Results tagged ‘ Cedar Rapids Kernels ’
An Inspiring Display of Heart
The Memphis Redbirds “Organ Donor” jerseys” got a lot of attention both here and elsewhere, and for good reason — very few professional baseball teams, if any, have ever taken the field while decked out in innards-exposing uniform tops.
It all went down on Saturday, with the Redbirds earning a 5-2 victory over the far more conservatively-dressed Tucson Padres. Prior to the ballgame, backstop Nick Derba modeled these awareness-raising duds in the dugout.
Credit for each of the next six photos: Allison Rhoades/Memphis Redbirds
Whether on the mound, at the plate, in the field, or in the dugout, the Redbirds really showed a lot of heart.
And at the end of the day, everyone learned a valuable lesson. Whether black or white, bald or hirsute, smiling or grimacing, we’re all the same on the inside.
Credit for all organ jersey photos: Allison Rhoades/Memphis Redbirds
But in another, far more accurate sense, we are not all the same. Some of us are way better dancers than others, as evidenced by this amazing video featuring touring ballpark performer B-Boy McCoy going toe-to-toe with preternaturally gifted Whitecaps hurler Alex Burgos.
And on the topic of artistically precocious Minor League ballplayers, here’s a clip of Charlotte Knights catcher Adam Ricks shredding his way through the National Anthem prior to last Thursday’s ballgame.
But for every triumphant moment in life, there is one of defeat. This sobering lesson was brought home earlier this week, with the news that Mark Hamburger had been knocked out of this this year’s (still-ongoing) Minors Moniker Madness tournament by none other than Shooter Hunt.
This despite the fact that Hamburger and his Round Rock Express cronies had put together some truly excellent campaign videos. Click HERE for one. And HERE for another. And then watch one more below.
And you know what goes well with a large helping of Hamburger? A side of corn on the cob, that’s what. We’ll end today’s blogging (mis)adventures with Cedar Rapids’ unflinching look at the harrowing aftermath of anthropomorphic vegetable bathroom usage.
Ending on a high note, as always.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
twitter.com/bensbiz
Not On the Road: Self-Esteem, Singing, and Pseudo-Celebs
Well hello everybody and how ya been? It’s Ben’s Biz typing on the keyboard again. I’ve got grace, class, style, finesse and debonair. Writing ’bout MiLB promos and hopin’ folks care.
The point of the above Beastie Boy lyric approximation is simply to say that it’s been a while since I was able to kick out a good old-fashioned blog bouillabaisse (and I spelled “bouillabaisse” correctly on the second try, a new record). I’ve still got some odds and ends from my left coast road trip to share, but today will be all about the here and now in addition to what was recently the here and now but is now then.
For starters, TONIGHT is the Richmond Flying Squirrels’ “Tribute to Bacon” featuring an appearance by Kevin Bacon!
This particular Kevin Bacon has never been immortalized in celluloid, however.
Bacon, a Chesterfield County native for more than 35 years, is currently a detective with the Chesterfield County Police Department….He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelor’s degree in Administration of Justice.
So that would be just one degree of Kevin Bacon? Perhaps he’ll obtain a Masters one day. Another Flying Squirrels item of note is that this picture of a “superhero Mom” catching a fly ball went viral.
Credit: Mark Gormus/Richmond Times-Dispatch
Name a media outlet, and chances are they ran something on this. For background on how it all came to be, check out this Richmond Times-Dispatch story.
The following photos didn’t go viral, but they were sent along to me by the Toledo Mud Hens and are well worth a look. The ol’ “gum on the hat” trick is never not funny. This time around the victim is Michael Restovich of the visiting Charlotte Knights.
Another perennial source of Minor League humor comes in the form of mustaches. One of the most prominent facial follicle initiatives currently taking place is the Delmarva Shorebirds’ “Mustache May.” Members of the team and front office are participating, and fans can donate money toward their favorite.
The current leader is none other than trainer Will Lawhorn.
Not at all creepy
You’ve got to have good self-esteem to grow a mustache like that, which is something that Hickory Crawdads mascot Conrad is currently lacking.
HICKORY, NC -In response to SI.com writer Peter King’s column on Mon., May 16, in which Conrad the Crawdad’s self-esteem was questioned, the Hickory Crawdads are introducing a brand-new promotion and ticket deal for the rest of the 2011 season – Conrad’s Self-Esteem Wednesdays!
