Sunday afternoon with the Lansing Lugnuts

So 12 year old Computer Boy and 7 year old Skate Kid and I spent the afternoon in Lansing catching a doubleheader between the Lansing Lugnuts and the West Michigan Whitecaps. Obviously teams do not schedule doubleheaders in advance anymore and this came about due to a make-up game for an earlier rainout.

This was a pretty uneventful pair of games that the teams split but there are always things to talk about after a ballgame; and in this case two.

1. In the middle of the 5th inning of the first game, the public address speaker announced the "5th inning stretch". I thought, "Ok, I will play along" but this little gimmick will not bring any more people to the park if that is what they are thinking. They will have to do better than that. So we did the "5th inning stretch". At the end of the 7th inning with the Lugnuts down, they announced the end of the game and that the next game would start in 30 minutes. Ok, now I understand the "5th inning stretch" thing. Apparently in A ball, doubleheaders are only 7 innings long. Got no problem with that as 18 innings in 78 degree sunshine is a bit much for even us and we are diehards.

2. We did witness history as we saw the Lansing mascot "Big Lug" run in the "race around the bases with a little kid" and not lose. Big Lug is either a dinosaur or a dragon, depending on who you talk to, dressed in a baseball uniform. I can tell you that Big Lug likes to party and doesn't get shorted in life and I will leave it at that. Every game, in the middle innings, Big Lug will race a little kid from first base to third base. Typically, well always, Big Lug, will take an early commanding lead but just after second base will slow considerably and the child easily passes him and wins the race to third base. Big Lug never wins as his stamina is just not what it should be. Today, a young girl about 4 or 5 years old was racing Big Lug and was just about to pass him near second base when she fell forward to the ground in a cloud of dust. She did not appear to be hurt and she got up but she was crying. Big Lug stopped and waited for her but she was done. Kevin, the on-field announcer, helped her up and asked the crowd for a cheer to assist her and we of course obliged but she was done. Kevin ended up carrying her off the field and again she looked ok. In the spirit of good sportsmanship, Big Lug did not continue on to third base and never completed the race so probably for the first time ever, Big Lug did not lose the "race around bases with the little kid". We witnessed history and I am half tempted to add this fact to the Lansing Lugnuts wikipedia page but I bet the editor there would probably consider it vandalism.

3. There were probably less than 200 people that stayed for the second game. Skate Kid brought his glove as usual and seeing the very sparse crowd started thinking about positioning himself for a foul ball. I gave him permission to walk to the nearby very empty sections to try and "catch" or more accurately claim any foul ball hit in that section. Unfortunately he did not have very much luck as no foul balls came his way. After a few innings in a particular section, I walked over to him and suggested that he sit in the first row directly behind the Lugnuts bullpen and just sit there as if a foul ball was hit to the bullpen, the players would surely throw the ball to him as there was not one other person sitting in the section. He took my suggestion and sat in the first row. Skate Kid is particularly small for a 7 year old and likes to wear an oversized Lugnuts hat which makes him look even smaller. Incredibly, he did not get a ball as no balls were hit to the bullpen area but that is not why I bring this up. There was one occasion between innings where the Lugnut outfielders were playing catch like usual and Skate Kid knows that when they are done, they throw the ball to the bullpen. At this moment, he stood and put his right hand on the rail and raised his glove on his left hand requesting a thrown ball. He was not leaning over the railing. No ball was thrown and I have no problem with this as it is not customary for outfielders to throw a ball to the crowd in this circumstance. What was funny is what happened next. I saw the security guard come down and talk to Skate Kid and then Skate Kid sat down. Later, I asked Skate Kid what the security guard said to him and Skate Kid said he told him not to stand up and touch the railing. Ok, I guess they must keep that park absolutely secure so security guards must be on guard for these things. For the record, at Oldsmobile Park in Lansing, you cannot stand up and touch the rail even if you are the only person in the entire section and not blocking anybody's view or damaging the railing in any way. You can't be too safe you know! For what it is worth, I like the park and the staff there who are all very friendly but this was just kinda weird.

Ok, I know not exactly extremely riveting stuff here but life is not always extremely riveting, you know. It is what it is; a nice Sunday afternoon.