If you didn’t get a chance to listed to HawksTown Tonight, our normal segment with Dr. Jasper LiCalzi on Business-Baseball-and Politics focused on summer reading, with Dr. LiCalzi mentioning three good reads for the summer.

His books were:

BASEBALL:   David Halberstam The Teammates: A Portrait of Friendship

 

BUSINESS:    Joyce Appleby, The Relentless Revolution:  A History of Capitalism

 

POLITICS:     Jonathan Alter, The Promise: President Obama, Year One

 

I am also reading a pair of books this summer – starting with David Halberstam’s Summer of ’49, focusing on the American League pennant chase between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox – with a lot of great talk about legends Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio.  I am also going to read The Bullpen Gospels by former San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays reliever, Dirk Hayhurst, about life in the minor leagues.

 

If you get a chance to read these books – feel free to let us know how they are.

 

Also – we have received some response on our BBP talk on HawksTown Tonight, as some fans do not appreciate us thinking “Outside of the Box” (or talking sometimes about the liberal side of politics).  We take all comments to heart and appreciate you listening to the show.  It is something different that we try to bring to the table – whether it is the talk on President Obama, bus ride movie reviews, how to make your grass green in the summer, or Treasure Valley Men’s Fastpitch League reports.  It is something fresh every night and hope the fans like the good and the not-so-good of it.

 

Tonight was a special night for many reasons at Memorial Stadium, as first-place was achieved at the “Big House on Glenwood”.

“Memorial Stadium Magic” returned in a big way, as the Hawks, who last night lost a 12-11 heartbreaker to the Spokane Indians, rallied from a 10-4 deficit to score seven runs in the final three innings, including three bases loaded walks in the ninth, to topple the Tribe, 11-10 – moving into first-place in the East Division race with just seven games left.

Also heading into first-place was your’s truly, who called his 390th game for the Hawks – the most by a broadcaster in franchise history.  I surpassed Rob Simpson, who called 389 games in his five years with the Hawks (having moved past both Dave Hahn and Sean McCall last year).

It was a memorable game on a memorable night – and would have to rank among my Top-10 games (if I had a Top-10 list)…right up there with the six-run ninth inning outburst in Eugene a few years back, the 2004 NWL Championship series, and the five-game sweep at Everett in 2004.

Thank you to all of the fans for all of the kind words…as I look forward to Friday, which will be my 400th NWL broadcast (including six games I called for Spokane in 2007).

Tonight the Hawks will be saying good bye to Marion County and Volcano-Land – otherwise known as Volcanoes Stadium for the 2010 season (unless we both reach the NWL Championship Series).

For me, I will not be saddened (except for leaving both Matt Pedersen, the new voice of the Volcanoes, and Mark Gilman, their former voice, both good guys).

A ball park that has the worst vantage point in the league from the press box (especially on Friday night when a booth was set up right in front of my position) begins the problems (which have ended in the past with too many losses to the Volcanoes).

Having to climb over railings to hang a crowd mike (which still gets kids talking directly in it), watching people spend $4.75 for an 9 ounce beer (or as I saw on $1.00 beer night, a cup that resembled the plastic glasses at a Holiday Inn).  Hot dogs that are made of chicken instead of beef, and the topper – a sign that says no straws or lids for sodas, but you can have a slice of pie for $6.00 ($3.00 more for ice cream).

If I were to have friends in town – they better be from out of town, because locals are not allowed to receive complimentary tickets (I did have friends come on Friday night – I put Boise down, but they were asked to show ID, and they said they haven’t gotten new Idaho licenses)…but still got general admission berm seating.  It is the same seats the Hawks staff received when they came to Oregon for the 2006 LCS.

On field promotions are limited (although I have always loved their Kid Around the Bases – where a youth runs the bases after the ceremonial first pitch) – basically a water balloon hitting contest and a dress up in a uniform contest.  No running of the bases after the game – since the field lights are immediately turned off after the final out – maybe that is why there are pitching mound sized dead spots in the outfield (see picture).

Finally, I have to say that the fans in Salem-Keizer are the most complacent in the league.  Yakima may have the lowest attendance, but they are loud…Vancouver’s rowdies get into it, as the do in most other cities.  Not here, no cat-calling from the stands – which has surprised the Hawks players.

Fellas – lets get a win tonight, take a series from the ‘Canos, and head back to Idaho!

 

The latest Boise Hawks alumni report noted a couple of things – as 18 former players are currently in the major leagues, with 47 players at the upper two levels of the minor leagues (AA/AAA).

