Baseball Road Trip '16 - Appleton Wisconsin

Appleton Wisconsin is the home of the "Wisconsin Timber Rattlers".   This is single A ball which for my non baseball friends is the lowest level of professional baseball.  

This was our first stop on the annual baseball road trip.  

The stadium is a bit too new and clean, and disconcertingly is next to a large shopping mall. But it was a perfect night for a ball game.  The blistering heat of the day had been relieved just before game time by a brisk shower.  Kudos to the ushers who went around with a towel and dried your seat off for you.

On to the important stuff.

Mascot:

This is "Fang" the Rattlers' mascot.  He was having fun this night as his team was romping over a hapless opponent.  But he has a tendency to hang out in the dugout with the players a bit too much.  A top notch mascot is always out working the crowd.

Most minor league teams have various diversions going on between innings.  They should supplement the game not distract from it.  People racing around the field in these costumes gets my seal of approval:

Speaking of food and drink I must regretfully report that Appleton is still low on our rankings in these areas.  Uninspired burgers.  And the only interesting beer on tap turned out to be some local atrocity made with blueberries.  Shudder.

As I mentioned the game was not close.  The Fort Wayne Tin Caps are at the bottom of the league and their play showed why.  Five errors, several of which my little league teams of the past would not have made.  

So a nice night for a ball game and a good time was had.  More games ahead.  

My new goal is a picture with each mascot.  It was hard to catch Fang out and about but we did get a quick shot.

I give "Fang" the fangs and he gives me a thumbs up.