Ball State Spring Training 2019
  • Home
  • Features (2019)
    • Victory Field
    • At The Mercy of the Sky
    • O'Brien's Road Home
    • Marlin's vs. Nationals Youngest Fans
    • Ballpark Bites
    • Harpers New Home
    • Pen, plastic brings long lasting joy to Marlins fan
    • Ball State Softball finds something to rally around
    • Ball State Softball brings the energy
    • The Judges
    • Big Glove Guy
    • Baseball's Youngest Fans: Braves vs. Tigers
    • Baseball's Youngest Fans: Braves vs. Yankess
    • Road To Muncie
    • Champion Stadium: Spring training’s family attraction
  • Through the Lens
    • Ball State Baseball vs. Butler University
    • Ball State Baseball vs. Purdue University
    • Ball State Baseball vs. University of Central Florida
    • Ball State Softball vs. Iowa
    • Braves vs. Tigers
    • Diamond Details
    • Home of the Braves
    • Marlins vs. Nationals
    • People of Spring Training
    • The Game of Baseball
    • The Shadows of Baseball
    • Yankees vs. Braves
  • "BS" Podcast
  • Our Experiences
    • Why So Serious?
    • Through the Camera
    • Paige's Process >
      • Atlanta Braves vs. Detroit Tigers
      • Ball State Baseball vs. Butler University
      • Ball State Baseball vs. Purdue University
      • Ball State Baseball vs. University of Central Florida
      • Ball State Softball vs. University of Iowa
      • Miami Marlins vs. Washington Nationals
      • New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves
      • SunTrust Park
  • Grapefruit League History
  • About

harpers new home

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        He's headed to another team, a team in the same division.  Some fans are 
        thrilled, some are sad and some just don't understand.  Bryce Harper is on the
        move to a new home.  

Ballpark foods

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           There is more to ballpark food than hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn. We             traveled across Florida to the different spring training stadiums of the                 Grapefruit League to find the most unique concession options that are
​            offered for fans to enjoy!

O'Briens long road home

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​           He's played for minor league teams across the country, but now he's headed
           home.  Home means south Florida and the Miami Marlins, and a chance to
           make his first opening day roster with his hometown team.  The story of
           Pete O'Brien's journey home. 

Game Day at victory field

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      The city of Indianapolis is known for their professional sporting teams such as
       the Colts, Pacers and Fever. In the heart of downtown Indianapolis, you can
       enjoy America's favorite pastime baseball at Victory Field, home of the
       Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A Affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

PEN, PLASTIC BRINGS LONG LASTING JOY TO MARLINS FAN

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 For 38 years, Palm Beach native Kevin Duda has been sitting along the warning track with a Sharpie, a pen and his 1,200 various baseball cards.

“On a good day, I’ll get 80 signatures,” Duda said. “When I was a kid, I would get around 200 to 250. I have them all in albums and in alphabetical order.”

His collection of over 400,00 cards began out of curiosity...


​CHAMBERS IN THE OUTFIELD: AARON JUDGE HAS LEFT A LONG LASTING IMPRESSION WITH THE YANKEE FAITHFUL

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On a windy Tuesday afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field two Yankee fans sit just above the wall in the outfield. Nestled up with a beer, navy blue hoodie and a 5-1 lead, they fit in very well with the fans inside the park.

However, once No. 99 comes up to bat for New York, the two begin to bang their plastic gavels with their white colonial wigs blowing in the wind.... 


THE Newest Member of the team 

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There’s a new face in the Ball State softball team’s dugout. The  3-foot tall addition hails from San Jose, California and every since joining the dugout the team’s morale has skyrocketed.

No talking smack, no making errors, nothing can be blamed on this member except the success or failure of the team. 




BIG Glove Guy 

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“We want Vlady on March 28, not when you feel like saving some money!”  Blue Jays fan Pete Cherny yells at the press box, hoping to get the attention of Toronto Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins.

Cherny one of the loudest voices at Dunedin Stadium, but that isn’t the only thing that makes him recognizable.   It could also be the Blue Jays visor with the crazy hair wig, or better yet, the giant 23-inch baseball glove he wears on his left hand.

 
It’s the glove that has helped make him a celebrity around the stadium...
 
