Off-season visit- Mississippi Braves- Pearl Ms.

March 23, 2012

On the way back from our visit to Memphis for Deanna's surgery, we stopped by Pearl Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson Ms, and visited Trustmark Park, the home of the AA Mississippi Braves, the farm team for Atlanta.

What a beautiful stadium!  Worthy of AAA ball, for sure. 

The Braves have not been here that long, but it seemed like they had a large following- 

Even though it was pre-season, the team store was packed with stuff, I got a ball and pin. 

Have to try to get by here for a game if we are in the area again ever, will be near here on the 2013 Family reunion trip.... 

Off Season Visit- Alpine Cowboys- Alpine, Texas

February 29, 2012

On the way from Ft Davis, Texas to Terlingua Texas lies the town of Alpine, Texas, home of Sol Ross State University, and the Alpine Cowboys, who play in the Pecos league, an independent league team that has rookie/A level players.

I had previously called, and left a message on the general owner's phone which was not returned, and todays visit was fruitless, in that there was no one at the park, and it was not open. 

Here is the web page for the team:

http://alpine.pecosleague.com/cowboys.asp?page=1

I missed several of the other Pecos league teams on this pass, I'll have to get to them next year when we aren't so rushed.  I missed Las Cruces, and White Sands, and didn't get yet to Trinidad, Colorado, Santa Fe or Roswell. 

Off Season Visit- El Paso Diablos El Paso Texas

Visited the stadium venue today, February 27th. 

The team has been playing in El Paso since 1898- and was formerly a member of the Texas league-  Then there was apparantly a big dispute about their stadium, and they left the league, and the team became the Springfield Cardinals- 

I can imagine it gets pretty warm here in the summer for games-  The field was not in very good shape, but I imagine they will have it ready for playing-  Winnipeg Canada is in their league! 

I was able to get a ball, but they didn't have a hat pin. 

Off Season Visit- Tucson Padres

The Tuscon Padres are the new Triple A team of the San Diego Padres, and visited their field today, Kimo Sports Complex in metro Tucson.  Beautiful field, formerly the home of spring training for the Rockies-

The field seats over 11,000.  First Class facility- 
Got a ball, a pin, and since I like the logo so much, got a T Shirt also. 

Off Season Visit- Grand Prairie Air Hogs

After my visit to Fort Worth Cats, I ran over to Grand Prairie Texas off I-30, and was able to stop into the Quick Trip Park, home of the Air Hogs.  Beautiful stadium, in a major sports complex area.
Jeff, the team PR fellow met me and even though the team store was closed, and didn't yet have their new season stuff in, let me have a logo ball.  They didn't have any hat pins. 

     This is a lovely ball field, that has to compete with the Texas Rangers.  Jeff said they average 2500 fans a game- the team is under new ownership, and he was looking forward to the new season. 

The team gets the name Air Hogs from the big airfield that used to be next to the stadium.  They play in the American Association.                                          

Off Season Visit - Fort Worth Cats -

                         Fort Worth Cats-  La Grave Field, Fort Worth Texas

Did an off season visit here today, Monday, February 6th, 2012.   This is the second time I had tried to get my stuff.  The team joined the South Division of the North American League this year, and will compete there- 

I was able to get a ball and a pin here- 

The team has played in Fort Worth continuously since 1898! 

Billings Mustangs June 27,2007

This is a game from way back in the archives!  It was back on our 2007 Far West Motor home trip, and we had Brandon along with us.  We really weren't super into baseball games, it was the next year we really got the bug.  But we were in the area, and I noticed a game being played. 

It was here that Brandon met up with a nice couple sitting in the box seats, and that turned into an invitation the next day to rustle 800 head of cattle Montana rodeo Western style on the Crow Indian Reservation some 40 miles away, and a further invitation to stay the night at the Happy Jack Cattle Ranch in Gary Owen, Montana. It was a couple of days that have been the best memories of our travels!  Thanks LaVerne Ivey and Tom Hogan!!!

 Brandon being his usual ball hawk.  think he got 4 this game.  He's down in the "box seats", where we met Tom and La Verne.  we got there early for the game. 

The game was played at the Old Cobb Field, which was built in like 1927.  It was old, old old!  Had a nice view of the foothills, and it was cool that night, even though it was late in June.  This is the rookie league team for the Cincinnati Reds, which means Gookie Dawkins played here, I think, maybe Reggie Taylor too. 

There was a fairly good crowd there that night, I remember the food being very good and not expensive.

This is the new stadium, which was built pretty much where the old one was.  It's a beautiful new field.  The city voted 53% favorable to issue the bonds to build the field- I believe the city actually owns the team.  Since this was so far back, we don't have a baseball from here, but we did get a pin, and Brandon did get a Mustangs hat, which I still have here in Florida.