Opening Day
Today was the best day our Around the Valley team could ask for as we traveled from Luray, VA, to Woodstock, VA, to get our first passport stamp! Jerry, Rebecca, Linda, Sabrena and Diamond (our puppy) arrived on the scene just before 6:00 pm where we were given a great spot to greet fans as they entered the park. We enjoyed the company of a River Bandit faithful who is giving birth to her sixth child on Monday morning! When asked who would take her spot she replied, "I don't expect to be out more than week or so!" The fans trickled in and by game time the park was full of both Rebel and River Bandit fans excited about the beginning of two months of great summer baseball.
Your usual blog poster - Jerry Carter - is out doing his "real" job delivering the Washington Post but will bring you the Around the Valley narrative you've grown to love. We're hoping to get him to take a nap after he gets off around 7:00 am so you can expect that you'll see a post before 3:30 pm tomorrow afternoon because we'll be leaving for the second night of our 12 consecutive day trek to visit all 11 Valley League teams in 12 days! Until he can get on, please enjoy a selection of over 100 photos taken by Sabrena Carter during the evening!
Roger and Mickey preparing for the game.
Susan, the editor of the Shenandoah Valley Herald, serves a drive-up customer.
The mother of six selling tickets!
Linda and Rebecca explain the Around the Valley campaign.
A River Bandit fan chews on a USA Today give-away.
Warming up
During the national anthem
A beautiful view.
Throwing back a home run ball.
Rebel family Bruce and his son.
Fans for 15 years!
Rebel pride!
Happy Manager with his trophy.
Your usual blog poster - Jerry Carter - is out doing his "real" job delivering the Washington Post but will bring you the Around the Valley narrative you've grown to love. We're hoping to get him to take a nap after he gets off around 7:00 am so you can expect that you'll see a post before 3:30 pm tomorrow afternoon because we'll be leaving for the second night of our 12 consecutive day trek to visit all 11 Valley League teams in 12 days! Until he can get on, please enjoy a selection of over 100 photos taken by Sabrena Carter during the evening!
Roger and Mickey preparing for the game.
Susan, the editor of the Shenandoah Valley Herald, serves a drive-up customer.
The mother of six selling tickets!
Linda and Rebecca explain the Around the Valley campaign.
A River Bandit fan chews on a USA Today give-away.
Warming up 
During the national anthem
A beautiful view.
Jerry and Diamond
Jerry and Sabrena
Throwing back a home run ball.
Rebel family Bruce and his son.
Fans for 15 years! 
Roger does a great job, even into the late hour!
Rebel pride!
Sometime late in the evening, joking about ordering out for breakfast!
John Galle hard at work.
Rebel fanbase.
Some good old fashioned popcorn baseball.
A reuinion of sorts!
Happy Manager with his trophy.
Hungry players at midnight!
Comments
GeneralSignGuyMike
Fred: "Hey ump--did you go to school to do this?"
Umpire: "Yes, Sir--I went 3 times.
Fred: "oh, so it didn't take the first 2 times?"
Umpire: "I tell you what, you just ring your little bell when you have a question about how I'm calling the pitches."
Boy, do they know Fred or what?!!
Not only did we spend a very long evening enjoying a great game but the company was superb. There was a mix of Rebels and Bandits fans in the stands and the friendly bantering back and forth merely added to the enjoyment. I had the pleasure of sitting with one of my former students,Tommy, who I am proud to say is a Rebels fan amidst a family of Bandit backers. Now, I'm not saying I had anything to do with that but --- WAY TO GO TOMMY!! I am looking forward to this evening's game at home against the Fauquier Gators. I am eagerly awaiting the chance to indulge in one of the best concession stand treats in all of Valley League Baseball--the fried onions at Rebel Park. A very astute friend of ours dubbed them "Rebellions" (ie: Rebel onions)! I hope to see many of you at Rebel Park this evening. Warm up your vocal chords because everyone is required to join in on a rousing chorus of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"-- a Rebel Park tradition during the 7th inning stretch.
Let's go Rebels!!
"Mrs. Charlie"
aka "The Rabid Rebelle"