On the Road: Four Dudes and a Lot of Food in Myrtle Beach
To see all my posts from my May 10 visit to the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, click HERE. To see all of my posts from my May 2016 Carolinas Road Trip, click HERE. To see all of my “On the Road” posts, click HERE. If interested in seeing posts covering a visit to a particular team, search for that team’s name in the blog search bar (it’s to your right).
Prior to embarking on my Carolinas road trip, I did not receive any designated eater volunteers for my evening with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. “Don’t worry,” said the Pelicans (I’m paraphrasing here). “We’ll take care of it.”
Take care of it they most certainly did. Via Facebook, the Pelicans recruited not one but FOUR designated eaters. Not only that, but these four designated eaters got to enjoy a four course (one per inning) concession standvaganza that took the designated eating concept to bold new terrain. Pelicans food and beverage director Brad Leininger and his ballpark kitchen crew are masters of the craft.
I met my four designated eaters at a picnic area located down the first base line, just after the game was underway. Our location was within spitting distance of the “Clark and Addison Grille”, one of many Cubs-themed modifications to the ballpark in the wake of the Pelicans affiliating with Chicago’s National League affiliate prior to the 2015 season.
When I arrived at our designated location, the designated eaters were already enjoying a variety of cold, canned alcoholic beverages. It was “Craft Beer Tuesday” at TicketReturn.com Field, and, furthermore, the Pelicans had just become the first professional team to add buckets ($30) and growlers ($25) to the daily beverage menu.
Left to right: cans of Terrapin RecreationAle, Oskar Blues IPA and Palmetto Lowcountry Pilsner
This quartet, from left to right:
Thomas Robinson — A Myrtle Beach native who now lives in-between Myrtle Beach and Wilmington, North Carolina. Thomas is a big baseball fan and, while not yet a Pelicans season ticket holder, he said “I’m going to be.”
Chris Lizio — After working for the Pelicans in 2015 as a production assistant, Chris transitioned to a digital broadcast assistant position at nearby Coastal Carolina University.
Rich Johnson — For over two decades, Rich has hosted The Fishing Line program on New York-area TV and radio. He also spends ample time in the Myrtle Beach area, and particularly enjoys watching the Pelicans on dollar beer nights. “My record is 12,” said Rich. “I don’t drive, of course.”
JD Hewett — JD is a childhood buddy of Thomas; the two played baseball together growing up and now regularly attend Pelicans game. JD, who now lives in Little River, South Carolina, works alternately as a commercial artist, furniture reconditioner and hot dog vendor (selling to a whitewater rafting clientele from the riverbanks of Robbinsville, North Carolina).
The first inning was dedicated to the Pelicans’ Chicago-centric variations of ballpark favorites.
.@bensbiz and his #DesignatedEaters tackle the Deep Dish Pizza Burger, Chi Double Play, Polish Sausage & Chi Dog! pic.twitter.com/0uAtOrXf2Q
— MyrtleBeachPelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) May 10, 2016
We’ll start with Thomas and Chris.
Designated eaters check in part one, @pelicansbaseball https://t.co/FWsHVlGsCi
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) May 10, 2016
Thomas, as you saw, had the Chicago Dog. I promise there is a hot dog in there somewhere. It’s just submerged underneath green relish, sport peppers, tomato, a pickle spear, celery salt and who knows what else.
“It’s awesome,” said Thomas. “The peppers have a good kick and I like the hotness.”
Chris had a “Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Burger.” As the name would imply, it’s a burger featuring a deep-dish pizza bun. I don’t have a standalone quote from Chris regarding this item, which I assume is because his mouth was full.
Before moving on to Rich and JD, I’d like to give a shout-out to the house made chips that accompanied these items. Thick, crispy, seasoned with Old Bay and accompanied by a dipping sauce whose specifics I forget but which were nonetheless complementary to the overall flavor package.
Rich and JD, you’re up.
Designated Eaters check in part two, @pelicansbaseball https://t.co/tZ2lXM2dSN
— Benjamin Hill (@bensbiz) May 10, 2016
The Double Play Dog is an Italian sausage topped with Italian roast beef and peppers.
“It’s excellent,” said Rich. “I don’t think of beef on sausage but the two flavors really balance nicely. It’s not in your face. It creeps up on you. It’s got a great kick that dissipates fast, like a chili pepper. It doesn’t linger until the next bite.”
The Polish Sausage is self-explanatory, with the titular meat topped generously with sauteed onions and peppers. I’m going to assume that my lack of a specific quote on this item was once again due to mouths being full. (The vegetable array seen behind the Polish Sausage was universally ignored, the only item all night to receive no interest. Make of that what you will.)
