It's not often that I'm amused at a baseball game. Because I've been to so many different parks and seen so many different promotions and mascot antics, there isn't much that surprises me any longer. But something happened in the Somerset-Newark game on Saturday night at Riverfront Stadium that genuinely made me laugh. And it actually was something that happened on the field with the game participants. In the 14th inning (the game would go 16), a Newark batter clearly swung and missed at a pitch in the dirt. But the umpire rules that the batter foul tipped it. This brought an argument from Somerset manager Sparky Lyle who proceeded to get ejected from the game. But Lyle, who apparently never leaves quietly, put on a great blind man routine as he was exiting the field. He grabbed a bat and walked the entire length of the dugout tapping it on the ground as a blind man does with his walking stick. This brought a roar of laughter from the remaining fans (of which there many since fireworks were to be shot off after the game). I found out later that this is something that Sparky does whenever he's ejected. Still, it was a treat for me as I had never seen anything like it. Was it inappropriate and a bit tasteless ? Probably. Is it showing up the umps ? Probably. But was it funny ? Yes, it absolutely was and I don't mind admitting that I got quite a chuckle out of it. And this is just another reason why you should never leave a game early.
As for the game, both teams were anemic offensively on this night, which led to 16 innings being played before it was settled. What's strange is that the teams bookended this game with an 11-10 battle on Friday and a 13-10 doozy on Sunday. Apparently Newark was out of pitchers on Sunday which led to Brent Bilingsley pitching a complete game with this line : 9IP, 12H, 10ER, 147 pitches thrown. Fortunately he got a win for his effort. It's not often you see a line like that.
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That surely was scrapping of a pitching performance there, the blind man act is new to me.
Hey I took work off wednesday and went down to Birmingham for the 10th Rickwood Classic. It was the Birmingham Barons vs. Montegomery Biscuts AA southern league game. Quite a fun experience as they were wearing negro league throw back uniforms, even the umpires had the bow ties. Plus to top it off some of the remaining Negro League Ballplayers that live in Birmingham showed up and signed cards, programs, and even chatted a little. Of course since reading about your visit Ive wanted to go, but it was such a plus to actually catch a real game. For anyone who is in the area it is a must see next year.
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