Malone (Rain Out) / Cooperstown

On an On-Time Departure

Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Queensbury, NY

Outside the Game:
It was another long day at work, coupled with a failed cooking endeavor on top of that (stupid rennet), but despite a deluge of work emails just as I was about to leave on time. Having booked my hotel the day before, all I had to do was grab my bags and head out on the road around 7 PM, and I enjoy quite a pleasant drive north, marred only by a blown out tire in the road that gave me a bumpy jolt.

I was able to successfully call my mother on the way, and the rubber band trick to hold the power cord into my phone worked, allowing the phone to recharge on the drive up, and the three hours passed quickly.

At about a quarter to 10 PM, I was able to take the exit for my hotel for the night, I was quickly redirected down a spooky, dimly lit road that led to an abandoned-looking building with no cars anywhere. Waiting for my eventual murder, I mustered up the courage to go inside, where I found a hotel lobby and a bored-looking receptionist waiting for me to check in. The parking lot would turn out to be out back, and the closed business next door just enhanced the Scooby-Doo energy of the place.

I got my key and drove around to the much more welcoming back of the building, where I parked and retrieved all my bags. I went to my room, unpacked, prepared for the next day, and settled in for some blissful sleep.

The Accommodations:

Baymont by Wyndham, Queensbury

The Baymont by Wyndham Queensbury was a dichotomy. It was cheaply priced and a little frayed at the edges, but it clearly had aspirations for better things, with upscale furniture and memory foam cushions.

The bathroom by the front door had a vanity sink before the bathroom proper. The bedroom had a bed, nightstands, and a pull-out couch on one wall, and a dresser, bench, and desk on the other.

It did its job.

On a Strategic Rain Strike

Veteran's Field, 2025

Thursday, July 3, 2025
Saranac Lake, NY

Outside the Game:
Having gone to bed around when I normally aspire to go to sleep, I was up early, and had to busy myself with plans for the morning while I waited for the breakfast buffet to open. 

I dragged myself down past the lobby to the restaurant, where I passed the failed businesses connected to the hotel that helped the spooky ambiance the night before. There was what looked to be some kind of toy store, the signs stripped away, but picture windows still holding an array of toys lost to time. The breakfast area was a defunct Bavarian restaurant. Poking around yielded old signage no one bothered to be taken down. The breakfast buffet, such as it was, was on the dais where the old restaurant buffet was housed, and it was a disappointingly bland breakfast offering at that. Equal parts let down and confused, I headed back to my room for a nap.

I showered, packed up, and checked out in time to burst out into the down pouring rain, a poor bellwether for the day. I drove the short distance to Lake George, a small lakeside village where my aunt and uncle used to own a vacation home. As I exited my car to go to Fort William Henry, the rain stopped, and it immediately changed to insufferable heat and blinding sun.

Boom

Upon purchasing my ticket, I found that a tour had just started, which I affixed myself to the end of, where re-enactors took the group through the history of the fort, then performed musketry and canon demonstrations, to the delight of the children. I wandered the rest of the fort, which had some truly awful mannequins, but overall, it was quite an enjoyable edutainment experience. I made my inevitable purchases in the gift shop, and then headed out to the late morning.

I called my aunt to find out if there was some "can't-miss" food experience, and she just directed me to any of the pizza places in town, where I picked one and had a couple of acceptable slices. I went into an arcade and played a few games and got my fortune told before it was time for me to head up to Saranac Lake to check into my hotel.

The trip was a little more than an hour and a half and had no great incidents. The Sarah Placid Motel was run by a family who owned several of the hostelries in town. They managed this with key-code doors for all the properties that they texted you when room service was done with their sweep.

I pulled into the motel and was able to get into my room right by the empty Office and went about unpacking, setting up, and then taking a nap before my drive up to Malone for the game.

Grabbing my game bag, I was quickly on the road for the hour drive to just shy of the border, reaching the field in good time, but with ominous weather in every direction.

I popped out and paid for a ticket, walking around the small Veteran's Field and taking pictures as the weather got more and more threatening. It was, as the name suggests, an old VFW field that they had made some improvements to. There was a concession stand, a wood grandstand built over the bleachers behind home plate, improved dugouts, a small clubhouse complex, and a sign for the team added to the ancient digital scoreboard.

Not great

However, I wouldn't get to see any of this in action, as the PA came on and told everyone to take cover, as severe weather was coming in. I walked back to my car, and sure enough, a vicious thunderstorm came through, drenching the area, but lacking any promised lightning or hail. But in fifteen minutes or so, it was completely gone. However, the damage had apparently been done, as I watched the teams scattered to their cars and vans even after the storm passed.

Slight rain

I had researched a drive-in in town, so I drove up there to make something of the evening. I ordered up a "poutine burger" and was told there was going to be a wait, as apparently a ton of locals had come during the rain storm. I was given a large beer stein for my soda and access to free popcorn, so I waited until my heart-attack on a plate showed up, an open-faced burger covered in poutine, gravy, and French Fries. There are worse ways to spend an evening.

Healthy

Not having anything else to do, I drove back to Saranac Lake early and parked up, walking down the road to a local ice cream joint for a hot fudge Sunday before stopping at a gas station for some beverages. I then wandered back to the motel and sat outside for a bit before settling in for an early evening.

The Accommodations:

Sarah Placid Motel, Saranac Lake

For my last visit, I stayed in a motel down the road, but I decided to mix it up with the Sarah Placid Motel. I've already discussed the interesting check-in, but this was another well-maintained motel that was perfect for what I needed it for.

