-hand account from an individual who was a direct participant in the above chaos. Take it away, Mr. Santino R. Thomas:

You asked for a caption for one of your spiedie race pictures so I'll tell you what went on in that picture. First, however, I will tell you that I am a B-Mets intern and, yes, I am the chef! It was mascot mania night at the ballpark and we asked all of our visiting mascots to join in the spiedie race fun...A mascot at the end of the line tripped and started a domino-effect of mascots tumbling to the outfield grass. This ultimately ended with a pile-up of mascots on top of the poor marinade, but not before "Tux" the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins mascot took a flying leap at the marinade, knocking the bottle to the ground.

So, there you have it folks. For those who may be curious, here is a photo of the aforementioned "Tux" (leave it to a hockey mascot to take things too far):

If anyone has any stories regarding Tux's volatile behavior, or if anyone would like to defend his despicable act of marinade-tackling, then please get in touch.

milbbusiness@yahoo.com
benjamin.hill@mlb.com

Love In the Land of IronPigs

2008-08-12T16:32:01Z

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs held their "Inaugural Wedding" promotion this past Friday, in which a young couple from the Allentown area got hitched at Coca-Cola Park as part of an all-expenses paid wedding extravaganza.

I wrote an article about the event as part of last week's Promotion Preview column, and yesterday IronPigs director of community relations Sarah Marten was kind enough to send along some pictures. Now, I am hardly the romantic type, but I must say that these photos are pretty amazing. Enjoy the following shots, which I will not cheapen with my usual snarky commentary:

(photos by Alison Conklin, who, wouldn't you know it, has a blog).

For more romance from the world of the IronPigs, check out their recurring "As the Bacon Turns" series. It deals with the oft-overlooked subject of unrequited mascot love in a very honest and touching manner.

Places To Go, People To See

2008-08-08T18:34:13Z

In lieu of, you know, actually providing new content, I will wrap up this blogging week by directing you elsewhere.

CNBC's Darren Rovell maintains a consistently interesting sports business blog, and yesterday he caught up with former track star Carl Lewis in Beijing. Most of Rovell's conversation with Lewis revolved around his infamous rendition of the National Anthem at a Nets-Bulls game in 1993 (which can be listened to, in all its glory, here).

Rovell wraps up his post with the following exchange between himself and Lewis:

Me: Will you ever sing the National Anthem again?

Carl: I don't know. It may happen again one day. Trust me, there's a lot of things in life I said

I'd never do and somehow people convince me to do it.

Me: But don't you think you have to sing it again to prove you can, you know, start on the right key?

Carl: People know me know my past, what I stood for, what I did for the sport. As far as the Anthem goes, people know where to find me. They know how to get me to do it again. (Lewis rubs his fingers together as if to say it would take money.)

Minor league teams... start the bidding! Carl Lewis Anthem Night would be a sure sellout.

Carl Lewis Anthem Night is an excellent idea, and it would generate a ton of publicity for the team that makes it happen. Any concerns over the evening's possible lack of respect for the National Anthem could be mitigated by including a bevy of overtly patriotic elements as well. Just make sure Roseanne doesn't show up.

And speaking of patriotism...the Gameops.com Editor's Blog has a great post today, featuring video of an incredible event that took place at a Dayton Dragons game. As part of a "Hometown Heroes Celebration" of local members of the military, the club helped orchestrate a very touching reunion between a deployed serviceman and his family.

I don't want to give anything anyway, but Dragons' are to be commended for staging such a well-orchestrated stunt. It would be hard to top this one.

Hopefully George Clooney will see this and it will inspire him to stop talking trash.

The "Spiedie"st Mascot Race in the Minors

2008-08-07T15:51:45Z

Without a doubt, the most well-known and beloved food delicacy that Binghamton has to offer is the "spiedie" -- tender meat cubes that are marinated for days in a special sauce and then grilled. Even writing about them makes me hungry.

Naturally, the Binghamton Mets serve this regional specialty at their concession stands, but they've taken things a step further than that. Introducing the Spiedie Mascot Race:

Eric Long, the B-Mets director of video production, reports:

"The race is sponsored by a local company that produces the marinade and features a giant spiedie sandwich, a marinade bottle, and a chef character who is part of the company's logo. This year Marinade has yet to win a race, much to the chagrin of many of our fans. It's by far our most popular on-field promo with the fans, players, and even the umpires. Last homestand the ump crew wanted to intervene to help the Marinade win his first race. A few weeks ago a Connecticut relief pitcher ran as Sandwich."

Additionally, the B-Mets have become adept at incorporating stand-alone theme night promotions into the nightly race. As the following photos illustrate, a veritable who's who of pop-culture powerhouses have joined in on the action.

Not even the Wicked Witch or the Cowardly Lion can contain Sandwich:

Here, the racing triumvirate rallies around Indiana Jones, a bullwhip, and a boulder:

Clearly, Iron Man was hostile to the entire idea of a mascot race:

If anyone wants to provide me with a caption for this somewhat unsettling photo, I'd greatly appreciate it:

Finally, I have to point out that this is not the first time that Spiedies have been mentioned on this fine blog. Long-time readers will recall this post, in which Tri-City ValleyCats assistant GM Vic Christopher talked about one of his club's popular new additions:

"Spiedie the Chicken" was a new mascot that was an instant hit at the ballpark. As a tie-in to one of the ValleyCats concession items, Lupos Chicken Spiedies Sandwiches, this character is a bright yellow, six foot chicken that speeds around the warning track on a classic Vespa scooter, tossing Chicken Spiedies Sandwiches into the crowd."

As always, please get in touch should you have info on mascot races, regional delicacies, or anything at all.

milbbusiness@yahoo.com
benjamin.hill@mlb.com