The Turks Celebrate on the Road

Harrisonburg at Haymarket from Madame Turk's perspective.

+-+

Here are pictures of Lisa celebrating her 50th birthday with the Turks players and fans. Her husband Mark is our (only) volunteer Grounds Manager, and a friend of the family. Since their summer life revolves around the team it was only fitting that we share her birthday with her.

Her daughter Greta planed every detail out. She had 50 little goodie bags that she had placed around the house for her mother during the day. Then at the game Turks players and fans also shared in the plan by presenting her with some of the "50" birthday bags. Players and fans would come up and wish her a happy birthday and give her a goodie bag.

Of course I had to participate in the sneaky plan so I took care of transporting the birthday cake and banner that her husband had made for the occasion. Lisa was serenaded with a "Happy Birthday" song numerous times throughout the game :)

After our "loss" we kept our spirits up by continuing her birthday celebration and all the players and fans devoured the birthday cake. Haymarket was helpful in assisting us with a birthday announcement and providing a cooler for the cake and table to use.

My Matt's 19th birthday was this week. Unfortunately, owners families' lives are subject to being overlooked by their players and the season. Matt has never had a birthday party in 19 years unless it was with the Turks. Summer birthdays are tough because all of his friends are gone to camps or on vacations or we were always too busy with the team. So we've always tried to make sure he gets recognized at the games. I had made baseball cup cakes for our team to eat on the bus!

+-+

34 Turks fans traveled the 98 miles to Haymarket Saturday night. 34 people drove 98 miles to visit another team's field, cheer their team on, laugh and visit with one another, and help celebrate another fan's birthday!

• LHP Chris Chapman's grandparents (Chesapeake, VA) and his uncle (Northern VA)
• RHP Garrett Parker's parents (Duncanville, TX)
• LHP Tyler Milstead's parents (Dayton, VA)
• Catcher Josh Tutwiler's parents (Dayton, VA)
• Brett Stewart' girfriend and her parents (Northern VA)
• "Faithful Turks Fan Caravan" (Harrisonburg, VA)
  

We sang Happy Birthday, as you can see in the pictures ... Matt lead us all in the 7th inning Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and in spite of another loss for our team we had an enjoyable night out at the ballpark!

success and hit! Thanks for all you've done to encourage, promote, and support theOur fans were so excited to see you at the game. I was talking to someone and I heard, "Hey there's Jerry!" They always enjoy talking to you. So see Jerry, you're a success and hit! Thanks for all you've done to encourage, promote, and support the Turks and the Valley Baseball League!

+-+

I was showing the Tutwiler's the magazine and we started talking. One of the guys on the Haymarket team had pitched for Mr. Tutwiler at Broadway in the Rockingham County League last year and now he's in the VBL.

Their son Josh was on the Bridgewater Little League team that went to the Little League World Series (can't remember the year). Josh was talking to one of his St. Johns' team mates at school one day about most memorable baseball moments and come to find out ... his team mate was on the team that beat Bridgewater in the LL world series! Now they're playing together in college! The Tutwilers looked back in the program and sure enough there was the guys name :)

Another perfect example of what you've tried to do... talking and sharing stories at the ball games. There's more to the summer league baseball experience than just the balls and strikes!