If you don't ordinarily watch the History Channel, you'll have to change your ways in March! One of the channel's longest-running series, Modern Marvels, is airing two episodes that baseball fans won't want to miss. by Joe Mock, President of Grand Slam Enterprises and Webmaster of BASEBALLPARKS.COM
If you're like me, you love this time of year! It's been way too long since any baseball games have been played, and now that spring-training exhibitions are in full swing, your favorite players are starting to knock off the offseason rust!
And questions about the upcoming season are already being asked: Can Lou Piniella put the pieces together on the north side of Chicago? Is Dusty Baker capable of leading the rag-tag Reds to prominence? Will Joe Torre be able to motivate the underachieving Dodgers? Can Clint Hurdle again get his Rockies to overachieve? Will Willie Randolph be able keep his rotation healthy and prevent his Mets from collapsing near the finish line? Will Tony La Russa find some extra runs by batting his Cardinal pitchers 8th in the order? Will Cecil Cooper be able to get his new-look offense to score enough runs to overcome the Astros' rotation deficiencies? And these questions are just from the National League!
But isn't it nice that it's once again time to be pondering questions like this??? While you're doing all of that pondering, allow me to discuss with you a few topics of relevance during this hope-springs-eternal time of year. First, you'll want to be in front of your TV on Saturday nights in March -- or at least have your Tivo programmed! Second, join me at the ballpark during the next few weeks. Third, start planning your summer of baseball with the brand-new Baseball Travel Map. And last but not least, put the world's best poster on your wall. Well, at least it's the world's best looking poster! Let's get started ...
If you don't ordinarily watch the History Channel, you'll have to change your ways in March! One of the channel's longest-running series, Modern Marvels, is airing two episodes that baseball fans won't want to miss.
On Saturday evening, March 22, the series will look at how domed stadiums changed the face of sports. A week later, the modern baseball park will be the subject. Both episodes air at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Producers from the History Channel interviewed me for these two episodes a few weeks ago in California. The minor-league ballpark of the San Jose Giants served as the backdrop. You'll also hear insights from ballpark expert Eric Pastore, webmaster of the excellent Digitalballparks site.
So mark your calendars and program your DVRs for March 22 and 29 for two special episodes of Modern Marvels, only on the History Channel!
Baseball games are being played, so that means I'll be hitting the road! Here's where I'll be during the month of March, so send me an e-mail to let me know you'll also be attending any of these games. I'd love to get to meet you!
Tuesday, March 4 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- Orioles exhibition game
Wednesday, March 5 in New Orleans, LA -- college baseball at Tulane
Saturday, March 8 in Austin, TX -- college baseball at Univ. of Texas
Sunday, March 9 in Tempe, AZ -- Angels exhibition game
Monday, March 10 in Maryvale, AZ -- Brewers exhibition game
Monday, March 10 in Peoria, AZ -- Padres exhibition game
Tuesday, March 11 in Mesa, AZ -- Cubs exhibition game At this game I'll be making an appearance at the souvenir shop, autographing copies of my book and the Touring The Majors poster to raise money for the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund (see below)
Friday, March 14 in Surprise, AZ -- Royals exhibition game This will also be a game where I'm signing copies of the poster
Friday, March 14 in Tempe, AZ -- college baseball at Arizona State (pre-season #1 college team)
Tuesday, March 18 in Ft. Worth, TX -- college baseball at TCU
Friday, March 28 in Los Angeles, CA -- Dodgers exhibition game at Dodger Stadium
Saturday, March 29 in Los Angeles, CA -- Dodgers exhibition game at the Los Angeles Coliseum
Sunday, March 30 in Washington, DC -- Opening Day of the new Washington Nationals ballpark
Monday, March 31 in Baltimore, MD -- Opening Day for the Orioles
2008 edition of the Baseball Travel MapThis year's edition of the Baseball Travel Map, an incredibly useful resource for any baseball fan, has just been printed. This laminated, fold-up map features a cover photo (right) of Louisville Slugger Field taken by yours truly. Inside you'll find a map of the U.S. showing the location of every Major and Minor League team of every level, as well as museums and other attractions related to our National Pastime.
On the reverse side, you'll find contact info for every team, including their league, ballpark, phone number and website. Truly, you'll never find a better resource in such a handy package.
We'll be among the first in the country to have copies of this year's edition of the Baseball Travel Map (it helps to have been the photographer of the shot on the cover!), and you can now pre-order your own copy of the map for just $8.95, plus shipping, at our Grand Slam Mall e-commerce site. Get it for yourself, or get it for a baseball nut that you know. It'll be the most helpful baseball-trip planning aid you may ever buy!
And speaking of our Grand Slam Mall site, that's where you'll find the incredibly well-received Touring The Majors Poster! At $19.95 plus shipping, you can put the parks of Major League Baseball on your wall ... and every time you look at it, you'll really feel like you're taking a tour of the 30 big-league stadiums!
In case you can't meet me at spring training to get me to sign a copy of the poster for you, here's a special offer only available to recipients of this newsletter: if you order the poster, then immediately send me an e-mail and tell me that you'd like for me to sign the poster for you. If you want me to personalize an inscription -- which is perfect if you're going to give the poster as a gift -- just say so in the e-mail. Just let me know the person's name, and if this is for a specific event (for example, "please sign this to Billy because it's his 10th birthday"). In your e-mail, please include the four-digit order number from your transaction at the Grand Slam Mall.
An extremely important aspect of this poster is that part of the proceeds are going directly to the Mike Coolbaugh Memorial Fund. As you probably know, Mike was tragically killed after being hit by a batted ball in a Texas League game last July 22nd. He was the first-base coach for the Tulsa Drillers, following a 16-year playing career that saw him play for 17 different pro teams -- including stints in the Majors with St. Louis and Milwaukee. He left behind a young family, including two sons who now have a little sister, who was born to Mike's wife Mandy last fall. The Tulsa Drillers established this Fund, and we are honored to make a donation for every copy of the poster that is sold.
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