On the Road: Pepperoni Rolls and the PRT in West Virginia
To see all posts from my June 30, 2015 visit to the West Virginia Black Bears (this is Part Two) click HERE. To see all of the posts from my June 2015 trip through the Virginias, click HERE. To see ALL of my “On the Road” posts (going back to 2010), click HERE.
2015 “On the Road” landing page HERE!
When the previous installment of this West Virginia Black Bears narrative concluded — in a post that ran back on July 28, covering a game that took place on June 30 — the rains had come and that evening’s scheduled contest against the Mahoning Valley Scrappers was in a delay.
This installment, then, begins when the rain had passed. After a 79-minute delay, it was now time for some New York-Penn League Baseball.
I had been told that West Virginians were a hardy breed, so I was therefore a bit surprised that so many ticket-holding fans either left during the delay or never showed up at all. This was just the sixth game in franchise history, why not wait it out? Weren’t you just excited to be there? At the very least there was plenty of time to wander around the concourse and get a nice sense of a brand-new ballpark.
Anyhow, those fans that did remain were treated to an excellent rendition of our National Anthem.
Tonight’s @WVBlackBears anthem singer can really hit the high notes. Exemplary job. https://t.co/bVMASdqKC8
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) July 1, 2015
And, then, a ballgame began. It is the way of things.
Playing ball is one thing, but retrieving them from the too-steep-for-fan-habitation berm area is not allowed. Throughout the ballgame, one can spot tantalizing yet unobtainable Easter eggs nestled within the grass.
The berm area also provides on-field access for those taking part in between-inning contests.
On this evening, those taking part in the between-inning festivities included Mike and Tim Rensland. The Renslands are old friends of mine, dating back to our University of Pittsburgh days. We kept our Pitt connections secret, given that we were in the heart of WVU territory, and this reminds me: the name of the on-field emcee was Caroline, which is a dangerous name to have when you’re in the heart of WVU territory. You will never hear “Sweet Caroline” play at a Black Bears game, that’s for sure. For more specifics on all of this, do a Google search. I do not traffic in profanity.
Another old pal of mine, former WPTS metal director Gary Boeh, declined to participate in the dance-off shown above. However! He did consent to being filmed performing his approximation of Chris Elliot’s Alley Cat dance while wearing his finest Acid Mothers Temple t-shirt.
Gary Boeh, my old college radio crony, declined to participate in dance competition at Black Bears game. Bu… https://t.co/RSWbHxZePi
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) June 30, 2015
Characters abounded on this evening. For reasons that made sense at the time, I made my acquaintance with an amiable turtle.
And previously that evening I’d had the opportunity to meet Cooper, the Black Bears mascot. He’s a barrel of laughs. (Also, it’s now official: I am fatter than a bear.)
Got my picture taken with @WVBlackBears Cooper, newest mascot in @MiLBpic.twitter.com/2YEg1C2RtV
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) July 1, 2015
I later rendezvoused with Cooper in this right field corner location.
Like all rendezvous, this one happened for a good reason. We were there to watch the Pepperoni Roll Race, in which Hot Pepper Hank, Double-Stuffed Dave and Pepperoni and Cheese Patty race across the outfield. (If you don’t know what a Pepperoni Roll is, then just wait until the next blog post).
It was a very uninspired race, as this triumvirate of pepperoni rolls was clearly suffering from a case of post-rain delay lethargy. Nonetheless, they were gracious enough to pose for a picture.
Later, a young fan hit some balls into the stands.
And, later still, fans were treated to a race inspired by WVU’s transportation system.
It’s the @WVBlackBears PRT race. PRT stands for Personal Rapid Transit, not Pepperoni Roll something or other. https://t.co/CnWIaJz9N1
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) July 1, 2015
With the game winding down, I stopped into the “Bear’s Den” team store. A woman named Penny was working the register, and here’s the thing about Penny: she’s the mother of current San Diego Padre Jedd Gyorko. The Gyorko family is from this area, and Jedd went on to become one of the best players in WVU history. Monongalia County Ballpark is even located on “Gyorko Drive,” an homage to Jedd’s sporting success and a re-christening so fresh that it probably isn’t yet showing up in your GPS device of choice. I thought that an interview with Penny, regarding her life in and around baseball, could result in an interesting MiLB.com story. She (very politely) declined, however, marking only the second time this season I’ve been rejected. I’ve still got a pretty good batting average on this front, all things considered.
Meanwhile, the evening’s game between the Black Bears and visiting Hudson Valley Renegades was winding down. The one thing I remember about this contest, as regards the action on the field, is that the players were starting their slides very early and still overshooting the base. That artificial turf is slicker than it looks.
Final score: West Virginia 6, Hudson Valley 4
Aaaaaaaand it’s over. West Virginia 6, Hudson Valley 4 https://t.co/2IqvFZj3LK
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) July 1, 2015
And that was all she wrote from Monongalia County Ballpark, a Black Bears victory finished in front of a crowd announced at just 1,718. By the time the game ended the night was cold, the grounds were wet and the energy was low. But it’s important to remember that the day, way back when, had started out beautifully.
And that this is a beautiful place.
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