Major League fun at a minor league game

          The Akron Aeros minor league baseball team plays its home games at Canal Park Stadium in downtown Akron, Ohio. Real nice ballpark; it is well-kept, pretty and roomy enough to be comfortable while attending games.

          Your loyal blogger attended a game there recently and had a great time. The Aeros are a double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

          Accustomed as I am to Major League prices, and to not attending Major League games because of those Major League prices, I rediscovered how affordable minor league ball can be.

          Reserved seats directly behind home plate, the most expensive thing they sell, cost all of $9. Parking can be free, although I parked the Mustang in the pay lot this time. I bought a large hot dog, large soda and a large bag of peanuts for $12. That’s a total of $21 if you park in the free lot. If you buy a cheaper seat, you can save a few bucks. If you eat at home before the game, it’s cheaper still.

          Programs are free. That’s right, free.

          Let’s face it, this is affordable entertainment.

          They do all kinds of mid-inning crazy stuff to keep the crowd energized. Fans dress up in mascot suits and race. Children are selected out of the crowd to introduce the batters on the public address system. T-shirts are thrown into the crowd. They play the Chicken Dance song on the PA and put video cameras in the crowd to show the best Chicken Dancers on the scoreboard’s big screen video player.

          I was there on Thirsty Thursday, which means cheap beer, and it was some kind of celebration of German-American heritage night.

          The Aeros have a hot new shortstop. Don’t ask me where he came from, but he doubled, homered and singled, driving in three runs and scoring twice the night I was there. The Akron third baseman is very good, defensively, and he started two very slick double-plays. It’s professional baseball and these guys play like it.

          The Aeros beat a team from Richmond, Virginia by a score of 5-1 the night I was there. I’m not sure I could have had more fun anywhere else.

          If you like baseball, you’ll like the minor leagues. If you like the minor leagues, you’ll just love the Akron Aeros.

 

          Thanks for reading.