During the week of July 8-17th Prince George hosted the World Baseball Challenge featuring teams from Cuba, Japan, Canada, the Bahamas, and two teams from China. I happened to be around town for a couple of those days and you know I was there like a dirty shirt...I dragged my friend Chris from HQ, and appreciate the sacrifice he made by cutting out from work for the afternoon...
Me pretty pumped up to see a live sporting event...
The first day was great with some awesome baseball as Canada beat one of the teams from China.
On the way out of the park I couldn't resist "pulling" a little fun at the Root Bear...who knew he had his own bouncer?
After getting served a restraining order banning me from any "mascot contact" I returned the next day to watch an afternoon game between Canada and Cuba. Chris and I decided to set up in the beer garden this time where it was packed for excitement...
The manager of Jamaica was doing his best to perpetuate the stereotype of his country being all about the relaxation...
Of course Cuba is a baseball superpowqer but we held our own for a while.
As we slipped into the losing end of things I amused myself (and a few others) by making a well-timed dive to retrieve a foul ball...not as great a catch as Matt's Safeco snag but at least I got the @!#$ ball this time!
As the light started to fade so did our hopes of a win. I decided to drown my sorrows with some beer garden favourites..
The local Prince George beer company decided to liven things up by throwing out free hats and I snagged a beauty. By then I had also sampled a couple of their beer...it is rumoured they collect the water from just below the pulp mill. Does it show?
As night fell the game wound down and the rain started...
...but we left happy and well fed, and without any further mascot incidents.
Being so far away makes me miss the trips to Seattle, and the ability to go anywhere at any time to do anything. But then maybe the isolation just makes these types of events that much sweeter.
After getting served a restraining order banning me from any "mascot contact" I returned the next day to watch an afternoon game between Canada and Cuba. Chris and I decided to set up in the beer garden this time where it was packed for excitement...
The manager of Jamaica was doing his best to perpetuate the stereotype of his country being all about the relaxation...
Of course Cuba is a baseball superpowqer but we held our own for a while.
As we slipped into the losing end of things I amused myself (and a few others) by making a well-timed dive to retrieve a foul ball...not as great a catch as Matt's Safeco snag but at least I got the @!#$ ball this time!
As the light started to fade so did our hopes of a win. I decided to drown my sorrows with some beer garden favourites..
The local Prince George beer company decided to liven things up by throwing out free hats and I snagged a beauty. By then I had also sampled a couple of their beer...it is rumoured they collect the water from just below the pulp mill. Does it show?
As night fell the game wound down and the rain started...
...but we left happy and well fed, and without any further mascot incidents.
Being so far away makes me miss the trips to Seattle, and the ability to go anywhere at any time to do anything. But then maybe the isolation just makes these types of events that much sweeter.
