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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 1985)
Take me out to the Ems game m m I * m* HI Wide variety of Eugeneans watch all-American sport No. I didn't want to go to the Emeralds game. 1 told a few friends Thursday evening. I actually would have rather stayed home to watch “Love Boat” reruns than sit in the rain and dodge foul balls. But baseball is America's national pastime, they told me. It represents all those principles America was founded on — motherhood, apple pie, hotdogs and capitalism, of course. And besides, they said, it’s Beer Night. Suddenly my aversion to baseball, even of the single A variety, seemed to be forgotten. I grabbed my ID. a rain jacket and enough cash to get in the door and buy as many beers as it would take to make the game enjoyable. On the way to Civic Stadium, factually started to anticipate the fun I could have at this game. I don’t especially like baseball, but I like watching people and ! know 50-cent beers can really bring out all kinds. There is one thing I can say for baseball — it s not one of those events that audiences flock to an hour ahead of time in order to get a good seat. In fact, one good way to avoid standing in line is io got to Civic Stadium on time. That way spectators can avoid the crowds that start forming about half an hour after the first pitch. As my friends and went in search of the beer fine we jaunted. past several concession stands selling overpriced popcorn, and a souvenir stand where two woaien stood eager to sell art Emerald batting helmet to anyone who had a few bucks to spare. It was then I realized there is something more monotonous than sitting through a double-header. Staffing the souvenir stand pushing batting helmets at a double-header has got to be worse. Rounding the bend with my eyes pooled tor « large, red Budweiser sign. 1 began to wonder where all those thousands of fans that the Etna averaged each game were hiding. They certainly weren't in line for soda. As I strolled along pondering that thought, I nearly ran smack into a burly man wearing a tattered Coors T-shirt lialancing four beers in a cardboard Dairy Queen-style carrying tray, Ten feet behind him was a woman carrying three cups of beer in each hand She didn't have much luck wrapping both hands around nil six of the flexible cups, so she put her fingers inside and pinched the cups together. On the way back to her seat she spilled half the beer put of each cup. but at least she managed to get back without drop ping any of them. Others weren't so lucky. As we walked down an aisle between the bleachers looking for a place to sit, rtiy friends and I witnessed an amazing feat that neither the Ems nor the visiting Salem Angels would surpass A I nearly ran smack into a burly man wear ing a tattered Coors T-shirt balancing four beers in a cardboard Dairy Queehrstyle carrying tray. . V man carrying a beer in each hand slipped in a puddle of ficer at the - top of the stairsMIis feet •flew out in front of -hirn. and he-proceeded . to bounce' onhis buttocks downabout 10 steps' The fans jn thenear .vicinity turned a way! from the. game and applauded tlieir.hefo who •' managed-to spill a inert* quarter of a cup from eachifieer Realizing. .that more than a few .people- not Iced .h.is faux pas. he iiirned.jp the crowd, bowed,and;then rsih r'ed-faced.back-to his"seat at the-either.. end of fhii stadium.•' .,'-*■' As 1 Scanned the stadium attempting to pinpoint-the typipal ‘baseball fare 1 came to the realization that baseball-fans just cannot be stereotyped. V . . - '■ ‘ )ust above us was a.pack of teenage girls a round 13-ypars-old, •wearing'identical hairstyles add.clothing They hu.ddled together, •and giggled-in unison as one.brave girl called out to a familiar boy', sitting'200 feet away" When they decided to thmw ice. at. another boy sitting to the. side of me..! wanted to shout'something threaten ■ ing su'r.fi as, "Hey; knock it off pr I'lPget security .-"..But -knowing ' . this would.only’cause them.,to squeal, w.ith delight. •! ref rained-flow rude’. 