A small table with two chairs is by the front window, with a bed and nightstand one wall, and a dresser, TV, and refrigerator on the other, with a wall-unit AC right by the bathroom, which was delightfully renovated. All the furniture had a faux log styling, and it was everything that I wanted a motel to be.

On a Long Detour

The Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, 2025

Friday, July 4, 2025
Clifton, NJ, by way of Cooperstown, NY

Outside the Game:
I woke early the next day, and only had a quick nap before showering and heading out. I was on the roads early, but Android had decided that the fastest way to get from here to Cooperstown was some of the most ass-end farming roads in northern NY. At one point I was stuck behind a horse and buggy, as well as several tractors.

Regardless, I still made some good time and pulled into Cooperstown around 11:30 AM. There was a game at Doubleday Field, so that lot was full, but I lucked into a no-charge parking space on a side street relatively quickly.

Healthy

A long time coming, I went straight to the Cooperstown Diner and bought a jumbo burger for the first time since before the pandemic. It also downed on my that my last two meals were overstuffed burgers, but I tried not to think about that too much.

Interactions

After lunch, I went to the Hall and saw the new exhibits on Negro League baseball, the induction class, and the bobble-head collection. I was two weeks early for the exhibit on Japanese baseball, appropriately debuting at the induction of Ichiro.

Serious history

They had re-done the introduction movie (very well-done), but they also renovated the move theater to no longer be Cominskey Park, but just generic and theater-looking, which was a disappointment. (The usher also made us all sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" before we left, which I wanted to think was cheesy, but it was actually awesome.) I also discovered the Bananaball exhibit was permanent and not just there for the game I went to a few years ago.

After stopping at both stores and buying more than advisable, I wandered around Main Street for a while, hitting the bookstore and buying a book on NJ before yielding to good sense and heading back out to my car for the rest of the drive home at around 2:30 PM. 

Android again took me on weird back roads, getting me stuck behind slow cars, but making good enough time once I was blessedly back on the main roads again. I stopped off at the last rest stop on the NY Throughway. Something called "GreenApple" had taken over all of the concessions, but I had lunch/dinner at Panera. There was a worker there named "Adrian" (based on his nametag) that was having his break, and I made up a sad, lonely little story about his life in my head that I strongly suspected and feared was close to the truth.

I grabbed some gas at the rest stop (having to back in because everyone was just sitting in their cars, blocking the pumps), but I somehow managed to not fill it all the way up. I couldn't be bothered to go back and fix it, so I just drove the rest of the way home with little incident, for an evening of doing laundry, unpacking, and organizing.

The Accommodations:
Clifton, sweet, Clifton

Click here to see all the photos from this trip.

Stand-Alone Trip

Brockton

On Leaving with Hint of Nostalgia

Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Manchester, CT

Outside the Game: 
It was another stupid, stressful day at work before the artificial long weekend. I stopped working at 6:30 PM to pack, pick a hotel two-thirds of the way there, and got ready to go.

I headed out around 7:30 PM, and I had an okay drive out, although construction held me up at various points, and I lost the satellite radio for a stretch. But at least I wasn't on 95.

I pulled into my motel at around 10 PM. One Indian gentleman was sitting around waiting for me and checked me in with a real old-school motel key. I drove to my room and dragged all my stuff inside. I bought a soda and unpacked, prepared for tomorrow, and hit the sack.

The Accommodations:

Best Stay Inn, Manchester

The Best Stay Inn was, as mentioned, and old-school motel. It was clearly a family-run affair, and while frayed at the edges, it was still well-maintained.

The door opened into the main room, with a desk (filled with local attraction brochures), dresser and TV on one side, a little alcove with the wall AC units, and the bed and dressers on the other wall. On the wall to the outside were two over-stuffed chairs and a small table. The bathroom was on the far wall, with a vanity, toilet, and leaky tub shower.

It was very nostalgic, and the only real problem was that there were no outlets anywhere near the bed, leaving my phone to recharge on the desk and make me really face how addicted I had become to that thing.

On Inspiration

Campanelli Stadium, 2025

Thursday, June 19, 2025
Trois-Rivieres Aigles vs. Brockton Rox
Campanelli Stadium
Frontier League
Brockton, MA
7:00 PM 

Outside the Game:
I slept poorly, but that was my back's fault and not the hotel's. I was up early and showered and packed up before a nap. Check-out involved dropping my key in the appropriate box by the office and going back to my car. A middle-aged Indian man was doing the housekeeping, which reinforced that it was a family business.

There was a local breakfast place, but it was nearly twenty minutes out of my way, so I went to a McDonald's right by the motel, I was pleasantly surprised when my McMuffins were actually made with the slightest of care. It makes all the difference.

I was on the road by around 10:45 AM, and the last leg of the drive, as was the first, was hampered by nearly constant construction. But at least I wasn't on 95.

Topaz Internment Camp

I stopped in at the Fuller Craft Museum, a local arts museum that was built in this modernist building in the 60s. It was a ton more than what I was expecting. A lot of artsy stuff goes over my head, but I can at least appreciate the skill of construction with craft items. There was one wall hanging called Topaz Internment Camp that hypnotized me. The artists mother had been a teacher at one of the Japanese Internment camps, and she had constructed a map of the facility made from old kimonos, and striped with Kintsugi to symbolize putting their lives together after the camps. I seriously might buy it. I've looked up the artist and everything.

The building is a gem regardless of the art, and I would have enjoyed their stylized patio by the lake a lot more if it wasn't a billion degrees out with 99% humidity. I hit the gift shop on the way out, buying a wood burl bowl and a small piece from artists who makes lacquered bronze.

