DAY-44: ATV-60 Sails into New Market & Harrisonburg. Stories include- Reservations for a Party of Five/ A photo for Mr. John Leonard & Turks cards
Sunday July 13TH proved to be a wet, wet day in our beautiful Valley but that didn't keep us here at ATV-60 from smiling or some of the teams playing baseball. We should start at the top and work our way down the events of the day. After the Post had all been delivered for the day I headed inside in search of a dark room to sleep. I checked in over at All Things Valley League for a moment or two and noticed John was seeking help with the identity of a certain Rebel that had a great night for New Market in the 16 inning marathon at Fauquier.
Before I noticed the clock one hour had went by as I tried to find the answer. It was fun to try and help out but it made the trip back out to the Tracker to roll up the windows more of a challenge. I thought to myself- it is only a threat of storms, only a threat.
Fast forward to when I woke up to do the broadcast for the New Market Rebels home game. The storm had rolled thru and dumped enough rain into my 1999 Tracker that it looked like I had driven it through a car wash with the windows down. There was actually standing water inside the Tracker !
There is no crying in baseball and as they say- The show must go on. I headed back in for a towel to sit on and headed over towards New Market. I didn't know if the Rebels were playing still or not but I had to recycle the 300+ UN-sold Post from the week that now all weighed 5 pounds each, The recycle barrel is right there at Rebel Park so I headed out and hoped. I wasn't very far into the drive when my cell phone rang (6:11 PM) and the question was raised about the game still being played. I quick call to Rebel GM- Bruce Alger let me know that the game had been moved back to Monday.
I was still sitting at Rebel Park when a family showed up that had came down from Pennsylvania to catch a Rebel game. I was able to let them know about the postponement and was relieved to here that they would still be around and could see they game Monday. I took a photo of the group and a second one of Marvin when he showed up later.
With 500 pounds or so of soaking wet papers now torn and recycled there was still the need to catch aVBL game and find a
story to tell. Mike checked in to tell me that the Front Royal @ Waynesboro contest had been pushed back as well. 2 rain outs in the books, 3 more chances still out there. The next call went out to Mrs. Turks (Teresa Wease). Teresa let me know that Covington was there at the park and they were moving ahead with plans to play baseball!
The next stop was at the Liberty station at the Mauzy (#257) exit to fill up the Tracker and then head down to Memorial Stadium. The old park is scheduled to be torn down on September 1ST so the number of times you can see the place is limited. There was another stop or two to make first down in Harrisonburg as I am still trying to get a copy of the July 2008 edition of the Virginia Living magazine. Both the Barnes & Noble and then Books A Million carry the magazine but both stores still had June 2008 on the shelves. The VBL feature that was written by Austin Gisriel is in the new issue and I can't wait to read it.
Finally pulled into the lot @ Memorial Stadium and noticed the score was 0-0. Pitchers Duel? Yes but not between a Lumberjack and a Turk but between Mother Nature and Memorial Stadium. I headed inside with my camera and I had a captive audience to choose from. As they say- they were all dressed up with no where to go. I was able to meet and greet a number of folks but there are three stories that come to the forefront of the evening.
Reservations for a Party of Five...
When Teresa was in Luray for the Turks- Wranglers game earlier in the week she mentioned that she thought her number of finishers of the Loop could be 14! I knew of five of her regulars and had spoke with them a few times but I had no idea of there being 9 more. Last night I ran into Mr.Kenny Crider and some of his family at the park. Kenny and his wife Kathy have three children (Trevor, Autumn and Lincoln) and the family is now within 2 squares of having the ATV-60 Loop completed. Mom was with Lincoln as he recovers from having his tonsils removed but the other three waited patiently under their umbrella in hopes of their Turks playing baseball.
Teresa mentioned that all 3 children attended the Turks baseball camp and that Autumn was the first girl to participate in the camp. I was able to talk with Kenny for a few minutes as they waited out the delay. He mentioned that he had lived in the area for most of his life and that his family started attending Turks home games just a few seasons ago. They had taken in a few of the closer road games such as New Market but the passport had sent them out in search of an adventure thru the VBL. We will have more time with Kenny and his family the next time we return to the ball yard in Harrisonburg but until then- THANK YOU and GET WELL LINCOLN!
A photo for John Leonard...
The night I was down in Waynesboro with John Leonard I spent three innings talking to Generals owner Jim Critzer. It is always fun to get Jim's perspective on things in the VBL and he is a good listener as well. When Jim started to thank me for my efforts for the season I told him the person the league needs to thank is John Leonard. I said he is a great guy that gives freely of his time and energy in hopes of supporting the VBL and its players- past and present.