1 thought',*to'come.tb a baseball,game and not watch the players.' • .The y.punger boys in the crowd weren't'watching.the game .either, nor .were'they watching the girls: .The little beHrons were running around chasing each other. This little garni* of theirs was made more challenging than usual, however. While they pursued one another up and down the grandstand*, they had their hands full with hot dogs, soda pops and trays full of nachoa. I was having |ust too much fun at this game. The people, the at mosphere. the cheap beer (50 cents as opposed to $t.25 usually), it was worth the $2.50 admission. And I'm sun* the man sitting to my right would agree Maybe he was just a devoted fan. Hut more like ly he was soused. The grubby, pony tailed character arbitrarily cheered and heckled both teams So much for Kins loyalty. I was happy to discover that one aspect of the all-American sport has remained constant. Despite outrageous player salaries and labor disputes, baseball still is fun for the entire family. Several enthusiastic parents with arms full of babies and diaper bags were followed by children with arms full of popcorn and candy bars. After several Innings of subsequent trips to the snackbar and then to the bathroom, many of these couples, who started out with a determination to instill values such as u love of hasolMill and the importance of good sportsmanship looked ready to throw in the towel. * They didn't Nve baseball anymore, and their image of good sportsmanship was shattered during the second inning of the so cond game when Salem rightfiulder (iienn Meyers was ejected for arguing a call. Then Angels' Manager timer* Hines was kicked out of the game after a long and ridiculous argument with plate umpire herwin Hanley ‘ ... ... ': . The entire episode0 lasted about lit 15 minutes and could have ."been the first?. incident all night that caused every fan in Civic Stadium tit watch the field at the same time I guess if exaggerated "antic*‘work-for •thopros they, can work for the minor leagues as • Weli: : ;' •. •*. > • . . leaving.Hie.stadjuin (admittedly a hit early in order to avoid the traffic) I was glad my*friends talked me into an evening at the -’-ballpark..! hadn't known about this mix of bder.and baseball before. ; VVasdnew.? To mV .amazement Beer Night is far from.new. lt was instituted hi the ttt'fiOs and ;is common throughout all levels of . bhselrall. except .for little league. «»f'course. And if the purpose is to ’up’attendance. ills working Average attendance at Civic Stadium for non-beer-nights '.is. 21200. which increases to 3,500 pn btier pight Maybe riri.net the only one-who is singing. "Take me out to • the beer game.". • ' '. \ Story by Diana Elliott Photos by Karen Stall wood ; • .- Clockwise from the top: Them is nothing like chewing - ' flavored- ice.ah/d- watching .in Ems game.: All; ages are at • . treated to America's'favorite pastime} fans fans can chose ' • between long heer lines pr personal delivery of the ice-cold . beyeritg0.% ' : . • . /'■ '-*—-——■ —:-----—— * > ■ Many players find Eugene one stop on long road to major leagues If the names Paul' Howarth, Julio Alcala, and Chrisjelic do not light up the competitive fires in the average major league baseball-fan', don’t be surprised. Those names may be in the bright lights of the-big: leagues.some' day.but.fornow these, prospective .stars, spend, their; time playing for. the Eugene Emeralds ill the depths of the Northwest League against the likes of the Sajem Angels, Bend Phillies and Medford Athletics. • As the major-leaguers are on the verge: of a strike' over millions of dollars and a pension plan that will- keep them coun ting their money for-the rest.of their lives,. 2.5 minor-league ballplayers toil at. their trade in Eugene's Civic >Stadiunrfor $700 a month The Emeralds, are in the midst of the pennant race in the Northwest League with a middle-oMhe-road 23-23 record with 28 games left. The Kills stand third in the four-team Oregon division, four games behind the Salem Angels ('lass A.base ball is a starting point for most major-league ballplayers of today. Eugene has been the starting point, or at least a stop along the road, for several major-league players of recent memory. in the late 1‘»t>0s and earjy V970s, the Ems were the last stop on that road-far the Philadelphia Phillies as the AAA affilia tion in the Pacific Coast League;. Mike Schmidt, an All-Star infielder, .is pro bably the most notable of the former Emeralds. He played for the Ems in 1972, hitting 26 home runs and driving in 90 runs. •' The list does not stop with Schmidt, however. Current Chicago Cub shortstop I,arrV Bovva played for the Ems in 1969, hitting .287: Current California Angels catcher Bob Boone played with'Schmidt in Eugene In 1972 and led the Pacific ('oast . League in putouts, ‘ assists and errors. . ." Slugger Creg Luzinski also played in Eugene in 1971. Luzinski hit 36 home runs, and added 114 runs.hatted in with, the Ems on his way to. the major leagues. Willie Montanez played• for.the Ems in 197(1 and went on to enjoy 10 years in the majors with various clubs. Luzinski. Schmidt, Bdwa, and Boone, all played integral part's oil the Phillies World Championship team in .1980. As the AAA affiliate for the Phillies, the Emerald players were only one step away 'from .being major leaguer, in 1973 the Phillies;left Eugene and the town was left without a major league affiliate for the 1974 season In 1973 the Cincinnati Reds moved'in their single A affiliate and. the process of making it to the major leagues continued to flourish in Eugene.-. . Although the quality, pf baseball may have dropped, the list of former Emerald’s-making it to the major leagues continued to grow. Mario Soto, the cur rent ace of the Reds pitching staff, heads the list. Former Reds pitcher Paul Moskau was an All-Star intlje Northwest League, but never did reach that status in the majors. . . Eric Davis is also a former Emerald who has been toiling in the majors', but has not . been consistent enough-tb land a fulbtime. job tfiere,- He has .been alternating .bet- • ween the Reds AAA'.farm club and the • majors. . •" ,.. ’ \ . ' . Pitcher Charlie Leibrandt played for the Ems and the Reds but now hurls for the . Kansas City Rcjyals. He .might find a bit of ■ irony in the fact that ..the Royals, are now the major league affiliate of Eugene. In -1983 the Emeralds dropped, their af filiation .vvith the Reds and the-Royals' moved in their single A team.. • *• 1984 was a trying year'.for the.baseball fans of Eugerte as the young" Emeralds won only 19 of their 74 games .to cpmpile the worst winning percentage of any team in professional baseball. The Royals sent back eleven players for this year and the team has already won four more, games than all pf last year. The current Emeralds may not be the best team that Eugene has ever seen, but the players can take heart in the fact that someday they may be able to say Eugene was just one Stop on their path to the ma jor leagues. Story by Rob Collias _j___rood_Servlce_T1„MnM ,,.^... Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal of the Day 7-10:30 Mon-Fri " □fountain court cafe Cereals. Fresh Fruits. Melons, Bagels. Coffee. Tea, Cocoa. Ham n’ Eggs. Pastries. Juices, Beverages & Pancakes TRY OUR SPECIAL CROISSANT BREAKFAST Jamie's serves a nearly breakfast and great hamburgers With this coupon receive one small Cherry or Chocolate Soda 01<ei Expires August 15. 1985 J HAPPY HOUR 5pm-Clo$ing 7 Dty»i 860 E. 13th 344-7694 riWHwmrfu TUESDAY a ::. i ■ '5 LADIES* MIGHT at the IMTERMATIOMAL M ALL DRINKS 6 SO to UOO at the Shite Inn OATtWAV I S [-—■—■-CUP COUPON ! 1 FREE Soda j ! plus I im00", i I VI any slice Offer good MondaySunday 11:30Midnight, Mon.-Fri. 3:30-Midmght, Weekends 1211 Alder on Campus 686 9598 Sy's New York Pizza EUPHORIA COFFEE FUDGE SUNDAE $1.25 /^Aug n-B. $1.7A 1-15 w rmna^V^u, /rociu.EH'^.... I wugntl Kf citrnn M l h VtHMl I n S»t 12-12 Sunday 12-11 t*n l\m nlo« », MM WilUiuvllf M l h l* I'n <Ni Sal UV10 Sunday 12-h "have your bicycle in shape for summer” ■Newly Opened —CAMPUS CYCLE SHOP Specialism# in Collision Repair €> F rame Paint in# SUMMER SPECIAL $ 12 Tune-up!io*,*.«» reg. $ 14 *Quality Repairs *Low Kates *One Day Service *Convenient Campus Location Open 10 4:30 M-F 11-3 Sat. 1128 Alder St. 345-7389
