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23 May 2008 Oh this is going nuts!! This web site is killing me. It was suppose to be EASY, next time you see your IT person give them a hug. A lot is starting to happen; I think we will see more in the upcoming days as we get the word out. I still have to contact a lot of teams; I know they are busy so I will be patient. I even had one team contact me today that I had not contacted to see if I could visit them. I am going to try hard to get them in the schedule and I will let you know when I do. Again thanks to all of you this is going to work out great.
24 May 2008 On the road most of the day, but did 5 radio interviews. Did a national spot for fox radio out of Los Angles, went really well. The others were local radio stations throughout different listening areas. Even had one in TN say, “That I was the most interesting guest he ever had”. Now, he might have had some terrible guest before me, or as I believe this “thing” I am doing is really fun for others also but he really nice in-fact every person I spoke to today was rally nice and supportive a couple have asked me to keep in touch and keep them updated on my progress.
26 May 2008 Well today is Memorial Day, I hope everyone took a moment to remember the veterans and their families who have sacrifice so very much for what we have. I believe if we agree or not with the current state of affairs that we have to support our troops because they are just doing their job and all they ask is your support. I have a nephew and a lot of friends still serving over there and I can only wish them the best. As for the trip, not a lot today, did one in-person interview last night and one local radio one today. Spent a lot of time trying to get the word out with press releases etc… Hoping tomorrow to get a few more of the plans locked up so check back and see what is going on.
27 May 2008 I told myself when I started this I wanted to keep the blog up everyday as much as possible so I could one day look back and see how things really went. Today was an up and down good and bad day. Started off terrible, had a team back out, had one team just plain out say NO (I even volunteered to work the concession stand, still NO), and called 7 GM and got put to voice mail every time with no call backs. Then I had a major hotel that had said they would entertain the idea of sponsoring me, completely say NO(it was a long shot but I had hope). Then I had IT problems as I have had from the beginning. Later on I checked my email and the guest book found messages and emails from OLD friends that was really good to see. Then I got an email from an army guy in (I have no idea how he got my info) anyway he has volunteered to help with the IT stuff. Do not want to jinx it so will introduce him later. Then I got an email from a team saying yes, so that brought me back up! THEN, a family emergency situation has popped up that might just throw this entire plan off until next year. I had packed up my truck and prepared to leave and head back to
Indiana, when someone stepped in and helped out. At least giving me until this weekend to try and find a solution or cancel everything all together. I am really hoping it does not come to that. But at a minimum I think we are going to scale down June, skip July completely and do some in August. Will have to wait and see but I honestly hope we do not have to put this off till next year. My wife might not be so accommodating then! Wish me luck, I am still attempting to line up a starting team so anyone with any contacts with the Braves or Columbus Catfish, reach out to them and tell them I am a good guy on an adventure. If not we will have to push back the start date some.
28 May 2008 Wow what a day, since Saturday I have had a pain in my jaw area, since I was diagnosed years back with TMJ, I thought that was it or an old jaw surgery I had from the army years back. So, I have been eating Ibuprofen since then. This morning it got so bad I could not take it any longer dug through the phone book found a dentist and I was only with them about 5 minutes and I was sent to a maxillofacial surgeon and with-the hour I was going into surgery. Seems I had an abscessed tooth and a screw left over from the surgery was into the nerve canal. SO, now I am one complete tooth less (at least it is in the back) and one less screw holding my jaw together. Have a picture I might post later!!! Not much new on the trip today since I was gone. I am starting to think this is going to be a hard deal to complete. Wish me luck.
03 June 2008 Hello all, sorry for not posting more. I had to return to
Bloomington dude to some medical problems, still can’t find out what is wrong with me. Had a MRI of my brain last night, they have not told me I do not have one so that is good news I guess. The trip is still a go just having to move some dates around. I have contacted all the teams up in this area since I am back here so maybe we can get some of them in there. Will let you know. Hal
04 June 2008 Today we have brought on some help; they are going to help with the web-site and with publicity and getting the word out. The site is starting to look better, if I can’t do the baseball thing maybe I will be a web developer or what-ever they are called! Still the best way is word of mouth, if everyone would send a link to your local paper or radio station I think we can get this thing going. I am still planning to complete this trip, but honestly I am going to have to feel better and hopefully fast. MRI results came back today but the Doctor was not in so I could not get an answer. Anyway take care and will talk to you soon.
7 June 2008 All is fine here, wanted to let everyone know that I will be in
Florence,
KY (close to
Cincinnati) next week 9-11 June with the Florence Freedom. I am excited and think we are going to have a good time and learn a little bit along the way, if you are at the game say hello. Talked to another team today about a visit later in June, we have not worked out all the details but as soon as it is solid I will post it. I am not going to put anymore on the calendar unless we have it confirmed, that makes it easier on everyone.
9 June 2008 am Leave this morning for the stint with the Freedom, they have a game tonight at 7 and have to be there at 2 will let you know how it goes. My only concern is the weather, if you have not seen it, we have been flooded like crazy around here.
