A Long Night's Journey

Sunset between two games in Reno.

Long story short, the air journey from Pennsylvania to Reno was about the worst I’ve ever had. Moments before boarding the first leg of the flight, my connecting flight was cancelled. Then the first flight was delayed for hours leading to an unscheduled overnight in Charlotte, N.C. It looked like I might lose my hotel, my car rental and a chance to see a Reno Aces game. 

Two hours’ sleep, numerous late night phone calls, and three rescheduled flights later, I had salvaged most of the trip and arrived in Reno, not only in time for the game, but with plenty of time to see both ends of a doubleheader. The Reno Aces and the Round Rock Express were making up a game that was postponed two nights before because of poor air quality. I overheard a lot of comments about what a nice night it is compared to recent days when smoke from the Dixie wild fire filled the air.

Waiting to enter under the big baseball.

Greater Nevada Field was worth the extra effort to get here. About 20 years ago, minor league ballpark designers began to take everything from food and drink concessions to restrooms out from under the grandstands onto broad concourses behind the seating bowls. They also extended the concourses to make full-circle loops beyond the outfield where children’s playgrounds and lawn seating areas began to take shape.

One of the best scoreboards I've seen. Easy to read and lots of information.

The stadium in Reno checks off all the boxes with these modern ballpark features. The kids’ playground has a giant slide and a large lawn area slopes down from the walkway to the right field wall. On the other end of the outfield there’s a party area called Upstairs at Greater Nevada Field with an outdoor concert stage and several bars. Bugsy’s Sports Bar has a patio that overlooks left field.

The stairs to Upstairs at Greater Nevada Field.

I don’t know what to say about Archie the mascot. I don’t have a picture because he doesn’t photograph well. He’s big, red, and has an enormous tongue in a gaping mouth. The kids seem to love him, and what more can you expect from a baseball mascot.

One of the most unusual things I’ve ever seen is the giant inflatable baseball head that appears beyond center field in the seventh inning stretch to lead the fans in singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Well, maybe not singing, but definitely lip-synching. Another surprise was the freight train that was visible and audible as it passed by on tracks running through a kind of trough behind the scoreboard in left field.

The giant singing baseball. 

This is a last minute trip that I threw together when I realized I had a big opening in my summer calendar and the minor league schedule told me “California is the place you ought to be.” Reno was added as an afterthought because it seemed cheaper and easier to fly here, or so I thought. I got lucky, which is not a bad thing to be in Reno, when all of the six nearby California baseball teams were scheduled to play at home at around the same time.

That’s seven ballparks in a week and a half and eight games counting the doubleheader in Reno. I hope there will be a little time to explore Lake Tahoe and some of California’s other natural wonders.

Elote fries. Everything you'd find on a loaded ear of corn, plus BBQ pork and corn,
over french fries and served in a batting helmet. All the food groups in each forkful.

Round Rock took the first game and Reno won the second, each victor taking a commanding lead into the late innings. Final: Game 1, Round Rock Express 9, Reno Aces 6; Game 2, Reno Aces 10, Round Rock Express 6.