Springfield played the Frisco RoughRiders, the Texas Rangers affiliate. Sometime – maybe during batting practice – a player split his bat into pieces and left them in the photo well.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, splintered plenty of pitches as they took a quick 3-1 lead. Despite their frustrations, RoughRiders players threw ball after ball to fans sitting along the third base line. Points for them, if not runs.
Because it’s minor league baseball, before the bottom of the 5th inning fans in bright orange T’shirts played musical chairs using inflatable pool chairs. Frisco infielders ran between the fans and the cameraman. Springfield added another run.
The pitcher and catcher tried to stay upbeat.
And Frisco soon added two to make it 4-3, Baby Birds.
Between innings came the Kiss Cam – my least favorite promotion in the history of Western Civilization. But the cameraman focused on a man kneeling by the dugout. She said yes.
I moved toward the Cardinals’ dugout to find some candids on a different home team.
While I waited to hop into the well the Birds extended the lead to 7-3.
And then –
When did Sandy Alcantara create this magnificent work of art?
Clearly it must stay around, because right after I took a photo of those two baseball men above, Anthony Garcia hit a home run.
And right after that, Jacob Wilson did, too.
In the words of Jimmy Hoffa (the second one):
“Whatever it takes … whatever it takes … whatever it takes.”
That is: don’t let that baseball man disappear.
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