Former Hawk Ryan Keedy recently retired from baseball after spending the last two years in the Marlins organiztion, while 2007 Hawk, Ryan Acosta, has resurfaced in the Yankees farm system.

Recent promotions included Greg Rohan to Daytona, with David Cales and Hung Wen Chen to Iowa.

To view the entire Alumni Report, click the following link –
AlumniReport7-17-10.pdf

As promised, here is the complete audio from our three-part chat with Boise Hawks President/GM Todd Rahr about the stadium issue in Boise.

Also, here are a pair of pregame interviews with Pierre LePage (
LePageINT.wma) and Danny Keefe (
KeefeINT.wma).

Congratulations to Hawks Hitting Coach Ricardo Medina on the birth of his second child – son Emmanuel.  Finally, we have a picture of the newest Chicago Cubs prospect.

Congratulations !!!

To say that Tuesday was a VERY long day for the Boise Hawks – lets here the short version of the story.  The team bus left Memorial Stadium at 6 a.m. (MDT) – I was up at 4:45 to drive from Caldwell to the yard, heading west for the 400-mile trek to Salem.  The team slept probably the first four hours or so of the trip, waking up just as we entered the vast Columbia River Gorge (pictured left) – where guys were asking me about the wind turbines on top of the ridges on the Washington side of the river, about how tall Mount Hood was (which looked amazing against the crystal blue sky), and ooh’d and aah’d when we went past Multnomah Falls.

We arrived at the team hotel around 1:15 p.m. (PDT) – giving the guys less than two hours before they had to board a bus to Volcanoes Stadium (and outside of a Denny’s, the closest food option is over a mile away (having to walk around the lake – pictured right), which the guys did not appreciate).  The squad strapped it on, and promptly fell behind 3-0 in the second inning – but fought back, using a season-high 17-hit attack, which included five two-out RBI, to win, 7-4.

What was even more important was the fact it marked the first time since the 2000 season that the Hawks won the first game of a series at Salem-Keizer – a team that they have recorded a mere 15-50 overall record since 2004 (prior to last night).

Jesus Morelli had Boise’s first four-hit game of the season, while Alvaro Ramirez officially extended his hit streak to 12 games (as the scoring change against Spokane was finally overturned) with a three-hit game, Elliot Soto recorded his second game-winning hit of the year, and Micah Gibbs (pictured left) had his first multi-hit game of his career.  The story was also Dustin Fitzgerald, who tossed three and a third scoreless innings of relief in his Hawks debut.

NEWS AND NOTES: Prior to the game Tuesday, pitcher Danny Keefe was promoted to the Class-A Peoria Chiefs – advancing beyond short-season baseball for the first time in his career.  To take his place on the roster, eighth-round pick, Cam Greathouse, out of Gulf Coast JC in Florida, was promoted from the AZL-Cubs…much has been said about the problems with the Memorial Stadium outfield (which Zamzow’s is working on this week), but similar issues are occurring here at Volcanoes Stadium – which has bigger patches of brown grass than we have in Boise.

LISTEN IN – Tuesday through Thursday, I’ll have a three-part interview with president/general manager Todd Rahr about the proposed new stadium issue in Boise…I asked some tough questions – so tune in to Hawkstown Tonight at 7 p.m. (MDT) all week.

 

 

(Note to all of the Hawks fans – my opinion is strictly my opinion, not that of the Boise Hawks Baseball Club)

There has been a lot of conversation over the last six months about the possibility of a new ball park in the Treasure Valley – known affectionately as the Treasure Valley Sports and Entertainment complex.  It looks to hold the Hawks, along with a possible professional soccer team, host concerts, prep sports, and a possible outdoor ice venue during the winter.

Locations have been pinned down to Boise (possibly including the vacant car lots along the Boise River just down from the Doubletree and Joe’s Crab Shack) and Meridian (multiple sites in the area – including one that was on the Meridian master-plan sheet that was unveiled at a City Council Meeting a couple months back.

The TV stations, the local newspapers, and local radio have all talked about the issue – as the Hawks are looking for some sort of a public-private partnership to fund the 20 million dollar facility…but all anyone talks about is, will people pay for it.

Before I answer that, is the facility needed – well, if you listened to Brian Murphy’s column in yesterday’s Idaho Statesman (which was well written), you’d think no, Memorial Stadium is fine.  But, it failed to mention the things that are a necessity for minor league baseball – and things that the Chicago Cubs will look at when wanting to renew their Professional Development Contract.