With some time to kill still before check-in, I headed over to a local antiques store to get that part of the trip out of the way. I wandered around, looking into each overstuffed room. As is tradition, I ended up picking up a lot of little things, including a Field of Dreams baseball and a piece of china made and labelled from Occupied Japan. I talked with the owners for a bit. One of them went to fantasy camp for the Red Sox, so we talked baseball before I left back out into the brutal mid-June weather.

I stopped at a Wendy's for lunch before heading to the hotel at check in. I was greeted by a heavily tatted receptionist who checked me in without no problems. I dragged all my stuff to my room and did a little unpacking before napping like the dead.

I woke up and grabbed my bag and camera for the a short, odd drive to the ballpark. I didn't know where to park, so I parked at an adjacent lot, and there was no one to ask about it anywhere. I walked around and took my pictures and found the statue of Rocky Marciano at the football field next door (Brockton is self-titled the "City of Champions" because it spawned Marciano and Marvin Haggler [who doesn't have a statue for some reason]) before heading back to find a small group of people waiting by the entrance.

Eventually, the team store opened, and I was able to confirm that I was parked legally, as well as get a logo ball, before exiting to find the ticket booth opened with a small line. I bought my ticket, and climbed the mountainous step inside.

The game was over just shy of 10 PM, and it was a short drive back to the hotel, elongated by stopping to fill up my tank. I bought a Gatorade, went up to my room to finish my scorecard, pack up, and hit the sack.

The Stadium & Fans: 

Home plate to center field, Campanelli Stadium

Campanelli Stadium was the local team's home stadium when they were a collegiate team, and after that team folded and the erstwhile "Knockouts" took their name and their field.

It is a weird one, at that. The park is set with the standard promenade, but it is at the top of a built-up stand area, and you need to climb a steep flight of stairs (or use the elevator) to get up to it from the entrance. The promenade only runs from outfield to outfield and not around the whole park. The seating bowl runs from third base, around to right field. The left field area is a rentable picnic area. The second level of press and luxury boxes only rises around the periphery of home plate.

The smallish by modern standards scoreboard and video board are in left-center field. There are two retired numbers in dead center. There was a second entrance by the first-base side that was closed off. It led over to the high school, where I'm told the main parking lot is for bigger games, but not a Thursday night game in June.

The boxing kangaroo mascot KO was around for most of the game, schmoozing with fans and probably greatly enjoying the hot, humid weather in the giant felt suit. The between-inning events were minor-league standards except for the "Brockton Bread Race," a mascot race of various bread products. The sparse crowd was at least paying attention to the game.

At the Game with Oogie:

Cafeteria vibes

I entered the gates with a small group, and was soon quickly done with my tasks of taking photos in the small park. Having hit the team store outside, I made my way to the concession stand to grab a cheap Powerade and hot dog. Not quite full and wanting to finally get the fad over with, I went to the "walking taco" stand and purchased a Tostitos one. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I was still disappointed. It was... okay, I guess. It would have been a way bigger hit with me when I was twelve.

A taco while walking. Science has gone too far.

I saw the guitars who played all the national anthems practicing as I came in and was walking around. The grounds crew were goofing around when they saw me taking pictures, and kept mugging for the camera until I took a shot of them.

I purchased another Powerade and a pretzel and went to my seat to find I was in a row that didn't exist. A little more exploring found they took my desire to be in the shade quite seriously and put me in the handicapped row on the promenade, but I just sat in the last row behind home plate, still very much in the shade.

There was a sparse crowd, but no one immediately near me. The guys behind me in the handicapped row were bitching about work most of the game.

The Game: 

First pitch, Aigles vs. Rox

The Trois-Rivieres Aigles and the Brockton Rox faced off in this bi-country contests, and our friends from up north had it handily.

The Aigles went in order in the first, however, while Brockton stranded a one-out double. Trois-Rivieres got going in the second, getting two runs off a double and two singles for an early 2-1 lead. The Rox answered with a solo homer in their half to close it to 2-1. In the top of the third, the Aigles kept going with a bloop and a blast to extend their lead to 4-1, while Brockton stranded a single.

Trois-Rivieres got back on the bike in the fourth, with a hit batsman and a blast, and then a walk and a double bringing home three more, for a 7-1 lead. The Rox got a single to third and home with a sacrifice fly to close it to 7-2 in their half. The Aigles went in order for a second time in the fifth, while Brockton stranded a double. Trois-Rivieres got two lighting-assisted runs with a walk, a "single," and a "double" (see below) that made it 9-2. The Rox went in order.

In the top of the seventh, the Aigles could only manage a single, while Brockton stranded two singles. Trois-Rivieres went in order again in the eighth, while the Rox got two back on a walk, a double, and a "single" lost in the lights, closing the gap to 9-4. The Agiles tacked on two more in the ninth, with a single, error, and hit batsman starting the inning, and a couple of fielder’s choices bringing in the runs. Brockton tried to rally with two outs and a double and a walk, but a dribbler to the pitcher ended it up at 12-4 loss.

The Scorecard:

Trois-Rivieres Aigles vs. Brockton Rox, 06/19/25. Aigles won, 12-4.

I was back to the BBWAA Scorebook and the erasable pens due to the lack of a home scorecard.

There was tons noteworthy, mostly because of the inadequate lights that led to three misplays (two by the home team) in the later innings. In the top of the sixth, when the lights just turned on, there were back-to-back plays where a single and double were just due to the outfielders not being able to find the ball in the lights, which were only pointed down and seemed to help the ball get lost when it rose above them. The same happened in the bottom of the eighth to the visitors.

