MC fans turn out for Communtiy Baseball Day
By PATRICK COOLEY, Special to The NewsMARIETTA — Despite sporadic rainfall on Saturday, there was still a large crowd at the Don Schaly Stadium in Marietta to watch Marietta College’s baseball and softball teams play doubleheaders this weekend.
The baseball team played a doubleheader against Otterbein on Saturday at the stadium and the softball team played a doubleheader against Kenyon College on Sunday. Everyone who attended the games got in free of charge due to the 10th annual Community Baseball Day.
In addition to free admission, the crowd was treated to free food, free snow cones and was allowed to keep any balls that were fouled into the stands. Under normal circumstances at Division III college baseball games, the crowd is asked to return any foul balls.
“This is an opportunity to do something for the community,” said Tom Perry, the director of media relations at Marietta College. “We want to connect the college with the community and the community with the students.”
He said Marietta College’s baseball team is the sports team that is most recognized in the community, and this is a chance to give something back for their support and draw some interest for the softball team.
Perry’s sports promotion class helped raise nearly $1,700 so it could buy T-shirts, food and pay for the the balls that were fouled off. The class began the day with 1,000 shirts to give away.
Chase Hill, 8, of Vincent, was one of the people who was fortunate enough to catch a foul ball.
“It was awesome,” he said.
His father, Jerry Hill, 49, heard that they could get into a game for free and decided to check it out.
“My daughter, Ashley Hill, was doing some of the PR (for Community Baseball Day),” he said. “It’s been really fun for the kids, I actually think we’ll be coming to some of the other games now.”
Others came to the games for a variety of reasons.
“It seemed like a nice day to be outside and see a ball game,” said Jack Brown of Marietta.
Patrick Brockmeier, 38, of Beverly, made his fourth trip to the community baseball day.
“We’re hoping the weather holds up,” he said as rain drops started to fall during the first half of the Pioneers doubleheader against Otterbien College.
His two children, Grace, 4, and Chandler, 11, particularly enjoyed the free snow cones.
“The kids like to come out and see a couple of ball games,” Brockmeier said. “They’ve really had a good time so far.”
All of the T-shirts were given away during the first half of the doubleheader.
“This was a really good year,” Perry said. “I think we saw a lot more community involvement than last year. Today really is more for them.”
