Pass The Diet Dew, Please

Published on April 13, 2011 under Southern League (SL1)
Huntsville Stars News Release


Stars fans, there will be typos...there's no proofreading on Opening Day when you're typing on the fly, blood laced with 3-liters of Diet Dew and it's only 10:00 am and I have to make an airport run in seven minutes.

Here goes:

It's been 219 days since our final out of our final home game of the 2010 season at Joe Davis Stadium and today we start all over again. It's magical, it's exciting and to have a new season in front of us is like having a huge dry-erase board and a new set of markers to just see what you can do with it.

Of all the things Opening Day is, none of it would have come to fruition without a massive team effort to make this day happen. When you walk into the stadium tonight we hope you you'll enjoy the game and all the fanfare, the Polka Band, the fireworks and everything Opening Night should be. But here's what you might not know:

-218 days ago the staff sat down and started planning this night knowing and hoping that all the planning and execution would go for zip if Mother Nature decided the grass needed watering. The Good Lord looks out for saints and fools and we fit in there somewhere because there is no rain in the forecast.

-217 days ago we set a plan into motion with the Milwaukee Brewers, Major League and Minor League Baseball, our ownership group, the City of Huntsville and countless agencies and organizations to get the stadium up to code before opening day. I can't begin to explain how massive an undertaking this was and without the help of all the parties involved, their vision, patience and efforts, none of it would've happened. We removed four to seven inches of dirt from the playing field. We have large piles of dirt in our parking lot that are free for the taking for those of you that want black dirt with Bermuda grass sprigs...help yourself, shovel it into your yard and you can have a part of Joe Davis Stadium's grass growing in your yard.

-The lights are two-to-three times as bright as last season. The City of Huntsville hired Musco, the best company for the job, and I'd suggest wearing sunglasses tonight, because things are lit up. Those driving south on the parkway will probably call to complain. You'll see what I mean tonight.

-Time Reeves of Reeves Construction, and Jimmy Jones, ran a grass-roots effort to get the new hitting tunnel, a.k.a The Barn,' built in the old Kids Zone. The companies that joined in on this project are Christ Carpentry, Monster Concrete, Munoz Construction, Wilson Lumber Company, Durham Services, Inline Electric Supply, Gulfeagle Supply and others. For years this stadium existed with only one tunnel, below minimum standards for AA Minor League Baseball teams.

-The Huntsville Stars Booster Club worked behind the scenes week in, week out, to tackle a lot of projects that get added to the list when you have an aging stadium. From routine repairs to things out of the ordinary like helping the Milwaukee Brewers AV Intern install video cameras on the outfield wall here at the stadium. They don't ask for thanks, they don't want anything in return, but they're like family to us and we certainly couldn't operate without them.

-The folks at General Services with the City of Huntsville come thru when needed...the other day Clifton McGinniss knew we were in a crunch to complete some repairs and he and his staff grab the bull by the horns and knocked some things off the list to free up our staff for other things.

-The staff with the Brewers player development office was instrumental in helping problem solve some of the issues we faced. They helped tracked down equipment and supplies we needed.

-Our staff members, both full-timers and interns who decided to forgo an opportunity in a newer ballpark or a better situation, to come to Huntsville to try to improve the fan experience. Occasionally they take a beating from callers like, "In Montgomery they do it like this..." or "in Chattanooga they do it like that..." We're not in Montgomery, Chattanooga or Milwaukee. It is what it is and this staff has sold their souls for this team and this Opening Night. If you remember a few weeks back we said we wanted to increase the fan experience. There'll be a lot of moving pieces tonight and whether you're here or not, you'll be able to log in and track the progress of what these folks have accomplished. They don't have the benefit of a big, beautiful facility with a restaurant, immaculate luxury suites, electronic bells and whistles and all the toys. I have the best staff in baseball. Seriously. I'm not saying that to say that. There are baseball staffs that would crumble and fall over if they faced the workload and demands that I place on the staff. Best staff in baseball, bar none. But I'll take this staff over any other team's any day. They have energy and they believe fun is good.

-The support of the media has been huge. From in-depth articles from Mark McCarter leading into Opening Day, generating the buzz when everybody was focusing on Major League Baseball Spring Training or spring workouts for college football, to the rest of the local media taking time out of their busy days to come taste-test our new menu items and giving us feedback. We sometimes take that for granted, but I want to thank them personally for keeping the Stars in the news and on peoples' minds.

-Lee Hicks, the staff thanks you for the gift. We will enjoy it tonight after the game!

-Last but not least, we want to thank all of you who continue to support the Stars. Our corporate partners have lined up some inexpensive family fun for 2011. We hope you'll enjoy it as much as we enjoy being a part of it! We can't thank you enough for hanging in night after night, good weather or bad, and being a part of our family!

For those that want to log in and watch John Pearson, former sportscaster of WTMJ in Milwaukee and formerly of WHNT in Huntsville, John is our new broadcaster and he'll be streaming live on U Stream every home game this season. Go to ustream.tv and search for huntsvillestars (one word). Tonight John takes Minor League Baseball broadcasts onto the next level with The Living Room Show. If you set up an account you'll be able to interact. Web cameras will be in play. The broadcast game has changed. We think you're going to like this! All of you bloggers in Milwaukee, you'll be able to get your info out there and be a part of the show.

Here's to a great 2011 season! See you at the yard tonight!

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Southern League Stories from April 13, 2011


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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