In the top of the ninth, there was a vicious single that bounced off the pitcher (who was okay). And the McDonald's strike out batter finally got got in the top of the seventh.

The Accommodations:

Country Inn & Suites, Brockton

The Country Inn & Suites in Brockton was a contentious choice. There were several over-priced boutique hotels on an area of town, but for the just above average hotels, there was a great deal of review wars going on, and I eventually couldn't be bothered and booked this place.

The room was exactly what I expected. It had a slightly above-its-aspirations bathroom and a "contemporary" bedroom, with a king bed and night tables on one side and a dresser, TV, desk, and refrigerator on the other.

It was pretty much what I was looking for, and reviews aside, there was no dope smoking or racist front desk people that I ran into.

On Driving

Friday, June 20, 2025
Clifton, NJ

Outside the Game: 
I was up early and down at breakfast just as the buffet was opening. It was quite a nice spread as hotel breakfasts go, and the woman in charge clearly took pride in the proceedings, hovering nearby and always asking if you needed anything.

I ate and went back to the room for a traditional nap before getting up and finishing my packing. I was out on the road a little after 10 AM, and as soon as I got on the highway, the lens fell out of my glasses.

Driving with one eye closed, I made it out to the turnpike and pulled off at a rest area, finding that the screw was gone from the glasses, so I retrieved my game glasses from the trunk and completed the drive with them.

There were a lot of construction issues that slowed me down, but at least I wasn't on 95. It took about 4.5 hours to get home, and I neglected to stop for the duration. I pulled into my garage, grabbed all my stuff, and I had a late afternoon of laundry, re-arranging my china cabinet, and fixing my glasses.

The Accommodations:
Clifton, sweet Clifton

Click here to see all the photos from this trip.

Stand-Alone Trip

Hagerstown

On Ditching Town

Thursday, May 22, 2025
Harrisburg, PA

Outside the Game:
As is often the case, I had a long, stupid day at work, where I interspersed my historic cooking for the week as I slogged through the day.

I was finally able to head out at around 7:30 PM, but as I was making my hotel reservation for the evening, Hotels.com booked it twice, and I had to take an extra 15 minutes to sort it out. So I wasn't on the road until 7:45 PM. I stopped to get gas and then just drove the couple of hours to Harrisburg, calling my mom as I went.

I arrived at the hotel around 10:15 PM and checked in, parked, unpacked, and then just went to bed.

The Accommodations:

Baymont by Wyndham Harrisburg

The over-named Baymont by Wyndham Harrisburg was a nice enough place to hold over for a night. The cavernous hallways that all looked the same were not a good navigation tool for my half-awake self at that hour of night, but we persevered.

I had to get a double queen room instead of a king, but that just meant more pillows for me. The little bathroom was just off the entrance to the room, and the two queen beds, nightstand, and easy chair were on one side of the room, and a desk, dresser, and TV were on the opposite wall, as I'd seen countless times before.

It did what it needed to.

On Right Sized

Meritus Park, 2025

Friday, May 23, 2025
Southern Maryland Blue Crabs vs. Hagerstown Flying Boxcars
Meritus Park
Atlantic League
Hagerstown, MD
6:30 PM

Outside the Game:
I was up early for breakfast at 6:30 AM. I ate my fill of the breakfast bar, before retreating upstairs to shower, pack, book my hotel for the night, and take a nap. I checked out and was on the road around 9:30 AM.

Well-defended visitor's center

I drove straight to Antietam without hitting any sort of traffic. I had been here before on a trip to see the old Hagerstown team, but I had only seen parts of the battlefield during that visit. I started at the visitor's center with the movie and then drove the entire battlefield this time, stopping at all of the visitor points. I even took one of the trails in the Cornfield for a little excursion. There was a guy with his kid who were always leaving the stops as I got there, the same way a couple and their dog were just behind me. The only part that got me was the army observation tower at the Sunken Road. So... many... stairs...

Burnside Bridge

After hitting the last tour stop at the National Cemetery, I took the short drive back up to Hagerstown and stopped at a Sonic next to the hotel for a well-earned lunch before going over to check in.

I went up to my rather nice room and unpacked and settled in before taking a dead-to-the-world nap before the game. I drove over to the stadium around 5 PM, parked in the new parking deck, and bought my ticket and took all my outside pictures (including the "Mural of Unusual Size" next door) before the gates opened.

After the game, I was in my car and back to the hotel before their fireworks started, which I watched from the hotel parking lot before heading up to my room to shower, pack up some, and go to bed.

The Stadium & Fans:

Home plate to center field, Meritus Park

Outside of the soulless corporate name, Meritus Park was actually very nice. It felt the right size for Hagerstown, for one. A lot of cities start an indie league team and go nuts building a big ballpark that will never be filled up, while this one felt exactly simpatico for Hagerstown. If the park sold out, 1/10th of the city population would be here, and the Boxcars, despite being a disaster on the field, actually draw very well.

There are two bars in the outfield that were bustling with people, and it seems like Meritus Park is similar to Coors Field on a smaller canvas. It is the best club or bar in town, and a lot of socializing gets done here, which is fine and dandy because the team currently sucks.

As with so many of these parks, there is one promenade above the seating area that goes around the park. The main seats run from first to third, with a picnic area at the end in both outfields. The second level of press and luxury boxes runs above the main seating area, and the kids play area is nestled in center among the outfield bars. The main scoreboard is in left-center and a neon sculpture of the namesake plane sits in right. There is a Hall of Fame of players who came through town in their affiliated days, and behind home plate is a big dining area, with specialty kiosks and a grab-n-go concession. 

