Tucson Electric Park (Tucson Sidewinders Baseball)... Draft Beer served at 43-degrees

In Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “The Gambler, the Nun and the Radio”, all of the characters have passions in their lives which serve as a sort of religion. For Mr. Frazer, a character in the story, that passion is listening to sports on the radio.

As I stared out the open window of the press box at Tucson Electric Park, just before the start of a twilight double header between the Round Rock Express and the Tucson Sidewinders, as I heard the sound of play-by-play announcer Ryan Radtke’s voice begin to bellow from the next room as he began his broadcast, as I watched my friend Ken Brazzle, the beat writer from the Tucson Citizen, write the lineups into his scorebook, as I looked at the meager crowd that had come at this unusual start time to catch the first pitch, I thought this is one of my passions. I am Hemingway’s Mr. Frazer, enticed by the attraction of athletic competition.

Years ago I was a spectator at a Tucson Toros game at Hi Corbett Field when I made my way up to the press box window to say hello to my friend Dale Lopez the public address announcer. “Can you work the scoreboard tomorrow?” Dale asked. When I said yes, I started an advocation that has lasted over two decades. Scoreboard operator, message board operator, music director, public address announcer, clock operator, whatever to help out at local sporting events. From little league to the pros, from the Badger Dome to McKale, I have watched countless games.

On this night I felt a kind of sadness. The current owner of the AAA team was showing one the the new owners, owners who would most likely be moving the team out of Tucson, around the stadium. He politely introduced me as the scoreboard operator.

The first game went the home team’s way. Carlos Quentin and Chris Carter hit back to back home runs off of Round Rock starter Chan Ho Park en route to a 9 to 1 victory.

Twenty minutes between games left me time to head downstairs for a beer. On the way I met my good friend Woody who I worked with during spring training with the Colorado Rockies for many years.

“It’s sad this team is leaving”, Woody said. “Do you think we will get another minor league team?”

“We might,” I answered. “These things have a way of working out”.

I saw Betty Ord and her brother Mark sitting in the stands on the first base side. Knowledgeable and passionate baseball fans, both are fixtures at Sancet Field during the college season, cheering on the Wildcats. I worked with their brother Dave Ord with the Tucson Toros. Dave is now the assistant sports editor at the Arizona Daily Star.

“Chan Ho Park had a bad start,” Betty said.

“Yeah, he got hammered”.

I hurried upstairs for the start of the second game with a Bud Light purchased from the concession stands. It’s temperature was 43 degrees. Lopez, still the PA announcer, and Joe Porter the message board operator both agreed that the brew could have been colder. “Maybe if we knocked ten degrees off the temperature of each beer we wouldn’t be losing the team?” I joked. Nobody laughed.

The second game went ten innings as Stephen Randolph, a former Sidewinder, allowed just one hit over three innings to pick up the 1 to 0 win for the visiting Express. Over the course of the evening more than two thousand fans showed up to watch at least part of the double header. Relaxing, watching baseball, having a beer and a hot dog. It is going to be sad to see this go.

But I guess, like Hemingway’s character in the short story, I will always have the radio.