Editor’s Note: Local teacher Ben Fawbush is sharing his adventures through the Reds organization via a Lilly grant with WZBD. Follow along with each post as he takes an inside look at professional baseball in America.
By BEN FAWBUSH
Special Report for WZBD
Day 3 was an easy one for my son and I today. We slept in, went to a mall, went around the Daytona Speedway (NASCAR), and then headed to the game today. The Tortugas lost 4-3 due to some errors that shouldn’t have been made; simple fly balls that weren’t called out and dropped between two players, the catcher trying to pick off a runner and first base and throwing it into the right field bullpen, and a few other miscues that had the crowd riled up acting like they could do it better!
One thing I haven’t mentioned yet that I absolutely love about this stadium is the fact that the scoreboard is 90% old school…a person is physically hanging up numbers for the runs each inning, total runs, hits, and errors! It is so cool!
And a little history lesson for everyone here…most baseball people know that the number 42 is retired throughout all of baseball due to Jackie Robinson. The Tortugas have also retired the number 9 (my favorite number) because Jackie also wore that number when he first was in Daytona!
All in all it was finally a perfect night for baseball – 85 degrees, little humidity, and a nice breeze. As with the TinCaps, after the game we waited for the three guys to come out and sign our pictures and baseballs. All three of “my guys” signed for us, but then many other players wanted to get out and totally avoided fans and kids waiting for autographs.
After the game we headed back to the hotel while Ryne FaceTimed my wife so we could see her beautiful face. As much as I love baseball and this opportunity that God has given me, I sure do miss my family back home. On the agenda for Day 4 on Friday: heading to AMC Theaters in New Smyrna, clothes shopping for Ryne, and then baseball game #4 and fireworks at night.
I wonder if I really need to come back?
Think North Adams would miss me if I take a few more days off?
Follow more of Ben’s blog on WZBD.com using the tag #lillyblog or by clicking here.
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