Sharing Tales of the Chiefs

I've just returned from Erie, PA, where I spent time with some baseball fans. Lisa & Chet go to major league games in both Cleveland and Pittsburgh (and elsewhere, too, but those are the closest MLB teams) plus they have a package for 8 games to see the Erie Sea Wolves (which are the Double A team for Toledo Mudhens/Detroit Tigers).

They've never been to a Triple A game, so Chet had some interesting questions: what are the stadiums like (not that I've been to all that many); how many games are played in a season (I had my schedule on me, so we figured around 130) -- things like that.

Then I told them about the two high points of this season: Michael Aubrey's 4 HR game on May 14th, and seeing the perfect game pitched by Justin Germano on July 26. Chet's face filled with awe, as he said in a hushed tone: "I've never seen a perfect game." I stressed how infrequently Michael Aubrey's feat happened, too -- he was the 10th International League player to do it and only 15 major league players have done it, no one has ever done it twice, and no one has ever hit more than four HR in a single game. Chet and I agreed: we'd both love to see an unassisted triple play.

Thanks for the bragging rights, Chiefs!

The Perfect Game

Clouds at the Stadium look like mountains

Columbus Clippers pitcher Justin Germano pitched a perfect game tonight. Twenty-seven men up, twenty seven men down.


TV Stevie noticed the clouds looked like mountains. Chiefs' General Manager John Simone (who visits the Maven almost every game) suggested someone take a picture just as I was retrieving my camera. Several people said, "Salt Lake City" at the same time.

I will recap last Thursday night's game (and WCNY night at the stadium) soon. But tonight's game deserved immediate attention.

Jersey Raffle: Throw-back Thursday

1st Base Coach Wave:

• Matt Antonelli: looked like he was in pain when he waved to us. Emotional pain. Thanks, Matt.
• Jesus Valdez: big smile, big wave
• Carlos Maldonado: big smile, big wave
• Gregor Blanco: big smile, big wave

Lots of former Yankees on the Columbus team (which is no longer the Yankees Triple A team):





Nick Johnson at bat


• Nick Johnson,
• Shelly Duncan
• Chad Huffman

And Lee May Junior was coaching first for Columbus -- and he smiled at waved at our greeting.

TV Stevie said he's never seen a perfect game. It was tough, because we like to root for the Chiefs, but a perfect game . . . we've seen a lot of great things at Alliance Bank Stadium this season.

Now, about that perfect game.

Yes, I set up my camera and started recording the final batter of the ninth inning.

Unfortunately, Blogger and the video aren't playing well together tonight, the .avi file won't upload.

Not to mention that

I RAN OUT OF MEMORY BEFORE THE FINAL STRIKE.

Maybe I can get TV Stevie's footage and post it here later.