Right after Greg Brill commented on my wife in Front Royal, the comment was made between Mr. Neal and Greg that John must have a pretty special wife too! I have met her and can attest to that fact. Now fast forward to last night-I am about to take a picture of Skipper/owner Bob Wease when a Lumberjack approaches. I am running on the assumption that this man is Covington skipper Andy Chalot. I have written about his players and I tried to follow the Alleghany High School baseball team through their run to the State Class AA championship game but I had never spoken with them.
There has been no particular reason for this, just had never happened over the course of our journeys. I asked Andy (I was correct) if he would sit next to Bob so I could take a picture of the two skippers. Andy asked me for something in return- could I get a copy of the photo to his good friend John Leonard. I had to smile at the question and then even more as Andy proceeded to have an almost identical conversation with me that I had with Jim Critzer about the efforts of John.
Now there is only one problem from here- Andy doesn't know who I am and I am not sure if he is familiar with the ATV-60 site. The problem ?- How will he know I am delivering the photo over to Mr. Leonard on his request? Maybe John will pass it on to Andy on his side of things. It was great to put a face and a personality with the name Andy Chalot.
2008 Turks Baseball Cards Hit the Shelves at Memorial Stadium...
Bob and Teresa's son Matt has just finished the Turks cards for the 2008 season. Teresa says they are his best yet and while I was at the park I purchased a set ($10.00 per set). I talked to Matt long enough to let him know that we would be trying to show the fans around the Valley his efforts.
NOTES- It was shortly after 9:00 PM when the game was officially called due to the rain but I bumped into Zack (TV-3) before heading out and we compared notes on the VBL for the evening. I was able to inform him about Waynesboro and he let me know that Stu (Woodstock) was still trying to host the Wranglers.
I checked in with Mike down in Waynesboro and he said they were indeed playing ball in Woodstock and he also mentioned hearing something about a rain shortened No-Hitter being thrown in the Fauquier @ Staunton game. The Braves won the game 3-1 after it was called between the fifth and sixth inning. No word on the pitching for the Braves.
Woodstock managed to be the only place that 9 innings were played Sunday and the River Bandits broke a 4-4 tie to capture an 8-5 victory over Luray. The game ended shortly before 11:00 PM.
Tomorrow- 3 Rain games on tap- Harrisonburg @ Covington, Front Royal @ Waynesboro and Winchester @ New Market. There was no announcement on the make up date of Covington @ Harrisonburg.
Here are some random photos of Sunday's journey Around the Valley...
Before I noticed the clock one hour had went by as I tried to find the answer. It was fun to try and help out but it made the trip back out to the Tracker to roll up the windows more of a challenge. I thought to myself- it is only a threat of storms, only a threat.Fast forward to when I woke up to do the broadcast for the New Market Rebels home game. The storm had rolled thru and dumped enough rain into my 1999 Tracker that it looked like I had driven it through a car wash with the windows down. There was actually standing water inside the Tracker !
There is no crying in baseball and as they say- The show must go on. I headed back in for a towel to sit on and headed over towards New Market. I didn't know if the Rebels were playing still or not but I had to recycle the 300+ UN-sold Post from the week that now all weighed 5 pounds each, The recycle barrel is right there at Rebel Park so I headed out and hoped. I wasn't very far into the drive when my cell phone rang (6:11 PM) and the question was raised about the game still being played. I quick call to Rebel GM- Bruce Alger let me know that the game had been moved back to Monday.
I was still sitting at Rebel Park when a family showed up that had came down from Pennsylvania to catch a Rebel game. I was able to let them know about the postponement and was relieved to here that they would still be around and could see they game Monday. I took a photo of the group and a second one of Marvin when he showed up later.With 500 pounds or so of soaking wet papers now torn and recycled there was still the need to catch aVBL game and find a
story to tell. Mike checked in to tell me that the Front Royal @ Waynesboro contest had been pushed back as well. 2 rain outs in the books, 3 more chances still out there. The next call went out to Mrs. Turks (Teresa Wease). Teresa let me know that Covington was there at the park and they were moving ahead with plans to play baseball!The next stop was at the Liberty station at the Mauzy (#257) exit to fill up the Tracker and then head down to Memorial Stadium. The old park is scheduled to be torn down on September 1ST so the number of times you can see the place is limited. There was another stop or two to make first down in Harrisonburg as I am still trying to get a copy of the July 2008 edition of the Virginia Living magazine. Both the Barnes & Noble and then Books A Million carry the magazine but both stores still had June 2008 on the shelves. The VBL feature that was written by Austin Gisriel is in the new issue and I can't wait to read it.
Finally pulled into the lot @ Memorial Stadium and noticed the score was 0-0. Pitchers Duel? Yes but not between a Lumberjack and a Turk but between Mother Nature and Memorial Stadium. I headed inside with my camera and I had a captive audience to choose from. As they say- they were all dressed up with no where to go. I was able to meet and greet a number of folks but there are three stories that come to the forefront of the evening.
