Gateway Grizzlies, Sauget, Illinois Frontier League July 10, 2013

Made a planned stop here, the team was not in town, but the team store was open, and I got a ball and pin-  This is another Frontier League team- playing in a nice new stadium (2001)

Revisit to Busch Stadium- St Louis Cardinals vs Houston Astros July 10, 2013

I had earlier gotten in touch with a Stamp Club friend I knew in St Louis, Paul Hairsine and his wife Donna, who had visited us in 2010 in St Augustine, and he was nice enough to suggest that we get together for a Cardinals baseball game-  didn't have to ask me twice!  After a busy day in the Metro area, I headed over to Paul's office and parked the car and about 530, we headed back into town- 

Think this is my third game at Busch Stadium, and it didn't disappoint- got a ball and pin of course, and a t shirt for Cooper, and then in a mid inning, I caught a t shirt the Fred bird girls were throwing in the stands!!!

Great game, Cards won on a two run homer in the 7th inning-  Big crowd, almost a sell out 44 thousand plus.  Courtesy of Paul, we had great seats-  the kid in front of me got a ball thrown in the stands.  Wonderful night- 

Re Visit Arkansas Naturals Arvest Park Springdale, Arkansas

I had visited here before in 2009 during a stay in the area, and heard on the radio as I was traveling around to other stops today that they were holding this year's All Star game for the Texas League. 

On a whim, I visited and they did have a All Star Game ball and pin!!!  Score!!

Only problem, the ball was 15.00, and the pin 8.00, vs 5 or 6 dollars usually for a logo ball, and 4-6 dollars for a pin.  Oh well, they will be collectors items one day. 

Revisit- New Orleans Zephyrs AAA for Miami Marlins

Made a visit only to Zephyr's Field, the home of the New Orleans Zephyrs- to pick up a baseball-  Brandon and I had visited here back in 2007 I believe, and I had a pin, but not a ball-  So that set is now complete. 

 



Pretty amazing all of the different affiliations the club has had in its New Orleans history!  17 teams!!!

Pretty, large stadium, seats 11,000 right next to the New Orleans Saints practice facility in Metairie La. 

Mobile Bay Bears AA for Arizona Diamondbacks

Got here successfully today, June 4, after failing my last time through the area and finding the gates all locked. 

I had called ahead, and was assured they would take care of me and the did-  Just a site visit, the team was out of town. 

The Mobile BayBears are a minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which plays in the Southern League (of which they are the back-to-back defending champions), is the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league club. The BayBears play in Hank Aaron Stadium, named after baseball's former all-time home run king and Mobile native Hank Aaron. Opened in 1997, the park seats 6,000 spectators.
The BayBears franchise was located in Wilmington, North Carolina from 1995 to 1996 under the name of the Port City Roosters. From 1993 to 1994, they were the Nashville Xpress located in Nashville, Tennessee, after relocating from Charlotte, North Carolina where they were the first incarnation of the Charlotte Knights.
From 1997 to 2006, the BayBears were the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres.

Pensacola Florida Wahoos AA for Cincinnatti Reds

Got here for a shopping visit, as the team was not in town while I was here.  this is a beautiful Bayfront stadium, built 2 years ago, and what a place to play baseball!

Pensacola has seemed to really adopt its new team- the last time I was here a couple of years ago, the Pensacola Pelicans played here, an Independent league team.  This is now big time baseball for Pensacola!

The team has had several identities, but I suspect they will settle down here: 

 

 

 

 

Got a ball and pin here today.   

Park Only Visit Binghamton Mets, Binghamton NY

Date of visit: Thursday, June 21 2012

Cooper and I headed over here which turned out to be a bonus park, since we originally had not planned to travel this route.  The Mets, which are the AA affiliate of the parent New York Mets, were out of town playing  Akron. 

We were able to get the nice folks there to open the gift shop, and got a ball and pin.  This is a nice stadium, sort of downtown, seats 6000.  Cooper spied a ball in the bull pen, and a nice young man from the grounds crew fetched it for him. 

What the stadium looked like today.....