IronPigs "fan" game; plus high school softball gets TV exposure

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Attended my first IronPigs game of the season as a fan tonight (Thursday). I was there on Opening Night as a columnist, but the "fan" games are more enjoyable.

Nice Bethlehem Steel hats were given out.

Of course, I didn't get one. Have to get there early to get any giveaway items at Coca-Cola Park (see Bill White's column in Thursday's paper about just how early you have to get there for bobbleheads), but they looked good on my section 110 neighbors.

IronPigs got down 10-0 early and were actually outhit 10-0 at one point. The stands, which weren't really full to begin with, emptied out fairly quickly because the IronPigs got down by so much.

It was still an entertaining game because of all the home runs, including some real tape-measure blasts that were "no doubt about it" from the time they left the bat.

The fans who left early nearly missed one of the great comebacks you'll ever see. The IronPigs fought Tim C back and were one swing away from really making it interesting.

These IronPigs do have much more spunk than the previous three versions. The Phillies injury problems, as happens every year, are probably going to hurt this team's pitching -- if they haven't already. But I do like how this team doesn't pack it in when they get behind.

As far as some other observations from my night at the Pigs:

1. It's curious to me that we're in Allentown watching a ballgame and yet Six Flags is a sponsor and gets to plug its amusement park, while Dorney Park, located no more than 7 miles away, is not mentioned at all. Of course, go to Philly and you will see Dorney Park ads on the big board.

2. Love the "Whack An Intern" on the field contest between innings.

3. I think they have to do the "Tyke At the Mike" routine earlier in the game at least in April and May. To have a grade schooler do it in the sixth inning on a school night is a little dicey. It's something I would have loved as a kid, at least until the next morning when my mother would have struggled to wake me up for school. Maybe P.A. announcer and school teacher Tim Chorones (pictured above) told the kid "Now get home and get to bed" as soon as he was done announcing the names.

4. I can't take full credit. But I believe I helped to name the now very popular "Dancing Dirt Dudes" grounds crew, and I am amazed that these guys remain one of the night's biggest attractions at every IronPigs home game.

In a Morning Call story during the team's first season -- the team's eighth home game to be exact -- I referred to the crew as the "dancing dirt guys."

Dancing dudes

Here was my lead from that April 19, 2008 story, pulled directly from the archives:

"The only "Thriller" at Coca-Cola Park on Friday night was Michael Jackson's 1982 hit being played over the P.A. system to accompany the dancing grounds crew prior to the top of the seventh inning.

The dancing dirt guys got a big ovation from the large "Fireworks Night" crowd of 9,186, but the IronPigs drew mostly groans as they ended the first homestand in franchise history with a dud, an 8-3 loss to Toledo."

It's not exactly thing the same beaming pride as the guy who nicknamed the 1927 Yankees "the Bronx Bombers" probably felt, or the guy who dubbed Ted Williams "The Splendid Splinter."

But I do feel good that I at least planted the seed for the "Dancing Dirt Dudes" nickname.

5. Late in the game tonight the flashing time/temperature sign showed 68 degrees. But I foolishly wore shorts and knew darn well that it was closer to 58 degrees than 68 at that time of night. At least the time was right.

6. Always nice to win something at the 'ol ballpark and our section did win "Buy One, Get One" big barbecue sandwich coupons from Dickey's Barbeque Pit. I've been eyeing that place for awhile over on Schoenersville Road. Trust me, those coupons will not go to waste.

7. Having just two umpires made me think I was at a Blue Mountain League or American Legion game. I was thinking they should pull either Richie Frey or Marty Ondrovic out from the bowels of the building (both former umps work for the IronPigs) and let them do their thing.

All in all, an enjoyable night. And frankly, when the game was over it was nice to be able to walk out of the place, get in the car and go home to watch the end of the first round of the NFL Draft rather than have to battle a deadline.

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RCN-4 will have live coverage of the four Colonial League softball games at Pates Park on Saturday, beginning at 1.

Gary Laubach, who loves his baseball, and Chris Michael will handle the broadcasts.

It looks like the rain will stay away and hopefully the eight teams will put on a good show, although the best team in the league at this point -- Saucon Valley -- is not part of the schedule.

The lineup:

Northern Lehigh vs. Bangor at 1.

Wilson vs. Southern Lehigh at 3.

Northwestern vs. Pen Argyl at 5.

Catasauqua vs. Palmerton at 7.

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/