The mascot Ace didn't show up as much as you'd expect, and the between-inning entertainment was some average events, with things like the donut race (each side of the park has to pass an inflatable donut the length of the park the fastest) and an alcohol race sponsored by a local liquor store that is a hold-over from the old park. They pulled a good crowd, but it seemed more about the socializing than the game.

But VIP of the park is Erin Shank. Ms Shank is an insurance agent who somehow managed to get a sponsorship of every... single... foul... ball... in the game. Every time a ball was fouled, the scoreboard would flash red with "Foul Ball, presented by Erin Shank, State Farm, erinshankinsurance.com, 76 East Main St. Waynesboro 717-762-7101." I did not have to look that up, because I had it memorized by the third inning. It was omnipresent. Whoever sold her this sponsorship should be knighted or beheaded.

At the Game with Oogie: 

"Burnt Ends" Sausage

I went in as the gates opened, and was greeted to the pre-game "Rock and Roll Night" concert from some local cover band. I did my regular circuit of walking around to get pictures, hitting the team store, and then grabbing food. They had a pretty good selection of food at the park, but I settled on a "burnt ends sausage," which was weird, but actually really good.

I purchases a seat right behind the home dugout. There was an older couple behind me who were really into the game, but sadly realistic about their skills. ("This is like watching the O's!") There were two guys to my left who were there for a night out, and a family on the other side of me for the same.

The Game: 

First pitch, Blue Crabs vs. Flying Boxcars

This game features a battle of the Maryland indie teams in the Atlantic League between the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars. Besides featuring some truly ludicrous plays, it was an absolute blowout and some boring, boring baseball. Have I oversold it enough?

Southern Maryland started off with a leadoff walk and nothing else in the first. The Boxcars had back-to-back singles at the top of the inning to make it first and third with no outs, all erased on the most ridiculous double-play I've seen live. More on that below, but needless to say, they didn't score. The Blue Claws started the second with a leadoff double, who was put out trying to make it to third on the next hit. But a two-out homer put them on the board, 2-0, even though they stranded two more singles after the bomb. Hagerstown went in order after a leadoff walk got caught up in a double-play. Southern Maryland only had a reached on error to show for the third, while the Boxcars managed to strand back-to-back walks to start the inning, as well as a one-out single to load up the bases.

The Blue Crabs started the fourth with a single and another single and fielder's choice brought him in, and a homer to right cleared the bases for three more runs total, extending the lead to 5-0. Hagerstown went in order in their half. Southern Maryland kept the scoring going in the fifth, with a walk, a single, and a solo homer putting up two more to make it 7-0. The Boxcars finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning, with a two-out solo shot, closing it to 7-1. In the sixth, the Blue Crabs couldn't cash in a single and walk, and Hagerstown stranded two walks of their own.

Southern Maryland batted all the way around exactly in the seventh, with two singles, two walks, a sacrifice fly, and a two-base wild pitch turning into four more runs, to make it 11-1. The Boxcars went in order. The Blue Crabs only had a reached on error in the top of the eighth, while Hagerstown went in order again. Southern Maryland stranded a leadoff walk in the ninth, while--say it with me--the Boxcars went in order, leaving the final tally 11-1.

The Scorecard: 

Southern Maryland Blue Crabs vs. Hagerstown Box Cars, 5/23/25. The Blue Carbs won, 11-1.

There was a home scorecard to use this time around, but I didn't notice until I had started a scorecard in the BBWAA book. Because of rain the previous day, the liner on top of the dugout looked dry, but was actually soaked with water. I managed to get both scorecards wet on it, because I am attentive to detail.

The scorecard was the center foldout of the half-tabloid program, with nine lines for players and five for pitchers, curiously without cumulative total columns at the bottom of each inning (10 total). Each batter and pitcher had standard cumulative total stats. There were lines to record Umpires, temperature, weather, winning and losing pitchers, saves, time of game, and attendance. Each scoring square did not have a pre-printed diamond, and were of sufficient size for the task.

The play of the century was in the bottom of the first: 5-2-5-1-6t DP. With no outs and first and third, the next batter hit one sharply to the third baseman, who came home and got the runner at third in a rundown (5-2-5-1), and on the throw back to the shortstop covering third, he got the lead and tailing runner (6t DP). I would not want to be the going to face the manager after that one.

Just so the umps can get in on the action, in the top of the sixth, the ump rang up a batter with only two strike, who then went on to walk. And the K-Man did not strike out.

The Accommodations:

Hampton Inn, Hagerstown

The Hampton Inn Hagerstown was very nice, even though it was undergoing renovations during my stay.

The larger-than-average bathroom was on the left as I entered the room, with tub and vanity. The bedroom had a king bed, nightstands, and dresses along one wall, a table with two chairs by the window, and a flat screen TV mounted on the far wall.

On No Complaints

Saturday, May 24, 2025
Clifton, NJ

Outside the Game:
I was up early for a decidedly above-average hotel breakfast. The reason for the packed house soon became apparent, as the breakfast buffet was completely filled with young girls in softball uniforms who ate and then left quickly, no doubt for a tournament in the area.

I, however, went back up to my room for a nap, eventually getting myself together enough to leave around 10 AM. I stopped at a local antique shop and made a number of purchases, included a valet. Not a person in this case. There was a half-price tent sale on the lawn of the store, and in there was a perfectly good valet (piece of furniture), which once I determined it would fit in my trunk, was swiftly purchased, especially at that price.

I drove home on a straight shot, not even bothering to stop for lunch. I listened to the entirety of an episode of Narrative Declaration, which got me through the whole ride reasonably entertained.

