The Biscuits not only failed to rise Thursday night, they did not even take the field. After an hour delay, the game was officially rained out. We arrived on time in the rain. We left in the rain. I think it rained steadily all night.
This was our first trip to Montgomery’s swanky new Riverwalk Stadium. Despite the rain, we enjoyed seeing the home of this Class AA baseball team that is a farm team of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
I had wondered if biscuits would be for sale at the concession stand. They were, and gravy, jelly and jam as well. I bought none, since biscuits are to me a breakfast food. Had the game been played, I would have bought some peanuts, even though the price was steep, $3.25 per bag. Perceptions influence us all. I cannot imagine watching a baseball game without enjoying some peanuts.
Our tickets were courtesy of our friend Randy Ruston. We had good seats overlooking the area between home plate and first base. We could not have asked for a better view.
A serendipity for us was the presence of the 11 and 12 year-old baseball team coached by my second cousin, J. R. Owen and our son Steve. The name of the boys’ team is “Albritton Construction.” Steve is a homebuilder. Twelve-year-old grandson Jake pitches and plays first base.
Jake and his teammates were special guests of the Biscuits. Had the rain ceased, they would have introduced Jake’s team, allowing them to take the field in their usual positions. Then the Biscuits would have taken the field, taking their positions beside the youngsters. What a thrill that would have been to these young boys.
As it was, the boys spent some time in the clubhouse with the Biscuit players. They were each given a baseball and each of the Biscuit players signed the balls for the boys. Jake and his friends will treasure the balls and the special treatment.
The people running the Biscuits team are smart. They are building good will with children and their families in the area. That should pay off in the future by generating interest in the team and attracting families to come back to see the Biscuits play. We were impressed. There is even a children’s playground in the left-field corner. The entire environment seemed safe and friendly for all ages. We ran into several friends, including the vivacious Cookie Knott. Cookie works there. Her job is to help people enjoy being at the games, she told us. Cookie is a perfect fit for that kind of work because she always brings fun to the table.
Since we had four tickets, we invited longtime friends Bill and Barbara Lacy to join us. Bill is a dentist in Wetumpka. The four of us have been friends since our school days in Wetumpka. Whenever we are together, we laugh a lot, at a thousand different things. Laughter, I think, is sign that people enjoy being together.
We were amused to think how Bill and Barbara will tell others about their night out with the Albrittons. I can hear them saying, “You cannot imagine what fun it is to go out with Walter and Dean. We stood for over an hour with them in this baseball stadium watching it rain. Then we had a cup of coffee together and came home. We can’t wait to go out with them again!”
Well, we needed the rain, so why not enjoy it. We definitely plan to go see the Biscuits play one day soon when there is no rain in sight. Perhaps the next time we go, someone will introduce us to Big Mo, the Biscuits’ mascot.
Montgomery has done a fine thing in bringing the Biscuits to the Capitol City. We salute the visionary people who are making such splendid entertainment available in our fair city. When some of our grandchildren say, “Take me out to the ballgame,” we will be on our way to see the Biscuits play. + + + +