MGM to host 2015 AllStar Game, promotion suggestion, history abounds!

Lots to get to with the second half starting up on Thursday, so lets get to it!

ALLSTAR GAME?
WE GOT NEXT

Montgomery will host the SL AllStar game next year. With Mobile passing, our fair city moves up!

Thats right fans, as predicted here in the blog we get the '15 SLASG and you heard it here first! Tell your friends how DrM told you about it!


 I hope we can do what the Lookouts did and host our home run derby in our historic park, Paterson Field, site of the very first Southern League All Star Game in 1972.

Announced this week, plans for a busy offseason of work on Paterson, which hosts over 200 events annually, making it still the most-used sports venue in the city.

The old park is basically the same as it was when it was built in 1949, except for the dugout roofs which were added later.

Among the renovations being discussed is the removal of the old roof, hopefully to be replaced or fans will bake!

Also needed would be updates for the clubhouse and press box.

Oh, and the turf and infield grass and the drainage.

Oh and the seats, they say they want to replace the old wooden bleachers with seats, but I suspect thats a stretch.

However for a home run derby, Paterson Field is the perfect venue with a deep history for Montgomery including MLB players like Bucky Dent and Cal Ripken Jr.

What better way to raise a few funds for the old park and honor the cities history than to hold our own home run derby at the old park?

Paterson overlooks the cemetery

CURRENT EVENTS

Thursty Thirsday should be lively this week now that the weather has heated up. With Jello Shooters added into the factor it could be a memorable event for some and a forgotten night for others.

SUGGESTION BOX
So with the thursday promotion, I felt it was time to offer up a suggestion to the Biscuits for a future promotion. Its a very similar thing to what other teams have done, but I think the Biscuits are a perfect fit.

Two words...

Biscuit Headphones

Teams have already been giving away themed headphones, but what would be a more iconic way to promote the brand! Here is example A - the Washington Nats gave away team colored headphones...

Now if they were just biscuits for headphones, wouldn't it be perfect??

If you doubt the food-for-headwear concept, just check out Josh Gates hamburger ear muffs -  they became a runaway viral holiday purchase.

Google Josh Gates Hamburger Earmuffs and see for yourself!

Go ahead, I mean it, I'll wait....

Told ya!
So whats to stop the Biscuits from having the best giveaway by any minor league baseball team ever?

I better get an extra pair for this suggestion, which I do consider my finest offering for a giveaway short of a Victor Mateo Bobblehead!

SPEAKING OF VICTOR....
I am thinking of ordering a small run of Victor Mateo No-Hitter Bobbleheads, please contact me if you are interested in getting one, though it may take until the offseason to get together. More details coming!

THE BASHIN BAYBEARS

With the second half we finally get some new teams coming to call. First up is powerhouse Mobile's BayBears.

The BayBears are led by top prospect Jake Lamb, who would be the studliest player in the Southern league if it weren't for some Cub named Kris Bryant. Also the Mobile team features power-hitting Jon Griffin, currently second in the league in homers.

Justin Fitzgerald leads the BBs with six wins in ten games, and Bradin Hagens with five. Jake Barrett is the closer, second in the league in saves.

As a team, Mobile is a good hitting club, among the leaders in batting average. However they struggle to touch the dish, currently last in the league in runs scored. They hit the ball over the wall, second in homeruns and leading the league in RBI.

The BayBears are last in stolen bases with just 19 on the year - thats less than Willie Argo!

In the field the BayBears have the best ERA in the Southern League, more than a full run lower than the Biscuits.

FAMILIAR FACE

Mobile has one name Biscuits fans will know - catcher Mark Thomas.

Now with a new team Thomas has finished his league obligations and been reinstated just in time for him to hit three homers in his first 11 games.

Thomas shares catching duties with Steve Rodriguez and RayWilly Gomez.



RAYWILLY GOMEZ

yes, Raywilly Gomez.

THE Raywilly Gomez.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

The Mobile BB's are tough at the plate and on the hill, it could be a harsh start to the second half for the MoSkitz. Hopefully the Montgomery players have rested and the new meat on the team will be up to the task at hand.

Bradys Boys will need pitchers to keep the ball in the yard and figure out a way to stop the Mobile thundersticks from putting up crooked numbers. Also the home team needs baserunners, an endangered species on the last homestand. The GumpSkitz need to keep running to survive and without baserunners the team has no weapon to score.


REBELS VOICE TURNS UP
I talked to Joe at the last homestand and learned that he was the PA Announcer for the Rebels in the 1970s! Sweet gig, I had no idea he was the man behind the mic.

So now I am working up questions, its always cool to find a Rebels fan, especially someone connected with the team. Getting the history is wonderful and Joe was there in the booth when the team was at its zenith.

Superfan Richard, Uncle Mikey, Joe and Big Mo kicking back at the game

Already he shed some light on the reason for the teams move, and its pretty much what we could have suspected.

A new face in municipal government didn't want to put budget towards upgrading the stadium - see above - and put the ownership in a tough spot. The reasons cited in the newspaper are attendance but its obvious thats not the problem, winning pennant after pennant the Rebels put about the same numbers up annually. But when the city pulled support for the park it became impossible for the Rebs to do business and so Montgomery lost its baseball team.

JUNE 18 1907 
Montgomery and Little Rock play to a 13 inning tie, 3-3

1907 Montgomery Senators

JUNE 18 1920 
 Knoxville, TN
"Grey Sox Win and Lose to Knoxville

In two games thus far played between the Montgomery Grey Sox and the Knoxville team of the Negro Southern League of baseball clubs, each has one game to its credit.

Steel Arm Dickey

Sam Streeter

Today's game was won by the visitors, 5 to 2, with Maddox in the box. Streeter hurled for the locals and was hit at opportune times by the Alabamians.

In yesterday's game the Knoxville team defeated Montgomery 5 to 3, Dickey working for the visitors, while Moss hurled for the local club."



JUNE 19 1916 

John Dodge

Third baseman John Dodge of Mobile is killed by a pitched ball during a Southern league game.

Tom Rogers

With over 100 games in the major leagues as a Phillie and Cinci Red, the light hitting Dodge was unable to dodge a high and tight fastball from Nashville pitcher Tom Rogers. He was hit in the face and did not recover, dying the next day.

Rogers was just 11 days removed from his perfect game against Chattanooga when his errant pitch struck Dodge. Rogers would go on to a long career including four MLB seasons and over 160 minor league victories.