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| FEEL FREE TO REVIEW SOME FUN FAQS OR E-MAIL JOE... |
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| ...BUT PLEASE DON'T TOOL ON HIM FOR HIS REALLY GOOFY PRESS PASS AND OTHER DORKY PHOTOS! |
Designed by an orthopedic hand surgeon, patented Bionic Gloves are ergonomically designed for maximum comfort and performance.
Baseball's past, present, and future are ready for you to
see and be part of at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.
"I'll never the forget the time a friend and I got tickets to see Darryl Hammond of Saturday Night Live perform his
impersonation of President Clinton as a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Ever since then we can't end any conversation
without asking, as Hammond imitated Clinton then, 'Do you like to have fun?' I've been asked a lot of questions - some
real crazy and off the wall. These dozen FAQs below are intended to be fun because baseball and ballpark trips are all about
having fun - and I like to have fun." – Joe Connor, having fun in sunny San Diego,
CA USA
Also, feel free to e-mail Joe at baseballjoe12000@yahoo.com. He usually responds within 24-48 hours – sometimes sooner if you write he's the greatest since
sliced bread and really kiss up to him! As long as you don't bring up the Red Sox World Series collapse in 1986!
12 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS OF
BASEBALL TRAVELIN' JOE
1. What are some of your favorite ballparks?
"I grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, and as a Red Sox fan,
so I am always biased to Fenway Park as being my All-time favorite. But you know the great thing about baseball ballparks
is that each one is unique and charming in its own way. I mean, that's a large part, obviously, of what makes baseball so
special to me. Take a look at the other team sports - there's essentially not a tremendous difference these days
between football stadiums, basketball arenas and hockey arenas. But baseball - each is different, good or bad."
2. So besides Fenway, your favorites?
"I like Wrigley Field in Chicago for its overall flavor, and its
characters and tradition, everyone from Harry Carey's legacy to ushers like Henry Widgren, around for more than a half century.
Yankee Stadium still has some of the best sight lines in baseball and has the best ballpark museum I've ever seen, and of
the new ones, I really like PNC in Pittsburgh and Seattle's because they were just really well-designed, not just the views,
but the locations and the history. And I always enjoy visiting The Ballpark in Arlington. I remember going to the old Arlington
Stadium while in college, too. But they're all great in their own way. Spring Training is also one of the most wonderful
and unique ballpark experiences."
3. Okay, Spring Training, your favorites?
"Dodgertown is the epitome of baseball and the fan. Any baseball
fan has really not lived until they have visited Vero Beach, and I don't just mean Dodgers fans. I mean, there are no dugouts,
you understand?! If you're a Dodger fan and you've not visited, hello! Lang Field in St. Pete is also great. Heck, I still
love going to Tiger Town. There's so much history in Florida. I mean the Babe and the Mick played at Lang Field; it's just
awesome."
4. What about Spring Training in Arizona?
"Totally different experience than Florida - much more modern, with
more amenities and conveniences and not as much history. The great thing about Arizona is the seating options - every
ballpark's even got lawn seating except Phoenix Muni where the A's are. I'd say my favorite is HoHoKam and Tucson Electric
Park. HoHoKam's always jumping with the Cubs faithful and TEP has great views of the Catalina Mountains, and Surprise
Stadium for the Royals and Rangers; it's pretty sweet."
5. What about other favorite ballparks - the minors, independent
leagues, even colleges?
"The minor leagues are great but
I think probably one of my top three greatest baseball experiences in my adult life was going to the College
World Series in Omaha. Rosenblatt Stadium during the CWS is something special. The fan atmosphere is tremendous. The place
is literally like this shining city on a hill. You might see two games in one day, be exhausted, but you still don't
want to leave and wait 'til tomorrow. All the tailgaters in Dingerville are characters, the public address
announcer is a character...There are lots of great ballparks I've been to around the country and the world but, to me,
there's nothing like Omaha."
6. You mentioned
- top three greatest experiences - what are they...?
"I'd say the College World Series and also seeing the Little
League World Series and two World Series in person as a fan in '98 (in San Diego) and 2002 in Anaheim.
There's obviously nothing like a Game 7 in the World Series but Williamsport is a special place too. I mean,
it makes you feel like a kid again - it really does. And it's very international, which I like too; teams from Latin America,
Mexico, Asia, Europe...Their parents going nuts in native outfits, hats, waving flags - stuff you don't see on TV;
you really have to be there. Plus, tickets are free, parking is free. Hot dogs are like a buck. Can't beat it. The Caribbean
World Series, at the professional level, is another great multi-cultural event I've been fortunate to attend."
