Columbus, OH–In this modern sports era of get-as-much-money-as-you-can-and-give-the-media-the-shaft, the Columbus Clippers have come up with a novel idea.  They decided to not put the press box behind homeplate at Huntington Park.  They split it into two boxes, one down the first base line and the other down the third base line.  However, someone must have come in right at the end and said:  “Hey, what about your radio broadcasters?  Will they be able to see the game?” 

The answer of course, was:  “Who cares?”  However, they did decide to come up with something that they thought would work out just fine.  In Columbus, we broadcast outside from the bar.  That’s right in Columbus; you can get a beer, get drunk, get loud and bother the radio broadcasters.  They are sitting right next to you. 

Before I go further, I need to say that we have option to work inside in the box down the third base line instead of outside with the patrons.  In 2009, I decided to stay inside.  This season, I made the decision to go outside.

Big mistake.

Game one in Columbus was just fine.  As a matter of fact, the ambience was great.  Good crowd noise, exciting game.  But game two and three were different.  To my immediate left is a place for two or three people to sit and enjoy the game.  There is also a ledge for fans to sit their drinks and food on.  They can also bang on that ledge if they wish.  And they usually do.  It is made of cast iron and it makes a heck of a sound.  It also is horrible for broadcasters, like me, who try to use a stick mic on a stand instead of a headset.

Sunday night in Columbus, Grandma and Grandpa Jones decided to come to the game with their two grandchildren.  The little boy, let’s call him Johnny, apparently had tourette’s.  He banged on the ledge all night.  I should have said something, but I didn’t.  My mistake. 

Not as big as a mistake as I made by broadcasting from that location.  The next time in Columbus I will go back inside.  The location from the bar, although good in theory, and a great vantage point, is a horrible idea.  Let them drink the beer and baby sit the kids without me.  I am going to the press box.

Columbus, OH–In this modern sports era of get-as-much-money-as-you-can-and-give-the-media-the-shaft, the Columbus Clippers have come up with a novel idea.  They decided to not put the press box behind homeplate at Huntington Park.  They split it into two boxes, one down the first base line and the other down the third base line.  However, someone must have come in right at the end and said:  “Hey, what about your radio broadcasters?  Will they be able to see the game?” 

The answer of course, was:  “Who cares?”  However, they did decide to come up with something that they thought would work out just fine.  In Columbus, we broadcast outside from the bar.  That’s right in Columbus; you can get a beer, get drunk, get loud and bother the radio broadcasters.  They are sitting right next to you. 

Before I go further, I need to say that we have option to work inside in the box down the third base line instead of outside with the patrons.  In 2009, I decided to stay inside.  This season, I made the decision to go outside.

Big mistake.

Game one in Columbus was just fine.  As a matter of fact, the ambience was great.  Good crowd noise, exciting game.  But game two and three were different.  To my immediate left is a place for two or three people to sit and enjoy the game.  There is also a ledge for fans to sit their drinks and food on.  They can also bang on that ledge if they wish.  And they usually do.  It is made of cast iron and it makes a heck of a sound.  It also is horrible for broadcasters, like me, who try to use a stick mic on a stand instead of a headset.

Sunday night in Columbus, Grandma and Grandpa Jones decided to come to the game with their two grandchildren.  The little boy, let’s call him Johnny, apparently had tourette’s.  He banged on the ledge all night.  I should have said something, but I didn’t.  My mistake. 

Not as big as a mistake as I made by broadcasting from that location.  The next time in Columbus I will go back inside.  The location from the bar, although good in theory, and a great vantage point, is a horrible idea.  Let them drink the beer and baby sit the kids without me.  I am going to the press box.

NORFOLK, VA–Sitting here in the press box at Harbor Park, looking out to the field, watching the G-Braves take batting practice makes me think how lucky I am to be doing the thing I love the most:  baseball.  But what makes this even more special is being able to broadcast the games in the information age.

My first year of minor league baseball was 1981.  Fresh out of college, looking to begin my journey to the major leagues I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep.  The bus rides (and the bus, itself) were horrible.  The hotel rooms on the road were sub-par, and the press boxes and broadcast booths were in terrible shape.  They quickly made me realize how far away I was from by dream. 

But that all paled in comparison to the lack of information and stats that we had at our disposal.  Basically, we had none.  The South Atlantic League back in 1981 only published stats once a week.  Many times, there was never a roster provided.  And many times, I just made up stuff to talk about (a skill that helped me years later in Pro Wrestling).

I tell you this not to make you feel sorry for poor ole Tony Schiavone.  I tell you this to remind you (and myself) how wonderful it is to be doing G-Braves baseball in this era.  The internet is an incredible tool.  I can find information on just about every player I see with a click of the mouse.  I can keep up with scores from all over in many different leagues.  Back in 1981, the scores were provided on a long yellow ribbon called SPORTSTICKER.  It printed out the inning by inning score and you kind of had to add up the score in your head to see who was winning or losing.

But more than that, I feel that radio is the single finest medium for baseball ever created.  This is a leisurely game.  And the pace works well for our industry.  I do 144 regular season games a year, and each and every day I get such a rush to be able to do the broadcast.  I feel a real connection to the greats before me.  Because what made them great is not that they did the game on television, but that they did the game on radio.  They “described” the action. 

So how can I lose? Mounds of information, great accommodations, and getting PAID to watch a baseball game.  George Bailey was right, this is a wonderful life!    

NORFOLK, VA–Sitting here in the press box at Harbor Park, looking out to the field, watching the G-Braves take batting practice makes me think how lucky I am to be doing the thing I love the most:  baseball.  But what makes this even more special is being able to broadcast the games in the information age.

My first year of minor league baseball was 1981.  Fresh out of college, looking to begin my journey to the major leagues I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep.  The bus rides (and the bus, itself) were horrible.  The hotel rooms on the road were sub-par, and the press boxes and broadcast booths were in terrible shape.  They quickly made me realize how far away I was from by dream. 

But that all paled in comparison to the lack of information and stats that we had at our disposal.  Basically, we had none.  The South Atlantic League back in 1981 only published stats once a week.  Many times, there was never a roster provided.  And many times, I just made up stuff to talk about (a skill that helped me years later in Pro Wrestling).

I tell you this not to make you feel sorry for poor ole Tony Schiavone.  I tell you this to remind you (and myself) how wonderful it is to be doing G-Braves baseball in this era.  The internet is an incredible tool.  I can find information on just about every player I see with a click of the mouse.  I can keep up with scores from all over in many different leagues.  Back in 1981, the scores were provided on a long yellow ribbon called SPORTSTICKER.  It printed out the inning by inning score and you kind of had to add up the score in your head to see who was winning or losing.

But more than that, I feel that radio is the single finest medium for baseball ever created.  This is a leisurely game.  And the pace works well for our industry.  I do 144 regular season games a year, and each and every day I get such a rush to be able to do the broadcast.  I feel a real connection to the greats before me.  Because what made them great is not that they did the game on television, but that they did the game on radio.  They “described” the action. 

So how can I lose? Mounds of information, great accommodations, and getting PAID to watch a baseball game.  George Bailey was right, this is a wonderful life!