Are there enough seats…I guess.  Are there enough concession stands…I guess.  But, is the press box good enough…not even close – it is in my opinion one of bottom two in the league…I’d put Salem-Keizer at the bottom, just because of its design, but Memorial Stadium’s press box is a cramped space that does not have an elevator or a way for a disabled reporter or broadcaster to enter (I feel for Eugene’s Chris Fisher and Spokane’s Bob Robertson, both who would appreciate an elevator)…even the vantage point is limited, as the crowd stands in front of you throughout the night (thankfully, I have a monitor for the video feed).  Memorial Stadium is one of only three stadiums in the league without a video board, with it’s message center 1/4 the size of the other two clubs who do not have the LED boards.

How is the clubhouse…substandard at best.  There are just two urinals and one toilet for the entire Hawks team (coaches/players/staff) to utilize…there is no team room, no lounge area, and one small television.  Even the visiting clubhouses in most of the NWL cities are a big improvement to what the Hawks players and staff must deal with when they go to work.  Trainer AJ Larson has the smallest training room in the loop – in fact, his training room in every visiting clubhouse in the league is bigger than his one in Boise.

I am not complaining, Memorial Stadium was a great facility in 1989 and continues to be the home that countless fans have been drawn to over the last two decades.  But there is only so much that layers of paint can do – the talent that the Cubs (or whomever is the affiliate) bring to this great city deserve the best – not the worst.

Just last week, the Yakima Bears, who year in and year out rank dead last in the Northwest League in attendance, unveiled renderings to the Yakima Economic Development Committee of their proposed new ball park (and multi-use facility) – hmmm, where have we heard that before.

Let’s think about this – last in attendance, only 60,000 people in the community, a ballpark that is newer than Memorial Stadium, and I am convinced that Yakima will have a new ballpark (pictured at the top of the page and to the right) before Boise.

Being a native Washingtonian, I have been through the stadium issue before…first it was the Kingdome – which, inspired by the 1995 Mariners, helped build Safeco Field (fueled by taxpayer dollars)…Qwest Field, which replaced the Kingdome (fueled by taxpayer dollars), and now, a new Cheney Stadium (pictured left) in Tacoma, which, like Memorial Stadium, was one of the, if not, the worst AAA facility in the Pacific Coast League.  Taxpayers have also helped out all of the other professional venues – Everett Memorial Stadium (new video board), Avista Stadium (new scoreboard and seating), Gesa Stadium (scoreboard and million dollar sunshade), County Stadium (scoreboard and seating upgrades), along with improvements at the Spokane Arena, Toyota Center, ShoWare Center, and Everett Events Center – things those ownership groups didn’t have to pony up dollars for.

Would the Boise market, and/or the Idaho legislature offer anything of this sort – NO!  I have a hard time believing that people do not even pass their own school bond measures, fire levies, or road bonds – but yet complain about the quality of education deteriorating, roads falling apart, and why it took the fire department so long to get to your house.  The conservative nature of the community is something that I have had to get accustomed to in my ten years in the valley – I never really realized how liberal the Seattle-Tacoma area really was until I see it from afar.

So then, how could this new park become reality in the Treasure Valley – I can only think of two possible ways, since there is no chance in my book that any of the cities will pass a tax, nor will the legislature fund it (since they just slashed K-12 and higher education).  One would be for one of the municipalities to apply for an Urban Renewal bond from the Obama Administration – which I could see the City of Boise being able to do, which could revitalize a portion of downtown.  The other would be for an increase in the lodging tax in the valley – so that visitors to the area would actually be the ones funding the facility.

Is Memorial Stadium my home in the summer, yes.  Does it have charm, yes.  And I have so many memories at the yard.  But, this community deserves a new facility so that it can start resembling like communities across the nation. 

 

For your listening pleasure, here are some of the highlights from the first two weeks of the month of July.  Highlights of the Game are sponsored by Les Schwab Tires, with over 400 locations across the West.

July 1 – Pierre LePage hits a 3-run triple vs. Yakima: LePage3R3B7-1.wma

July 1 – Runey Davis hits solo homer vs. Yakima: DavisHR7-2.wma

July 2 – Brandon May hits solo homer vs. Yakima: MayHR7-2.wma

July 5 – Pierre LePage hits solo homer at Spokane: LePageHR7-5.wma

July 9 – Alvaro Ramirez hits 2-run triple vs. Eugene: Ramirez2R3B7-9.wma

July 9 – Danny Keefe closes out Eugene with strikeout: KeefeK7-9.wma

July 10 – Elliot Soto defeats Eugene with walk-off single: SotoWalkoff7-10.wma