7. What about internationally like Asia, Latin America, Europe
& Africa?
"Definitely my favorite ballpark overseas is Green Stadium in Kobe,
Japan. It's where Ichiro played before coming over to the States. It's actually the only ballpark in the Japanese leagues
with natural grass and it's in a parklike setting too - very airy and pure, with views of nearby mountains. It's in a
class by itself.
In Latin America, Santiago Stadium, in the Central Valley region
of the Dominican Republic, is one of the nicest ballparks I have ever visited anywhere. It's the only ballpark in the DR with
seating beyond the outfield fences and the sight lines are among the best. The seat colors are very eye-catching and
unique too - a slick bright yellow and orange mix, with a touch of light aqua blue's. The fan atmosphere in
the DR is just tremendous, and the hometown team, Aguilas (the Eagles) have a lot of history, too.
I've also had a wonderful time in Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto
Rico, Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama, Alaska, Canada, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Italy, the Netherlands, South Africa, other
parts of Europe and Africa, and in Australia,
going to the Under 18 nationals and seeing some club games at all levels. There ballparks down under aren't too
spifey - in fact, some are downright dumps with graffiti - but, I tell 'ya, those mates can play!"
8. Baseball in Australia...?
"There are about 35 or so players signed to Major League contracts that
hail from Australia, which is pretty amazing when you consider there's only 19 million people in the whole country and the
two main sports are cricket and rugby. The scouts I interviewed attribute this to the 'animal' mentality these kids get from
playing rugby like warriors. The other thing of course is the weather in Australia is always nice year-round so they play
year-round, and they start in T-ball. I think the thing that amazed me the most was how into it these guys were. There still aren't
a lot of baseball players Down Under, obviously, but the ones that play - they take it very seriously. I mean, hardcore seriously
- adjusting there schedule to catch the weekly MLB game they get fed on TV from FOX at like 3 a.m. or
6 a.m. in the morning, their time. I think you'll see more players coming from Australia too."
9. Are you related to former Major Leaguer Joe Connor,
who played from 1899-1905?
"I get this one a lot! No! You know, he only batted .199 or so... I
mean Bombo Rivera, now that's one baseball card I kept...I can say this - I went to the same high school (Kingswood-Oxford)
as Mr. Peterman (from the television sitcom "Seinfeld"), how about that? The one who is famous for saying things like
'Elaine, Who among us hasn't snuck in the break room to nibble on a Love Newton?' Of course, I've never met John O'Hurley,
but I guess it's something worth mentioning..."
10. Bombo Rivera was your favorite player growing up...?
"No, no, no...It's a joke between a family member and me. Bombo was
supposed to improve his average, you know what happened - he didn't! My favorite player growing up was Fred Lynn of my beloved
Red Sox because he played center field and I played center field. He also lives in San Diego."
11. Who are some of the best and worst players to interview?
"Ask any reporter who's been doing this awhile and they'd probably have
the retired Tony Gwynn is their top three. I miss him! He's accomodating, very articulate - and obviously quite knowledgeable
about the game. He's a quote machine. Worst? Like most you'd ask, probably Barry Bonds. Most of the players put up with the
media and are easy to talk to though. I really would have liked to interview the Crocidile Hunter, Steve Irwin, in
Australia but the mate was doing a movie!"
12. Besides baseball ballparks, have you visited any other
famous sporting venues?
"I've been lucky to go to a lot of great college football stadiums,
my favorite being Notre Dame Stadium for Irish-reasons, of course. Also, the Big House at Michigan, Tennessee, Penn State,
Oregon, the Rose Bowl - the Swamp in Florida is another favorite. For the NFL, I've been to Lambeau Field, the Dawg
Pound in Cleveland and the Cowboys Texas Stadium, with its open roof so God can watch his favorite team play. I've also
been to Churchill Downs, the Indy 500 race track, Madison Square Garden, Wimbledon, the Open at St. Andrews, Tour
de France, the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Kokugikan (sumo wrestling shrine in Tokyo); getting to go to the NHL All-Star
game as a kid was a lot of fun too - one of the benefits of my Dad having season tickets to the 'Fail Whale' in Hartford!
I also always enjoy traveling up north to see hockey games at places like Northlands (now known as Skyreach Centre) in Edmonton
and the Saddledome in Calgary. I've been very fortunate to see a lot. Very fortunate."
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