> The Dragons were playing the Michigan Battle
> Cats, a farm team for the Houston Astros (???
> why a team from Michigan would be affiliated
> with a team from Texas was beyond our
> comprehension.)

This happens all the time. Usually, major league teams are affiliated with teams nearby. However, there's only so many teams to go around, and I guess minor league teams will affiliate with the highest bidder. For instance, the Pittsburgh Pirates' affiliates are in Nashville TN, Altoona PA, Hickory NC , Lynchburg VA, Williamsport PA, and Bradenton FL. Most of these aren't very far from Pittsburgh, except for Bradenton, and maybe Nashville and Hickory.

>
> During the bottom of the first inning, while the
> Dragons were up to bat, one of the batters
> knocked a foul ball straight into the stands just
> below and to the left of us. The ball literally
> went straight from the bat into some poor
> guy's face. I think the man was looking up at
> the video scoreboard at the time and never
> saw it coming. It looked like it got him square
> on the nose--ouch! Didn't knock him out, but it
> probably broke his nose. EMTs arrived on the
> scene quickly and took care of him. Needless
> to say, he and his family left early...his wife
> looked mad...we hoped they at least got their
> money back. We tried to keep our eyes glued
> to the field from then on, at least whenever
> someone was up to bat. Fortunately there
> were no other incidents of that nature the rest
> of the evening.
>

Got their money back? Because he wasn't paying attention? Usually at the beginning of the game, the PA announcer reads a warning about paying attention to the game, because balls and bats can and will leave the field of play. The courts have also ruled it is the responsibility of the spectator, not the team. Some lady tried to sue the Detroit Tigers, I think, after she got hit in the face by a bat or ball or something. She lost.


> The fifth inning was spectacularly
> boring...nothing happened. The sixth inning
> was about the same, at least until my nose
> started bleeding. No, I didn't get hit with a foul
> ball; I just happen to be like Sam in that I am
> one of those people who get gusher
> nosebleeds from time to time for no apparent
> reason. Bleagh. You can read all about this
> phenomenon in the first "Bleeding
> Excessively" chat archive if you like. Anyway,
> with nothing on hand to stop the flow, I'm
> afraid my RinkWorks tee got a bit ketchupy.
> Oops--I'm probably grossing people out here.
> Mrs. G saved the day, running to get napkins
> and some ice for me. I missed most of the
> sixth and seventh innings while I was
> staunching the flow in the restroom.

I heard you can get those from having too much salt in your diet. That's what my uncle says anyways. And since he stopped eating so much salt, he hasn't had them.
>
> I came back for the eighth inning to find I
> hadn't missed much. Same score, 1-1.
> However, by the bottom of the ninth, the Battle
> Cats had pulled ahead, getting three more
> runs to make the score 4-1. Undedicated fans
> began packing up and leaving early, while the
> Scotsman sat there and scorned them, loudly
> announcing his policy of never, *ever* leaving
> a ballgame until it's over.

I hate when people do this. I have never in my life left a ball game early ever, and I've been to a good 40 or so. I have seen the Pirates lose 16-4, and I haven't left early. The reason for this is because of what happened this past July 28. The Pirates were losing to the Houston Astros 8-2 in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and nobody on. The Pirates cam back to win 9-8 on a Brian Giles grand slam over the right field wall. Unfortunately, I had tickets to this game, but could not go because I had to work. My dad and little brother went, and, of course, they left early. My dad was a little surprised when he found out later the Pirates had pulled off the biggest ninth inning comeback in like 70 years or so.

So we waited,
> and...the Dragons caught up! They managed
> to tie the game, 4-4, by the end of the ninth
> inning, so it went into overtime.

Extra innings. NOT overtime. Baseball is not a timed sport, so therefore, it cannot possibly be over time.

>
> Nothing happened in the tenth inning.
>
> Nothing happened the first half of the eleventh,
> and we began wondering just how long this
> game would last. Scots told me that he
> thought the record for a baseball game was
> 25 or 26 innings. Yeesh.

26 innings. Time wise the longest game ever was
8 hours and 26 minutes. In the majors, anyways.

>
> Bottom of the eleventh. We're in overtime. The
> score is tied, 4-4. The Dragons only need one
> run to win the game. Someone finally makes it
> on base. Then the next guy walks. Then the
> next guy walks too! Now the bases are
> LOADED. Here comes our star, Wily Mo Pena,
> up to bat. The crowd is going wild! Here
> comes the pitch...he swings...WHIFF! Strike
> one. Awww. Here comes the second pitch...he
> swings...CRACK! GRAND SLAM HOME RUN!
> Final score, Dragons 8, Battle Cats 4. This is
> how baseball should be all the time.
>
> Gri"glad we stated for the fat lady's song. And
> yes, his name really is Wily Mo Pena"shny

I have heard about the "minor league baseball experience," and how the games are much more entertaining to watch than a major league game (not to mention cheaper.) Have you been to a major league game? How did the minor league game compare to that? I've never been to a minor league game, but I've heard much good about them.

The Other "EXTRA INNINGS!" Matthew