9 June 2008 Hi everyone, I am in
Florence,
KY with the Freedom; an independent team in the Frontier League. Had a very different trip here. I learned a few things on the trip here that I think I should share with you all; here they go and they are in no particular order.
If you are leaving on a trip through
Indiana and the roads are flooded out you should check them out before you go and plan a route.
If you come to a check point manned by state troopers and they tell you it is ok to drive forward, do not yell at the trooper at the next check point when he turns you around. You will not win that argument.
If you have a pocket knife in your car (even if it is a small one) you should put it away so that the above mentioned state trooper #2 does not see it.
If you are driving and not paying attention you should look at the turns your TomTom tells you to make before you turn, it might not be right..
As for the baseball, got here about 2 and got to meet almost everyone. My first impression of: “Champion Window Field”? This is a first class place, really nice and clean. Holds about 5000 I guess, had an announced crowd of 2001 for tonight’s game, think about that, an independent league team located 15 miles from a major league team (Cincinnati Reds) and they drew 2000 people on a Monday night? Someone needs to ask them what they are doing and bottle it. They really seem to have a very open and friendly environment.
As for the people that work there? Every person I talked to was very nice and most were excited when I told them what I was doing this summer and said, “they wished they could do something like this”. Here is what I noticed; everyone seemed to want to be there. I asked 10 people or so why are you here? Everyone, EVERYONE, said the same thing, I wanted to work in baseball or I wanted to work in sports. This only gives me more motivation to get my message out and make sure the teams know why I am here. To be honest with you, I am not sure why some have been so reluctant to accept this trip I am on: when I guarantee most of them feel the same way I do and would answer the question: why are you here”? With the same answer.
As for the work? Nothing glamorous did what I was asked to do and tried to stay busy, by doing what ever was needed. Tried to tie down as many people as I could for a few minutes of their time and I know it is hard for them to slow down for a minute and show this old guy something, but most did do that,: so I am appreciative for their time. I can guarantee there are many soldiers out there that would have loved to see me doing some of the things I did tonight. I did things that in the past I have told people: who told people: who told people, to do it. But here is the kicker, I enjoyed it and would do it again and hopefully, I will do it for the next few nights with the Freedom if they will have me back and with a team near you soon. But I did see a lot of similarities in job skills and is something that I think I need to do a better job of expressing by skill set to the teams.
Anyway this is to long, Tammy and Four if you are reading this; I miss you guys and thank you for letting me go out on this adventure and I will see you soon. Four kick Baby for me!! PEACE OUT Hal
10 June 2008 A long day got to the ballpark around 945am this morning and found out that maybe that I did not have to be there until 2pm ??? Anyway I made the best of it got to spend some time with the people who were there and see some of the things they do and I will tell you your definitely seem to be a multi-talented person for any of these jobs. Helped take off the Tarp this morning after helping put it on last night. This is one of those jobs that everyone bitches about doing and who is not doing it with them (where is###) but it is also one of those jobs that there is a lot of laughing and a sense of accomplishment is felt when it is done. Honestly this is a job that I should probably not do with all that hurts but I feel bad about not doing my part and it was fun. I was asked during the game to do two things that I had to say no to and I feel bad about it. I was asked to do two mid innings things involving running through the outfield in an eyeball costume. I hated to say no but I just can’t do the running part. During the day I got to cement a brick wall, cut nails off a sign, move a lot of chairs and tables etc… Took a tour of the clubhouse, it is not attached to the field it is about 300 yards up a hill. Some photos posted from the field today.
Had more fun when I got back to the hotel I had to go to the hotel next door to ask them if I could use their washing machine since my hotel had none. Once I shared my story with them we had a great time talking: the people working there Joe, Shawna, Patty they were super nice but there was a woman in the lobby in her pajamas seeming to have a good time or in good spirits. I have photos but do not know how to get them off my phone camera. Came back to my hotel had a few cold drinks with three guys outside the hotel. Had a fairly lively conversation on the state of affairs our country is in. This question cam up, Can you remember how much gas was on Sept 11, 2001? I am sure I can Google it and find it but I do not remember.
