Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Danville


On a Big Rivalry Writ Small

American Legion Field
American Legion Field, 2015
Tuesday, June 30, 2018
Kingsport Mets (New York Metropolitans) vs.
Danville Braves (Atlanta Braves)
Appalachian League (Rookie+)
American Legion Field
Danville, VA
7:05 PM


Outside the Game: 
Even with a good amount of sleep the night before with no drive ahead of it, it was still a lazy, lazy morning getting up. I had a lazy breakfast, followed by lazily going back to my room, and taking a lazy shower before packing lazily, and then lazily flopping back on the bed for a bit. After another doze, I had enough energy to pack up, check out, and hit the road.

It was just under two hours down to Danville from Salem. If you aren't paying attention and miss the exit, you can easily slip right across the border to North Carolina, which I almost did, delaying my first visit to that state by at least a year. Thankfully, I turned off the road just in time.

Danville isn't exactly a mecca of activity, but it did have one attraction I was looking forward to: The AAF Tank Museum. I pulled up to an empty-looking parking lot, which should have been a bit of a sign, but I ended up having to get out and wander a bit before seeing the sign saying that the museum was only open on the weekend. I was disappointed, but it was pretty much my own fault for not checking more closely, which is the sort of thing I am wont to do.
The only other place of interest in town was the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History. I'm not exactly sure where the "fine arts" worked itself in, but the museum was in the Sutherlin mansion and the cause by which Danville calls itself the "Last Capital of the Confederacy." A fleeing Jefferson Davis made it to Danville ahead of his Union pursuers and spent a night at the house before the end of the war, making it the last traitor capital. The mansion itself was quite nice and well-kept, and ignoring the fact that they had a slave mannequin in the main bedroom, it had a surprisingly even-handed approach to the history, talking about why the stars and bars wasn't so special, and even admitting that slavery was the cause of the war, which you don't hear often enough in the South.
I spent some time there before heading out to my hotel, yet another Best Western. I got my stuff in and took a much-needed nap and shower after a hot afternoon before heading out to the game. A short drive got me out to the field, which was pretty much a slightly upgraded American Legion ballpark, and I parked in the small lot before grabbing a ticket and heading inside.

After the game was more of the same, with a short drive back to the hotel, where I settled in for the remainder of the evening on the couch (because why not use the couch?) before heading to sleep.


The Stadium & Fans: 
Home to center, American Legion Field
Home plate to center field, American Legion Field

American Legion Field is just that: an American Legion Baseball field that got spruced up a little for its minor promotion to a Rookie-league field where the ambiance is still decidedly "chain-link." There is just one entrance to the park, through one of many chain-link fences, just next to the tiny little outbuilding ticket booth that services the stadium. The entrance opens out into a little plaza that runs behind first base to home plate, where a lot of the stands, concessions, kids area, and team store are located. Small walkways run behind the stands to the bullpens in the outfield corners, with an additional opened-up picnic area and bar in left field around the corner from the main concession stand.

Three separate, covered grandstands with cooling fans and bunting are behind home plate, and then smaller ones flanking them on either baseline, ending right by the dugouts. Bleacher seats run the rest of the distance down the baselines out to the outfield, with small walking paths at the base of each bleachers or grandstand. The press box sits at the top of the home plate grandstand. Everything shy of the bleachers is covered by netting or chain-link fences, presumably for safety.

A double-tier outfield wall stands in front of a hill and tress that provide the stadium backdrop. A small digital scoreboard sits in left-center to keep the fans appraised of the goings-on. Some art and murals are on the back of the grandstands, along with a road to the show plaque, stadium dedication plaques, and some player banners.
Blooper the bird is the local mascot, and he spends the entire game schmoozing with fans or leading the limited between-inning entertainment common to rookie-league ball. He seems pretty well liked, especially by the kids, who sprint to see him whenever he appears.

The turnout was sparse for this weekday game. There were few people in the grandstand and fewer in the bleachers. And for whatever it is worth, there were more than a few Mets fans in attendance, and my personal appearance was a not insignificant part of the crowd who happily saw the Metropolitans beat the Braves in literally any scenario.