Everybody was having a great time, and that was only the first course. Beer break!
Second Inning — Seafood, eat it.
Next up for the boys was an array of coastal cuisine: crab cake, fried clams and fried shrimp along with a heap of fries. The boys were pleased.
The Pelicans’ crab cakes are sourced from the aptly-named Crab Cake Lady, who operates out of Murrels Inlet, South Carolina.
In a Facebook post of his own, Rich said that the crab cake may have been the “best thing he ate all night. Tangy, delicious and not much filler at all.” The fried clams and shrimp received general approbation as well, with lack of greasiness and ample meat within the breading cited as distinct positives. Thomas said that the clams were “as good as anything you’ll find in Calabash,” claiming that that particular North Carolina locale set the gold standard for local seafood.
JD is a huge Motorhead fan — just check the shirt — so I thought it was fitting that he was the one who found the “devil shrimp.” #RIPLemmy
Third Inning:
#DesignatedEaters Update: Fried Pickles, Grilled Bologna Sandwich, Bog Balls, Ckn Waffle Bites, Sweet Potato Fries! pic.twitter.com/pSsh9O4AhS
— MyrtleBeachPelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) May 11, 2016
Bog Balls, a South Carolina specialty, consist of chicken, rice and sausage mixed together into a ball and fried. They are served with a Sriacha mayo dipping sauce and, as I later learned, are gluten-free (!)
Chris said that the fried pickles “might be my favorite thing in the ballpark.” But nonetheless, he made a beeline for the chicken waffle bites. They are fried in waffle batter and come with a side of syrup. (The sweet potato fries, dusted in cinnamon sugar, were similarly sweet.)
Thomas went ahead and grabbed the fried bologna sandwich, remarking that “a big cut of bologna is the best way to go. Who doesn’t like a big bologna?” He then made a suggestion to Pelicans food and beverage director Brad Leininger. “Y’know what’d be good on this bologna? A fried egg.”
With so much food being eaten and so much being said about it, I was finding it hard to keep track of everything that was going on. This Facebook Live video, posted by the Pelicans, illuminates the general scene during this time. These guys were really living it up, in a sort of collective disbelief over how well they were being treated.
Finally, mercifully, we came to the end.
Fourth Inning: Dessert
Thomas, Chris, JD and Rich were now enjoying birthday cake, chocolate and mint chocolate chip ice cream in a waffle cone bowl.
But Rich was particularly enamored with this root beer float.
“I remember being a kid at the Jersey Shore, getting my first kiss to “Light My Fire” and all that. We’d get root beer floats just like this. This is the real deal.”
And then there was funnel cake.
Chris is a funnel cake man.
And lest we forget, a peach bellini made an appearance. JD said that “It reminds me of a Seagrams wine cooler.”
Postscript: I’ve been recruiting ballpark designated eaters for nearly four years now, beginning shortly after I was diagnosed with celiac disease. Just like anything related to one’s job, I sometimes get cynical about it. It adds a lot of extra work at an already busy time of year, and, truly, you can only ask a guy how a hot dog tastes so many times before it gets a little boring. But I still love the concept, because it gives me a chance to meet people, at every ballpark I visit, who I otherwise wouldn’t. I love getting to tell their stories. And my own cynicism is often trumped, as it was in Myrtle Beach, by the almost giddy enjoyment of the designated eaters themselves. Brad Leininger and Pelicans staffers such as Jen Borowski, Kristen Call, Hunter Horenstein, Andy Milovich (and others, I’m sure) put a lot of effort and coordination toward creating an experience that was truly memorable for all involved.
Rich: The food was so great, I’m not gonna eat for two days. At the gym tomorrow, I’ll be in slow motion.
Chris: This made it even harder to decide what to eat here. Everything is so good.
JD: I couldn’t ask for a better evening at the ballpark. It was great hanging out with you and these guys, and watching Rich drink.
Thomas: This was the best experience I ever had at a ball field. I played ball, but this was the best.
#DesignatedEater Update: 18 different dishes ✔️ A job well done by @bensbiz and the happiest guys in the ballpark! pic.twitter.com/aVPO7lln8q
— MyrtleBeachPelicans (@Pelicanbaseball) May 11, 2016
Thanks, guys. It really was a lot of fun.
***
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
twitter.com/bensbiz
instagram.com/thebensbiz
Ben's Biz Blog 
Great job Ben, Loved the write up! Thanks, Thomas Robinson. #Pelicans
My next road trip was going to be Charleston, but I think you just convinced me to do Myrtle Beach instead!