12 June 2008 Back in
Bloomington for some more test, really had not planned on being here but I had a team back out on me so I am searching to find one to fill the slot. I really wanted to stay busy with this thing through out the summer without a break. Hope to have an answer soon and will post it as soon as I know anything. H
17 June 2008 Still in
Bloomington, will be leaving on Thursday heading to
Huntsville, AL. for three days then
Charleston,
SC for a few days. I am ready to go, this trip keeps getting interrupted, I have had every medical test you can imagine done the last week or so and I guess I am ok. So here we go. I thought I was going to be without somewhere to go this weekend but I contacted the Stars and they said, “to come on down”, looking forward to Huntsville since I spent so much time there and my wife is from the area. Really looking forward to
Charleston since that is wear I grew up and used to go watch games at the old
College Park and maybe even link up with some old friends. H
18 June 2008 Made it in to
Huntsville, did not leave
Bloomington until late in the day so it was a long trip and the hotel I am in is almost a dump, not quite but close so I will not name them but there is obviously something going on in
Huntsville because every hotel is packed. I am amazed how much
Huntsville has changed since I left here in 1999, but then it was almost 10 years ago so I guess it should have changed. Tomorrow I will be with the Huntsville Stars for the first of three days; they are an AA affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. I am looking forward to this team; they have some great promotions lined up. Tomorrow night Anne Marie Feigner the widow of Eddie Feigner: of The King and his Court 4-man softball team is at the game. I would love to talk to her, my dad took us to see them play when I was 12 or 13 in Charleston, SC and in 1987 I was stationed at Fort Hood, TX when the team visited there and I almost got to umpire the game but was bumped out by someone more senior than me, but I went to the game and enjoyed it anyway. H
19 June 2008 WOW a long first day with the Huntsville Stars, but a very educational day that is sure to be one that will be remember. Got there at 9 am and left at 1130 pm, I believe the game was 10 or 11 innings but I only saw a part of one or two. As I have said before you can usually tell how a team is run within a few minutes and I would have to say my first impression is this is a good run organization. I felt like a part of the team right from the get go and seemed to be welcomed in by all. The GM: Buck Rogers took the time to talk to me a shared some good advice with me. I went to work right away with different parts of the team from the concessions to the locker room to just general stuff that has to be done. I really appreciated the one on one time each person gave me today. Channel 48 an NBC affiliate here in Huntsville came out and spent some time following me around and did an interview with me an Buck Rogers, over all I felt it went fine, have not seen the final product but hope it turned out ok. Once the game started I really stayed busy jumping around from the press box to working the beer line to the concession stand. Tonight was $1 “Thirsty Thursday” that should say it allJ. Tonight I got to meet “The Queen” who is the widow of Eddie Fiegner of “the King and His Court” a 4-man softball team who travel the country for years and yeas playing softball against full teams and beating them. I saw them play twice once in 1980 or so in
Charleston and again in 1987 at
Fort Hood,
TX. It was great to listen to some of her stories. All for now, check out the pics I will catch up more later. H
20 June 2008 A 13 inning game with a fireworks display, a ball throw contest at the end of the game and a diamond hunt, a tarp pull: makes for a very long day. We got to the stadium at 9 am and left at 1 am, not very good at math but you can figure it out. This has been a vey educational stop, but the guy who I spent a lot of time with and has taught me more about the particulars of his “baseball job’ is Marcus, the Club House Manger. This is not an easy job and I think I knew that even before I met him, but there is so much involved in the job on top of cleaning up after the players, in-fact that is probably one of the smallest parts of the job. You have to be a salesman, a logistics/supply specialist, you have to be a cook, and you seem to have to be able to take crap from all angles. This guy really seems to work hard and I do not have a lot of exposure to minor league baseball but he seems to really take care of not only the home team but the visiting team also. In a short note, I have to thank the GM Buck Johnson for the exposure to his organization he has provided me and I will talk more about that later. Got to go for now have to back at the park at 10am it most likely will rain so there will be plenty of “TARP” stories out there to put to paper and I have to tell you about this diamond hunt. H
21 June 2008 another long day, rain on and off so that meant the dreaded TARP, was on and off, I am not going to write about the TARP again (maybe). Today I spent most of the time today working with Brian the media guy learning what he did and felt it was a good experience. Tonight was bat give away night and there was a crowd of over 6000 at the game. I assisted at the front gate getting the crowds in and moving bats around etc… Once the Game started I worked with Matt who does all the in-game entertainment. I was down in the dugout doing all the crazy in between innings stuff you see. I have to admit that it was a good time; I also have to admit my freaking arm hurts from throwing t-shirts and plastic balls but it was enjoyable and it was a good game almost extra innings for the third game in a row and it was raining at the end but the Stars pulled it out. I want to say thanks and show my appreciation so much to the Stars: Buck really made me feel welcome, not like I was an intrusion or burden and that really shows a lot of his class. Everyone there was the exact same, the entire organization from coaches to players to staff to interns. I want to thank all of them and I hope we all stay in touch. I am telling you this club reflects its leadership and I do not say things like this often, but I believe if Buck Rogers called me an offered me a job I would not even ask what it is, how much it pays etc… I would just want to learn from him.
Here are some memories, you probably have not experience baseball until you sit in the press box with Coach Money and watch a game, I can’t say much more than that but if you ever get that chance take it. The players who went out of there way to say hello to a guy who was only there three days, Mike Jones and Joe Bateman I wish you luck and will be watching to see where you end up. Coach Guerrero, dude I got bigger guns than you J but seriously when you took the time to show your appreciation to the soldiers from Redstone who were in participating in the in-game activities, as a soldier I guarantee they will remember that you asked them about their guns. Marcus I learned a lot from you and your guys, thanks for the time. Lane you work harder than any dude I ever seen. All the guys in the press box: thanks for not kicking me out of there. The staff Eric, Matt, Babs, Brett, Paul, Brian, Kylee, Earl, Paul, Scott, the INTERNS, Courtney, Sarah, Clark, Andrew, good luck to all of you and stay in touch. To the fans who came up to me and said, they saw my story and said hello, thank you for the time. PEACE OUT. HAL |
