The Baseball Trip 2025

Day 1 - Friday, July 18

There are only two rules on the Baseball Trip: no interstate highways and no chain restaurants.

We - and by we I mean myself and Randy, navigator extraordinaire - like to count things along the way. Usually we count things like women on riding mowers, personal injury lawyer billboards and Confederate flags and other signs of the apocalypse. This trip we are counting casinos and cybertrucks. but we are also noting a somewhat more cheery subject - unique people.

The first stop is Lansing, Michigan to see the beloved Lugnuts. Since Indiana and Michigan are part of the corn and soybeans tour, there's really nothing to discuss as far as roadside attractions go. The Lugnuts are a high A affiliate of the Oakland (Sacramento, Las Vegas?) A's. Their opponent tonight is the Western Michigan White Caps team, a high A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

The Lugs jumped out to an early 2-1 lead, but the White Caps bounced back late with two home runs of Ruthian proportion. They came away with the victory, 4-2.

Here are a few pix from the stadium:

Outside the front gate, Jackson Field.

Left field video board.

Apartment lofts behind the ballpark.

                                                               Stands along the left field line.

                                                 Left and center field from behind home plate.

 

By the way, the Lugnuts mascot is Big Lug. He big-timed me and everyone else...nowhere to be seen.

Favorite town names: Paw Paw, MI

Favorite signs: Willing Workers Church

                         Mr. Food Food Mart

                         Uncle Pig's Breakfast and Lunch 

Casinos -  2 - Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, IN

                       Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City, IN

Cybertrucks - 0

Unique Individuals - 2 - Dancing construction worker directing traffic.

                                         ZZ Top looking dude riding a mower wearing nothing but swim trunks.

Things we cannot hang around for: Joey Chestnut Bobblehead night at Jackson Field.

Tomorrow: The Lake Erie Crushers in Avon, Ohio.

Random Observation From Randy: We have some free time tomorrow. Should we go to a wine tasting?