For every Wednesday home game…fans can receive a discounted $4 box seat ticket just by mentioning “Conrad’s self-esteem” at the Ticket Office.
The Crawdads will then donate $2 from every $4 ticket to Catawba Valley Behavioral Healthcare in support of their ongoing mission to provide behavioral health and support services for those in need in the Unifour community.
I’m sure Conrad will rally from the depths of his despair, something that Akron Aeros fans have become quite adept at doing.
And since I always like to end on a high note, how ’bout these Cedar Rapids troubadours?
Contact me with any kernels of info you may have to disseminate. I’ll be here waiting.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
twitter.com/bensbiz
The Onus Is On You To Fear the Sea Cow and Let It Snow
Over the past several weeks, I have methodically taken note of all the teams who are planning some sort of Valentine’s Day promotion. My current tally now stands at 33, and I am sure there are some that I am missing.
But, you know what? I’ve written about this kind of thing before, in multiple MiLB.com feature stories (HERE and HERE) and blog posts (HERE and HERE). So at this juncture, I’m just going to make a simple request:
Send me funny photos and videos from your Valentine endeavors, and I will compile a (hopefully) hilarious blog post with the best of what I receive. In the meantime, here’s a video featuring a diaper-wearing mascot playing front office Cupid.
It’s otherwise a pretty slow day here in Minor League Baseball-land, but we’ll get by. We always do.
I do, however, want to highlight an event going on tonight: Minor League Baseball on Ice!
The NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning will be hosting “Minor League Baseball Night” at the St. Pete Times Forum on Friday. Not much to it, really — a bevy of Florida State League teams will have info booths set up on the concourse, attempting to educate fans on the wonders of Minor League Baseball.
And, according to the Brevard County Manatees website, anyone who visits the team’s booth and utters the words “Fear the Sea Cow!” will receive a special gift.
In my mind, simply having a legitimate reason to say “Fear the Sea Cow” to a total stranger is a gift in and of itself.
Meanwhile, much of the country is still dealing with the after-effects of last week’s blizzard. Instead of stressing out about the situation, the Cedar Rapids have taken a “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” approach.
And since it’s Friday, I’ll close with a video even more gratuitous. Check out who can now add “Children’s Book Author” to his resume:
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
twitter.com/bensbiz
Talkin' Bout The Weather Report…
One of my favorite recurring promotions around the Minor Leagues is the Lancaster JetHawks‘ “Tumbleweed Tuesday”, in which the ticket price for each Tuesday home game is determined by the previous day’s wind speed.
This promo came about because the JetHawks play in California’s Antelope Valley, which is known as being a particularly gusty region of the United States — a fact which, as we shall soon see, is sometimes dramatically illustrated at Lancaster’s Clear Channel Stadium.
On Monday, in preparation for the season’s first “Tumbleweed Tuesday”, Lancaster Assistant GM Derek Sharp measured the wind speed according to his own unique set of calculations, and found that it was blowing at 15 MPH. This meant that tickets for Tuesday’s game would be a mere $1.50.
But, as is so often the case, the cruel hand of fate soon intervened. For there was no game played at Tuesday at all, due to…wait for it…high winds. (Cue Nelson’s “Ha-Ha” laugh here).
With gusts of over 50 MPH expected, conditions were deemed unsafe for baseball. Conditions were great for tumbleweeds, however. These drifting, transitory shrubs had a veritable field day, and were able to scatter their seed all over the Antelope Valley. Bad day for baseball, but a great day for the propagation of the species!
From the Barometer to the Thermometer — In much happier weather-related news, the
Cedar Rapids Kernels are staging a “Get Back to the 70s” promotion tonight. This promo has nothing to do with tired cultural references to a bygone era, and everything to do with the fact that Spring is finally here. In celebration of the fact that today’s high temperature will be over 70 degrees (for the first time since October, 2007), the Kernels will throw out 70 first pitches prior to the evening’s contest against the Great Lakes Loons. Fans who wish to participate should arrive at the stadium at 5:30 and keep an eye out for Mr. Shucks, the club’s anthropomorphic corn mascot. Or better yet, keep an “ear” out. Get it?
Finally…Don’t forget that tomorrow in Harrisburg is “Guaranteed Rainout Night”. If the hometown Senators do, in fact, play their regularly scheduled game against New Hampshire, then all fans will receive a FREE ticket to Monday’s contest against Erie.
BensBiz
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