At the Game with Oogie: 
Scoring
Chain-link scoring

I actually had a rooting interest in this game, as the visiting Mets were playing the Braves in the big-league rivalry write small. So, I got a seat on the grandstand near the visiting dugout. I was actually in the last row right against the chain-link fence overlooking the walkway between the dugout and the visitors' clubhouse, so I was able to get a good look of the baby Mets coming and going throughout the game. There was an older couple in front of me, and off to the right, there was a young woman keeping score of the game who was clearly the girlfriends of one of the Kingsport players. For all of it, no one seemed to notice my Cyclones hat, except for one of the trainers on the Mets who happened to look up on his way to the clubhouse and pointing to his head when he saw me looking down at him.
Going local, I grabbed a baloney sandwich and iced lemonade to eat, along with a tiny souvenir cup of soda.


The Game: 
First pitch, Mets vs. Braves
First pitch, Mets vs. Braves

This little-league matchup between the rookie-league clubs of the Braves and the Mets didn't quite have the fire of the clash of the big clubs, but it was a tight pitchers' duel, that either bodes well for the teams' future pitching or poorly for the teams' hitting, or perhaps both.

The visiting Mets got two, two-out singles in the top of the first and nothing else. Danville started the game with a single that made it to third on a stolen base and an error by the catcher, but he was erased on a suicide squeeze attempt, and the score remained nil. Kingsport went in order despite a leadoff single thanks to a caught stealing, and the Braves went in order in more conventional fashion in their half. The Mets got a man to third of a single, balk, and a ground-out, but stranded him there, while Danville did the same with a leadoff walk, single, and ground-out.

Kingsport went in order despite a reach on error due to another caught stealing in the top of the fourth, while the Braves had only a single to show for the bottom of the inning. In the top of the fifth, the Mets loaded the bases with an error and two singles but, in true Mets fashion, stranded everyone, while Danville just had a single the bottom half. In the top of the sixth, there was finally a score, as Kingsport got a two-out homer to right, while the Braves went in order.

The Mets managed to go in order again despite a walk with a double play in the top of the seventh, while Danville had a one-out single get all the way to third thanks to an error by the catcher, but the runner was thrown out trying for home by the third baseman. Kingsport went in order in the eighth, while the braves got another leadoff single to third base and no further with a stolen base and another error by the catcher. The Mets went out in the top of the ninth with just a single, while in their last licks, Danville got a one-out single swapped for a pinch runner, but on first he stayed, and the visiting Mets walked away with a 1-0 victory.


The Scorecard: 
Mets vs. Braves, 06-30-15. Mets win, 1-0.
Mets vs. Braves, 06/30/15. Mets win, 1-0.

The scorecard was part of the $1 full-color magazine program, and it was bizarrely located near the back of the pogrom instead of in the traditional centerfold. It was only one page, but took up nearly the entire page, except for the team header at the top. It, however, had glossy magazine paper, so it was hard to write in pencil, and especially colored pencil. Each batting line had space for one replacement and batter totals at the end, with inning totals at the bottom of the inning columns. Each scoring square had a pre-printed diamond, which frankly just took up precious real estate in the tiny scoring squares, making it cramped to record the game. Pitching lines were beneath each batting line, and there was given space for umpires (not announced), date, and start and finish times.

There were a number of plays that got specific notes. The bottom of the first features a 1-2 put out on a failed suicide squeeze. The Kingsport catcher was the K-Man of the game, but he did not strike out. In the top of the fourth was a CS 1-3 that was on a pickoff. And in the top of the sixth, after a called third strike, the hitting coach got himself ejected for arguing the call with the umpire. The bottom of the seventh had a truly bizarre play with a man on first. A bunt was throw away by the catcher for a two-base E2, but the runner at third kept going, and was the victim of a 5-2 put out at home.

From the hard-luck department, Braves' reliever Phillips was hung with the loss, despite the best pitching line of the day, with 3 innings pitching, 1 earned run on one hit, but with six strikeouts otherwise. On, well.

There was also Baseball Bingo that night, and you got free cards with the program. I didn't win, or even get close with the two cards I was given.


The Accommodations: 
Best Western
Best Western

I was in a suite at the Best Western Windsor Inn in Danville for the evening. The suite entrance was just to the left of the bathroom, with its big tub, room-length vanity, and toilet. The sitting room came next, with a pull-out couch, lounge chair, coffee table, and desk. And then was the bedroom, with the king-sized bed and nightstands across from the dresser with the TV above it. It was comfy, quiet, and I abused the hell out of that tub.



2015 Virginia

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