I start my summer job tonight, ushering at the Epicenter for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. In addition to walking the streets canvassing addresses and map listings for the US Census, the Quakes is a great gig for a few months mostly helping fans have a great ballpark experience.
Rancho Cucamonga plays in the California League, a ‘high A’ level professional minor league franchise affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim).
Minor league baseball is alive and well and value-priced, giving fans an intimate view of the game in a comfortable, clean, safe and well managed park with great food and friendly competent staff. I can’t tell you how many fans said to me ‘what a great experience, great ballpark, what baseball is supposed to be like.’ It’s like hometown baseball, one fan told me.
Wooden bats, real grass cut short, soft summer breeze to cool down the stadium, great food, real smoke wafting from out of the grills in the café concession stands, good baseball where you see players before they migrate up the professional ranks and you do see some major leaguers on rehab assignments coming off injuries. Plenty of foul balls, between inning fun, great mascots in Tremor and AfterShock who are always moving about the park trailed by a gaggle of kids wanting hugs photos and autographs. Players sign autographs before and after the game, fireworks on most Friday nights.
Check it out, either in person or on KSPA radio 1510 with announcer Jeff Levering.
Anybody coming out to the park and mentioning to me that they read this blog, I’ll buy you a hot dog!
See you at game time!
Monday through Thursday, 7:05 PM, Friday nights 7:35, Saturdays at 7:05 and Sunday’s 5:05 PM or 2:05PM. Check http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t526 for details.
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