 ​



Bring on the energy 

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 “In any sport energy is huge, You want to get as much energy for your team as you can. Whether it’s inside jokes with the team or characteristics about certain people, we just start putting a beat to it and we start yelling.”

Hey, hey baby we want to know if you’ll be our girl."


This chant of the song "Hey Baby" is just one of the many chants the Ball State softball team does while on offense. This and many others are all part of how the team says they bring energy to their games.


BASEBALL'S YOUNGEST FANS

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Catching foul balls and getting a favorite players autograph is nearly every baseball fan’s dream. Fans lined the fence near the dugout just waiting to get those special autographs at the Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Monday.
 
This was especially true for fans, Gavin, 9, and cousin Nathan, 10. They stood slightly closer to the right fielders hoping one would throw a few balls their way. Gavin has been to spring training before and now he’s showing Nathan the ropes.


At the mercy of the sky

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Baseball is a victim of the elements, and spring training is no exception. However, the grounds crew at George M. Steinbrenner Field has worked hard to make sure the field is ready to go.
 
“Things have changed so much since I worked on the field,” current security guard and former grounds crew worker Tom Durkin said.
 
Despite the Yankees’ starting big names, attendance was low for this Tuesday afternoon game. 



Baseball's youngest fans: braves vs. tigers

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Spring training may not always be on the agenda, but sometimes you find your way there like Hayden Bertrand,12, did.
 
Hayden and his family came for a Disney vacation, but he and his dad, Kip Bertrand, snuck away to go watch some baseball. They left Animal Kingdom to catch the last half of the Braves and Tigers game at Champion Stadium in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.


baseball's youngest fans: braves vs. yankees

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​Spring Training is a place where you can see dreams come true, whether it’s a chance to watch your favorite player or dream about playing in the big leagues one day. For fans it’s a chance to see big league players up close, in a way you can’t at a regular season game, or a chance to see players who are trying to make their mark and join the big leagues.
 
Drew, 11, and brother Christian, 8, came to George M. Steinbrenner Field to see their favorite team, the Yankees, for those exact reasons.


ROAD TO MUNCIE

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Senior catcher Olivia Huffman had quite the journey before finally finding a home with the Ball State softball team. After being named first team all-state her senior year at East Ridge High School in Woodbury Minnesota, Huffman traveled west to attend the University of South Dakota University.  But three years ago, Huffman made the move to Muncie and found a place where she belonged.  

​“It’s really been wild that I ended up at Ball State,” Huffman said. “I originally out of high school got recruited to play out the University of South Dakota. There it kind of wasn’t the right fit.”


Champion Stadium: Spring training’s family attraction 

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​While most ballparks in the Grapefruit league work to offer a family friendly atmosphere, there’s something special about the Atlanta Braves spring training home in  Champion Stadium. Located in ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex, the park is across the street from Walt Disney World. 

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  • Home
  • Features (2019)
    • Victory Field
    • At The Mercy of the Sky
    • O'Brien's Road Home
    • Marlin's vs. Nationals Youngest Fans
    • Ballpark Bites
    • Harpers New Home
    • Pen, plastic brings long lasting joy to Marlins fan
    • Ball State Softball finds something to rally around
    • Ball State Softball brings the energy
    • The Judges
    • Big Glove Guy
    • Baseball's Youngest Fans: Braves vs. Tigers
    • Baseball's Youngest Fans: Braves vs. Yankess
    • Road To Muncie
    • Champion Stadium: Spring training’s family attraction
  • Through the Lens
    • Ball State Baseball vs. Butler University
    • Ball State Baseball vs. Purdue University
    • Ball State Baseball vs. University of Central Florida
    • Ball State Softball vs. Iowa
    • Braves vs. Tigers
    • Diamond Details
    • Home of the Braves
    • Marlins vs. Nationals
    • People of Spring Training
    • The Game of Baseball
    • The Shadows of Baseball
    • Yankees vs. Braves
  • "BS" Podcast
  • Our Experiences
    • Why So Serious?
    • Through the Camera
    • Paige's Process >
      • Atlanta Braves vs. Detroit Tigers
      • Ball State Baseball vs. Butler University
      • Ball State Baseball vs. Purdue University
      • Ball State Baseball vs. University of Central Florida
      • Ball State Softball vs. University of Iowa
      • Miami Marlins vs. Washington Nationals
      • New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves
      • SunTrust Park
  • Grapefruit League History
  • About