I unloaded, threw everything in the laundry, and napped, and went about the rest of my Saturday as one does.

The Accommodations:
Sweet home, Clifton

Click here to see all the photos from this trip.

Stand-Alone Trip

Geneva

On Once In a Lifetime

Northwestern Medicine Field, 2025

Friday, May 16, 2025
Milwaukee Milkmen vs. Kane County Cougars
Northwestern Medicine Field
American Association
Geneva, IL
6:30 PM

Outside the Game: 
For once, my wake-up time was even too early for the hotel breakfast, so I had to busy myself (which I did by upgrading my seat for tomorrow's flight home) until the buffet opened, and I was allowed to eat. The similar and long hallways of the hotel got me quite lost going back to my room, as I didn't have little signs pointing the way to the lobby to help me out.

I eventually returned successfully, and I kept napping once I went back to bed, unopposed by an early ballgame. I determined that this was because for the first time in perhaps over a year, my back was in working order from all the soaking the jacuzzi the night before.

Even my laziness has an end, and after a time, I got dressed and went out into the world, heading to a historic working farm nearby, Kline Creek. As with all the ballgames for most of the week, the farm was overrun by school groups. The farm itself was quite nice, with a farmhouse, outbuildings, animals, and several small exhibits. I got to talking with the tour guide outside the farmhouse, who apologized to me that I would be getting the kid-oriented tour, which I assured him was okay. He said I should come back another day, when I explained that it would be a bit of a commute. He suggested the Volo car museum as a place to see, and I decided to see that the next day on my way to the airport, as I had time to kill.

Chops on the hoof

All the schoolboys were entranced by the cows and pigs, and it was always the funniest thing in the world when one of them pooed. The attention and pets from the children was clearly overloading one of the sheep, who was pressing himself under the fence to get more affection. I would hear later that one of the sheep had gotten loose, and I strongly suspect I know the culprit.

Sunken Garden

I hit the store and left, driving up to a small, free zoo in nearby Aurora ("Excellent!") The Phillips Park Zoo was a fine little endeavor, with a sunken garden and a small museum to mastodons as part of the complex. I eventually went back to the hotel and went to the restaurant on the corner again for lunch, this time sitting in the sports bar area and watching the cross-town Sox-Cub match-up on the TV. The meatloaf special wasn't available, but I had a steak sandwich that was quite adequate. 

I went back to the hotel for a nap and almost slept too long. I grabbed my game bag and jumped in my car for the short drive to the park, and after getting fleeced on parking, I walked over to the park, took some outside photos, grabbed a ticket, and went in.

The game ended early, and I was one of the first to my (now incredibly dust-covered) car, making it back to the hotel in time before the fireworks display started, able to watch it from the parking lot of hotel. I settled in and went straight to the jacuzzi for another abbreviated night of soaking, eventually dragging myself to bed.

The Stadium & Fans: 

Home plate to center field, Northwestern Medicine Field

Another "rolls-off-the-tongue" name of Northwest Medicine Field is located in the heart of suburbia and seemed a little more upscale than the other parks, especially their parking prices. The park was more manicured into its surrounding and crowded by buildings, with the three main entrances as the ways in, and not much to be seen on the outside.

Once inside, the layout was quite familiar, with a promenade running above the seating area, but only going from right field to left field. Two special picnic areas anchored each field corner, in front of picnic berms, which eventually turned into the seating bowl that ran from first to third. The seemingly mandatory second level of press and luxury boxes right above the seating bowl, and the scoreboard cluster was out in left-center. There was a little more in the park than the average for the week, with food carts, a play area, and a jacuzzi display for some reason in right field. A small commemorative plaque to the local politician who brought the team in is by an entrance and the championship banners are on the right-field wall.

There was very little going on between innings, perhaps because of the odd weather, or maybe they just don't do that here, but they did have a nice enough crowd, even for this disreputable night.

At the Game with Oogie:

Loaded and dangerous (to my heart)

This was an odd night for a variety of reasons. I procured tickets right in front of the dugout since it was a night game and quite overcast anyway.

I did my rounds upon entering the park, taking pictures, buying memorabilia, and then scarfing down a fully loaded brat. I made it to my seat in the sparsely populated area behind the visiting dugout, at least temporarily. Rain began falling in the first that became severe enough to retreat up to the covered overhang bleachers further up the stands for the duration of the rain, which quickly turned into a dust storm. This was the first dust storm of any appreciable size in this area in living memory, and while we apparently just got a glancing blow, the sky was darkened red and all the cars in the parking lot after the game were discovered coated in at least a thin layer of dirt. It was, of course, a first for me, and completed the set of baseball delays or events for the four Greek elements (water [obvious], fire [also obvious], air [dangerous winds], and now earth [dust storm]).

Some weather blows in

I eventually returned to my original seat, dried it off, and hunkered down for the rest of the game once I was assured that there were no more biblical plagues coming. 

The Game:

First pitch, Milkmen vs. Cougars

In an evening that was more about what was going on around the field as opposed to on it, this contest between the Milkmen and the Cougars went from close game to mid-inning blow-out rather quickly.

The Milkmen started off in the first with a homer to dead center, staking them to a 1-0 lead. Kane County used the rain to their advantage, as a walk and three singles (the last of which was just lost in the increasing rain) turned into two runs, flipping the lead, 2-1. Milwaukee kept to the script and had another solo homer in the top of the second to tie it, 2-2, while the Cougars kept to their singles attack, with three more turning into another run to take back the lead, 3-2. As the dust storm settled in, the Milkmen went in order in the third, while Kane County just had a walk to show for their half.

