It didn鈥檛 matter if you couldn鈥檛 tell the difference between a fly ball and grand slam at Royal Athletic Park on a sunny Thursday afternoon, when the Victoria HarbourCats took on the Kelowna Falcons.
Fun and games was what this event for the workday crowd was all about, a focus reflected in the faces and activities of 1,802 enthusiastic fans of all ages catching the West Coast League action on the diamond.
鈥淭he fact is half these people probably couldn鈥檛 even tell you what the score is after the game because that鈥檚 how much of a good time they鈥檙e having,鈥� said season-ticket holder and sa国际传媒 driving columnist Steve Wallace, enjoying a cherries jubilee ice-cream cone to cool off in his front-row seat.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the best entertainment in town. You get to watch the future generation that鈥檚 likely going to be in the big leagues, and you get 17 breaks during the game with entertainment in every one.鈥�
At this and other games, popular diversions include dizzy bat relay races, descending parachutists, a motorized scooter race on the field or an all-time classic 鈥� the hot-dog-eating contest.
Before bringing out the dogs, the team鈥檚 general manager Brad Norris-Jones and his staff scouted potential participants in the stands before coming up with three competitors.
鈥淵ou have to be young and foolish,鈥� joked Norris-Jones, explaining the criteria. 鈥淲e try to find the right person to do this, and usually it鈥檚 ambitous young men.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 a free meal,鈥� smiled Jasper Irwin, 17, who competed with his younger brother Max, 13. 鈥淚鈥檝e eaten large quantities of food before but not competitively.鈥�
The winner was Max McCready, 19, a fan from Kelowna who managed to chow down on five hot dogs in as many minutes.
鈥淥MG, I can鈥檛 watch this,鈥� laughed a woman as she walked by, intoxicated by the aroma of fried onions in the concession area, where mini-doughnuts, fish and chips and Greek food were available.
鈥淲e came to support our friend Logan Steinberg, who plays for the Kelowna Falcons,鈥� said McCready, drinking water in the stands after his victory. 鈥淲e鈥檙e so proud of him.鈥�
Their buddy, the team鈥檚 first baseman, didn鈥檛 disappoint. Steinberg hit a two-run homer during the game, helping the Falcons triumph with a 9-7 win.
Team sponsor Helen Edwards, 70, was a colourful presence as she sold hand-knit Grumpy Bum Pants at her Bed Buddies Gifts stand.
鈥淚 saw my first baseball game when I was three years old over there in the old grandstand,鈥� Edwards recalled, pointing across the field. 鈥淚鈥檝e been a baseball fan ever since.鈥�
Her father had shares in the old Victoria Tyees baseball team 鈥� 鈥渨e鈥檙e going back to the late 鈥�40s, early 鈥�50s here鈥� 鈥� that inspired her to support local sports teams.
Sponsorship has its privileges, said Edwards, who got to throw the first pitch.
鈥淚 screwed up, though. I didn鈥檛 throw well. My mom threw out the first pitch at a Mariners game years ago, and she did better than me. I鈥檓 claiming injury, though, because I鈥檝e got a blister on my hand.鈥�
Communications consultant Heather Leary said she considered herself fortunate being able to attend a weekday afternoon game, since she hasn鈥檛 been able to get to the team鈥檚 Sunday matin茅es.
鈥淟uckily, I have flexibility,鈥� said Leary. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really good ball for one thing, and it鈥檚 a real grassroots, family-oriented organization that really cares about the experience at the park.鈥�
HarbourCats managing partner Jim Swanson and his team decided to try doing a business special after learning about the success of similar events at Nat Bailey Stadium for some Vancouver Canadians games.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great way to come here and do business at the ballpark and just have some fun and get away from work for a few hours,鈥� said Swanson.
One person who couldn鈥檛 get away from his day job on Thursday was the team鈥檚 announcer Dan Salmon, explaining why Swanson was filling that position.
When Salmon isn鈥檛 announcing at events around town, he earns his living at the Fox Showroom Pub, where he introduces the exotic dancers.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a funny part of what we do here,鈥� said Swanson. 鈥淎ll our volunteers, the people who work here, are regular Joes. Dan鈥檚 a great part of our fabric.鈥�
