All Star Week: Day Two

Got home last night at 8 pm. Hot and tired. At the last minute they changed today's practice from 4 pm to 7 am, so I'm writing from the air conditioned Truist Park Delta Club. This morning we moved Big Red, the huge stage for the all star game pregame, from the underground players parking lot out onto the field. 

There's a huge all star game logo painted in centerfield that we have to go around. 

Hung around in the American League dugout this time. In keeping with Ballpark Music policy (my "employer"), I am only sharing non-specific photos until after the events.

Later we moved the big red all star stage back out onto the field, then the all star introductions were rehearsed. So we sat around for over 2 hours watching and waiting. 

It was nice and cloudy, but then the sun came out and it was hot. Finally we moved the stage back underneath, and left at 1230.

Interesting group of about 40 volunteers. I mostly hang around with the three other older white guys (who live in East Cobb and Woodstock). But we socialize with everyone else: black and white, young and old, male and female.…a Kennestone nurse with sons playing high school ball, an Asian lady who seems to enjoy being in an odd environment for her, a UGA student from Long Island, several high school students, and an engaging local umpire.  

That gave me just enough time to drive to Alpharetta for a focus group. They gave us two plates of Applebees oriental chicken salad to eat, one with cut up chicken tenders, and the other with cut up boneless chicken wings. They were pretty much the same. Together they were about as much as you'd get in the restaurant. But a good lunch.

I stopped at three thrift stores in search of a plain black cap to wear on Monday and Tuesday night. Found two. Bought one. Also bought a nice '47 Brand Braves mesh snapback cap. $40 in the Braves Clubhouse Store, mine for $2. Passed on a Braves NAPA cap that didn't look good on me (below).

Stopped by Racetrac for a drink, BP for gas, Taco Bell for a chicken burrito special, and Freddy's for a free chocolate sundae. Of course then when I got home M cooked chicken parmesan. I chose the smallest portion.

Back to Truist Park tomorrow at 8 am. Sure beats working in an office.

HANK AARON [SABR Bio] was the only player to win the National League MVPlayer for the Milwaukee Braves. Aaron won with MLN in 1957, the year they won the only World Series championship the city of Milwaukee has ever celebrated. Five of his teammates also received MVP votes that year. Aaron received MVP votes in 19 of his 22 seasons in the majors—nine times finishing in the top five…every year from 1955 to 1973. He was the first player to win a Gold Glove the same season he won a batting title, with a .355 batting average in 1959. It was his 2nd GG. 

Anna is in Idaho with Jules and her other girlfriends.