Milwaukee stranded a hit batsman and a single in the fourth, while the Cougars went in order. Things picked back up in the fifth, as the Milkmen turned two doubles and two walks into three runs, surging back out in front, 5-3. Kane County went in order again. Milwaukee stranded a triple in the top of the sixth, while the Cougars could only manage stranding a single in the bottom of the frame.

Things got out of hand for the Milkmen in the top of the seventh. Two singles and two walks converted into three more runs, pulling away at 8-3. Kane County only had a single to answer them in the last half of the inning. In the eighth, the Milwaukee had a single and stolen base and a two-base wild pitches turn into another run (while also stranding a two-out triple), to pull the lead to 9-3. The Cougars finally got on the board again with two walks and an error plating a run, making it 9-4. The Milkmen weren't done in the ninth, with a nice array of q triple, double, and single bringing in two more runs to make it 11-4. Kane County struck out in order after a walk to start the bottom of the ninth, sending to home fans home dusty and sad with an 11-4 loss.

The Scorecard: 

Milwaukee Milkmen vs. Kane County Cougars, 05/16/25. Milkmen win, 11-4 

In a small miracle, the Cougars had a had scorecard hat I used with the erasable pens. They actually sold the scorecard separate for $1, and I promptly lost one in the wind before sheepishly going back to the team store to buy another.

It was nice scorecard and on cardstock, stacked on one page. There were nine player lines and four pitcher lines, each with the average cumulative statistics. There were ten innings, with run/hits totals at the bottom of each column. There was no pre-written diamond, and each scoring square was big enough for the task. The only fill-ins were for opponent, date, and time, and there were delineated areas for notes. 

I, of course, made a note about the rain and dust storm. In the bottom of the first, the rain let a ball get lost which was scored an--at the time--critical hit. A double in the top of the fifth was dropped at the wall, and a two-base scoring error on a wild pitch in the top of the eighth was completely lost by the catcher. In the bottom of the eighth, the second baseman made the first half of a double-play unassisted at second and threw the ball away, leading to a run, and in the top of the ninth, another double was really another dropped ball, this time by the shortstop.

And, although there were plenty of "almosts" during this trip, the Milkmen's DH got a sombrero.

The Accommodations:
I was at the Comfort Inn & Suites Geneva- West Chicago again, and I spent a good deal of time there this day, between the lazy morning and the pre-game naps and whatnot.

The jacuzzi tub was an absolute life saver, and booking this room was among my top two decisions on this trip.

On Leaving Wanting More

Volo Museum

Saturday, May 17, 2025
Clifton, NJ

Outside the Game:
I was up early and down to breakfast again as it opened, retreating back to bed for a nap or two. I eventually shook myself awake enough to do final packing up and planning before checking out an noon.

I stopped for gas and then, on the suggestion of the person at the farm museum the day before, I head to the Volo Museum, helpfully located in Volo, Illinois. I had no idea what to expect except a "car museum," but this place was much more than that. It was as if a car dealership, a Chuck E. Cheese, and several roadside attractions all melded together and had a weird, awesome baby.

Hangers full of cars

Starting as a classic car mall of several airplane hangers worth of cars for sale, they also have exhibits on the evolution of other vehicles, such as campers, boats, and snowmobiles, as well as exhibit of famous TV and movie cars with hilariously bad mannequins, and a token system where you can pay to gain admittance to little side attractions, including the history of torture and Chicago organized crime. And that's not even mentioning the pizza restaurant with their animatronic band, the classic midway and arcade games (also token powered), and a separate admission Titanic exhibit, Jurassic Garden, antiques superstores, and narrated train rides that I didn't even have time to try out.

Why not?

This thing was kitsch Disneyland. And speaking of, they have three original vacuum mold wax figurine makers from Disneyland, and for $10, suckers such as myself can get a wax Mickey figurine made as they wait.

Wax factory

I only wish I knew to come on a day when I had more time. As it was, I was rushing at the end to see just the first museum as I had to head out to the airport. The drive was easy, and I was able to turn in my rental car and head to the terminal with no great effort.

My ticket upgrade had the proper boarding group this time, and my only hiccup was a secondary bag check because my LED antique light looks very bomb-like in the scanner. I found my gate and got something to eat. In my final middle finger to Chicago, I got a flat slice of pizza.

I boarded right when my group was called and was able to get some overhead space a row or two behind me for settling into my extra leg room seat. We left a little late, for no appreciable reason, but at least there was no kid kicking my seat all flight.

We landed around on time, and I had to take a long walk to the shuttle bus to the airtrain, which took me back to the long-term lot, where my car thankfully still resided. I packed up, paid my blood money, and headed home for a night of laundry, organization, and sitting in a massage chair.

The Accommodations:
Home, sweet, Clifton finally again

Click here to see all the photos from this trip.

2025 Main Trip: Illi-noise

Gary

On a Spa Day

The SteelYard, 2025

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Cleburne Railroaders vs. Gary Southshore RailCats
The SteelYard
American Association
Gary, IN
11:00 AM 

Outside the Game:
With this wake-up time apparently ingrained in my soul, I woke up at 6 AMish, just in time for the hotel breakfast to begin. This was easily the best spread of the trip, and I made several trips back to the buffet to fill myself with the hearty breakfast victuals, before retreating back to my room for a nap.

Waiting until the last minute again, I booked my hotel room in Geneva for the next two days. There were a lot of weddings in the area, but I managed to get a nice hotel and a room with a jacuzzi tub, because I deserved it. Bad weather was expected the next day or so as well, so I wanted someplace pleasant to hole up if that turned out to be the case.