Reservations for a Party of Five...
When Teresa was in Luray for the Turks- Wranglers game earlier in the week she mentioned that she thought her number of finishers of the Loop could be 14! I knew of five of her regulars and had spoke with them a few times but I had no idea of there being 9 more. Last night I ran into Mr.Kenny Crider and some of his family at the park. Kenny and his wife Kathy have three children (Trevor, Autumn and Lincoln) and the family is now within 2 squares of having the ATV-60 Loop completed. Mom was with Lincoln as he recovers from having his tonsils removed but the other three waited patiently under their umbrella in hopes of their Turks playing baseball.
Teresa mentioned that all 3 children attended the Turks baseball camp and that Autumn was the first girl to participate in the camp. I was able to talk with Kenny for a few minutes as they waited out the delay. He mentioned that he had lived in the area for most of his life and that his family started attending Turks home games just a few seasons ago. They had taken in a few of the closer road games such as New Market but the passport had sent them out in search of an adventure thru the VBL. We will have more time with Kenny and his family the next time we return to the ball yard in Harrisonburg but until then- THANK YOU and GET WELL LINCOLN!
A photo for John Leonard...
The night I was down in Waynesboro with John Leonard I spent three innings talking to Generals owner Jim Critzer. It is always fun to get Jim's perspective on things in the VBL and he is a good listener as well. When Jim started to thank me for my efforts for the season I told him the person the league needs to thank is John Leonard. I said he is a great guy that gives freely of his time and energy in hopes of supporting the VBL and its players- past and present.
Right after Greg Brill commented on my wife in Front Royal, the comment was made between Mr. Neal and Greg that John must have a pretty special wife too! I have met her and can attest to that fact. Now fast forward to last night-I am about to take a picture of Skipper/owner Bob Wease when a Lumberjack approaches. I am running on the assumption that this man is Covington skipper Andy Chalot. I have written about his players and I tried to follow the Alleghany High School baseball team through their run to the State Class AA championship game but I had never spoken with them.
There has been no particular reason for this, just had never happened over the course of our journeys. I asked Andy (I was correct) if he would sit next to Bob so I could take a picture of the two skippers. Andy asked me for something in return- could I get a copy of the photo to his good friend John Leonard. I had to smile at the question and then even more as Andy proceeded to have an almost identical conversation with me that I had with Jim Critzer about the efforts of John.Now there is only one problem from here- Andy doesn't know who I am and I am not sure if he is familiar with the ATV-60 site. The problem ?- How will he know I am delivering the photo over to Mr. Leonard on his request? Maybe John will pass it on to Andy on his side of things. It was great to put a face and a personality with the name Andy Chalot.
2008 Turks Baseball Cards Hit the Shelves at Memorial Stadium...
Bob and Teresa's son Matt has just finished the Turks cards for the 2008 season. Teresa says they are his best yet and while I was at the park I purchased a set ($10.00 per set). I talked to Matt long enough to let him know that we would be trying to show the fans around the Valley his efforts.
NOTES- It was shortly after 9:00 PM when the game was officially called due to the rain but I bumped into Zack (TV-3) before heading out and we compared notes on the VBL for the evening. I was able to inform him about Waynesboro and he let me know that Stu (Woodstock) was still trying to host the Wranglers.I checked in with Mike down in Waynesboro and he said they were indeed playing ball in Woodstock and he also mentioned hearing something about a rain shortened No-Hitter being thrown in the Fauquier @ Staunton game. The Braves won the game 3-1 after it was called between the fifth and sixth inning. No word on the pitching for the Braves.
Woodstock managed to be the only place that 9 innings were played Sunday and the River Bandits broke a 4-4 tie to capture an 8-5 victory over Luray. The game ended shortly before 11:00 PM.
Tomorrow- 3 Rain games on tap- Harrisonburg @ Covington, Front Royal @ Waynesboro and Winchester @ New Market. There was no announcement on the make up date of Covington @ Harrisonburg.
Here are some random photos of Sunday's journey Around the Valley...
Mike, Andy and a pair of Lumberjacks
Three really cool people pondering the rainstorm
Nice crowd trying to outlast the rain
Teresa's fans showing you they aren't just fair weather fans
A smiling Turks and Carolina Hurricanes fan!
Tarp on - tarp off - tarp on....
More true baseball fans waiting & Hoping
The wet glass of the press box didn't help me out trying to catch Dave
The press box waiting for the word..
Three of the Lumerjacks owners
Lets play identify the Lumberjacks
Boy, it is a long way back to Covington
But we will be smiling all the way home !
Tomorrow it will be our turn to bus down
I asked these two Turks to act like they know each other- One of my favorite shots of the season!
