Montgomery Abroard, What We Learned, Busy History Zone

With the team *abroard* for ten games on the Biscuit Bus, its a good time to catch up on what we know about the new squad.

New skipper Morgan Ensberg will go out to contest a call, but hasn't been tossed from Riverwalk... yet.

Jermaine Palacios has been getting into games at third base. His strong arm is a plus when working the hot corner, where he has over sixty career appearances.

Brendan McKay

McKay can flat out pitch, striking out a pile of hitters in game one of the series against Biloxi, which featured excellent pitching throughout. "What we are seeing is pure dominance" one Biscuits player told me and its hard to argue that fact!


Ivan Pelaez pitched for Faulkner University, has a classic mustache and is an instant fan favorite.

Thanks go out to Dalton Kelly, who hit a homer in game two against Biloxi and made me look like the Amazing Kreskin for predicting that the Shuckers would give up a home run to the Biscuits!


Outfielder Jesus Sanchez sometimes yells at baseballs to stay out of the strike zone.

INJURY REPORT
Pitchers Curtis Taylor and Sam McWilliams, who were both on last years club, have returned from injury to add depth to the pitching department.

Outfielder Ryan Boldt wont be back soon, look for a second half return.

Pitcher Benton Moss is expected to return midseason.

Pitcher Greg Harris has no timetable.

WHAT IS THE THING

No, not that one in the desert. There is a thing in right centerfield just beyond the fence. During the winter it served as a finish line for the half marathon and a standard bearing the year 2019 for the New Years festivities. Now that baseball season is upon us, fans have been wondering "whats up with that thing?"

I was told that soon to be added to "The Thing" will be a giant Monty Biscuit that will light up when the home team hits a homerun!

The lovable giant anthropomorphic bread product has been a standard mascot for Montgomery as well as a fan favorite since his debut back in late 2003. Appearing across the stadium and on many varieties of merch Monty's butter tongue has smiled its way into being among the most desired MiLB apparel to be had. Now fans will enjoy the Biscuits version of the exploding scoreboard, a lighted Monty Biscuit!

And for those who may have forgotten how Monty came to be....

Isn't that a blast from the past?
Its true that fans love Monty. When the scoreboard was replaced circa 2009 many fans were concerned that Monty would be removed, but he returned to his spot atop the jumbotron in left center field, much to the relief of the general public. Its great to see Monty still holding firm around the ballpark!

HISTORY ZONE
Some of my research has been slowed recently when my scanner decided to be more argumentative than usual! I hope to share a look at new items soon, including a view into a big game at Cramton Bowl and an All-Star team of WW2 military teams from our area.

APRIL 22 1839 

A.T. Pearsall

Doctor A.T. "Aleck" Pearsall is born, later to play for 1850's Brooklyn Excelsiors, near Florence Alabama. He would be expelled from the Excelsiors for joining the Confederate army as a surgeon. In 1868 he would come to Montgomery and help organize the cities first baseball teams. A fascinating character!


APRIL 22 1893 

Joe McGinnity

Joe McGinnity wins his second Montgomery start, beating Nashville again. This time the score is 7-4.

The future Hall of Famer is credited with a 15w-20L season in Montgomery, starting 33 games and completing 28 of them, including one shutout. The Iron Man picked up 478 victories in major and minor leagues combined.


APRIL 24 1976 
Pitcher Steve Trella of the Montgomery Rebels no hits Jacksonville to win 1-0

April 25, 1966 
Pitcher Michael D. Kilkenny of the Montgomery Rebels had 5 wild pitches versus the Macon Peaches to set the Southern League record.

APRIL 26 1906 

Ike Durrett

Montgomery manager Ike Durett, in a game at Birmingham, assaults umpire Buckley. This would be a factor two days later, when Durett is refused permission to sit in the dugout during the game and results in a forfeit when Durett refuses to leave.

APRIL 27 1956 
The Montgomery Rebels host the Augusta Tigers in Sally League play, losing 6-4 in a game that takes 4:24 to play, finishing at 12:09 am, at the time the longest game in the leagues history.

APRIL 27 1942
The Montgomery Rebels face the Maxwell Field Bombers in a wartime exhibition, likely at Cramton Bowl.

APRIL 28 1906 
Montgomery forfeits to Birmingham after Manager Ike Durett is refused permission to sit in the dugout by an umpire he attacked two days before. Durett will be fined $300 by President Kavanaugh and eventually released by Montgomery.