I packed up, checked out, and took the short drive to the park. Along the way in Gary, I saw the tourist sign for the Jackson 5's childhood home, but looking down the street, it might as well have been a decrepit van with "FREE CANDY" spray-painted on the side, and I went straight out to the park.

I parked in the lot next to the park and took my outside pictures. The ticket booth did not open until right before the gates, so I procured a ticket at that point and went inside.

After the game, I went straight over to Geneva, but the threatening storm did not materialize. I checked in at the hotel and got settled after traversing the cavernous hallways of the hotel, fully unpacking for my two-day stay. On the suggestion of the proprietor, I went to the restaurant down on the corner, where my biggest choice was either the meatloaf special or the elk burger (which obviously won, along with some poutine on the side). After filling up, I went back to the hotel and sat blissfully in the jacuzzi tub for the rest of the evening. I regret nothing. My back was finally functional after days of driving, and I slept quite soundly.

The Stadium & Fans: 

Home plate to center field, The SteelYard

The SteelYard is about as full-throated a name as you can get for a ballpark, located in old industrial park of town (insofar as they weren't all industrial). Though Gary is on a bit of a rebound, the park raised an eyebrow or two, in that there is an "Operation Safe Zone" emergency area run by the police on the outside wall of the park, though an "I (heart) Gary" sign by the main entrance and ticket booth is more inviting. Though I was still happy this was a day game.

Safety dance

This was a familiar ballpark design at this point, with a main promenade running above the seating areas, but not all the way around the park. A regular seating bowl runs from first to third base, with a small picnic berm is short right field and a small bleachers area in short left field. A second level of press and luxury boxes runs top of first to third, with retired numbers, championship pennants, and a press box dedication along the facade. A hall of fame lines the alley-ways from the entrances, and there's a event picnic area in left field, right by the main scoreboard rising in left-center.

Especially for a school day event, it was surprising that there was no mascot appearance (perhaps he got mugged on the way in) and very few between-inning events. The game was packed with kids, and therefore loud either way.

At the Game with Oogie:

Bratfest

I made my way inside and walked around for my pictures before hitting the merch store and grabbing my Lunchfast of a brat and soda (bratfest?).

My seat again was right in the sun, and with no railing countertop along the promenade, I grabbed a shaded table by the promenade concessions stands overlooking the field for the first few innings, which was quite comfortable. After a couple of innings, I saw the shaded bar behind home plate had an open seat, so I migrated over there. I found out the seat was empty because it was a high-back barstool that was missing the foot bar, making it a little uncomfortable to sit in. One of the old guys in the seats next to me told me that he had switched his seat with that one for that very reason. Eventually, one of the other people next to me left and I swapped chairs with him. All in all, not a bad way to watch a game.

Except for the train horn. Not from the trains using the rail lines still active beyond the outfield walls, but the one they blew for celebrations in the stadium, which was so loud that it actually drowned out the school kids in attendance. And it was used constantly.

The Game: 

First pitch, Railroaders vs. RailCats

This morning contest of railroad-themed teams between the Cleburne Railroaders and the Gary Southshore RailCats had some bursts of action in between stretches of nothing.

Cleburne just had a one-out walk to show for the top of the first, while the RailCats had a solo man reach on a questionable hit in their half. The Railroaders stranded a solitary single in the second, while Gary's leadoff single was erased on a double-play. Cleburne had a leadoff single picked off first and a walk erased on a double-play, but the RailCats put two runs together in the bottom of the frame with three singles and a walk to go out to a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Railroaders stranded one single and erased another on a double-play. Gary kept the scoring going with a double and a single bringing in a run to extend the lead to 3-0. Both teams went in order in the fifth, but the Railriders got on the board in the top of the sixth with a walk and a very questionable home run, which closed the gap to 3-2. Gary went in order in the bottom of the inning.

Cleburne had just a hit batsman that got picked off in the top of the seventh, while the RailCats took one out of the park to left with one out to extend the lead to 4-2. The Railroaders answered back with a leadoff homer to center that just made it over the wall in the eighth, closing the score to 4-3. Gary went in order. In their last attempt, Cleburne got a baserunner with a one-out hit batman who made it to second on a wild pitch, but there he stayed, giving the home team the 4-3 win.

The Scorecard:

Cleburne Railraoders vs. Gary RailCats. Railcats win, 4-3

I was again using the BBWAA scorebook with the erasable pens for this game, and there were more notable events than normal, most of a questionable nature.

In the top of the first, there was a roller to second that was ruled an infield hit even though the second baseman butchered an easy play. In the top of the third, there was an infield hit where the first baseman came off the bag.

The last two notables were related to home runs. In the top of the sixth, a line drive to left field at least twelve feet foul was called a home run. This got a red underline in the scorebook, as even from where I was sitting, it was clearly foul. This caused quite the stir in the stands. In the top of the eighth, a homer to dead center bounced on the very top of the wall on its way out, just about escaping the park.

The Accommodations:

Comfort Inn & Suites Geneva-West Chicago

I splurged on the Comfort Inn & Suites Geneva-West Chicago for the two nights. It was very similar to most of the other rooms I'd been in, with one big difference.

There was a nice bathroom right by the entrance to the room, and a big, overstuffed king bed and night stands on one side of the room, and a desk, dresser, bench, and mini-kitchen on the other side.

And a jacuzzi tub a few feet from the bed on a tiled riser. I would spend nearly as much time in that tub as I would sleeping over my next two days.

Click here to see all the photos from this trip.

2025 Main Trip: Illi-noise