Field Trip

I got to chaperon a field trip to PGE Park on Wednesday. OMSI, US Bank and PGE Park all put on "The Science of Baseball" day and invited a ton of schools to participate. This year the 2nd grade team at Noah's school decided to participate. We left bright and early, got to the park 2 hours before the game started. From 9-10am we walked around the food court area and visited all of the booths that OMSI had set up. From 10:15-10:45 we watched an assembly about the science of baseball and then we got to stay and watch the Portland Beavers play the Memphis Redbirds. It was really fun BUT that was a long time for a bunch of 2nd graders to sit and watch a game. We could get up and walk if we wanted but there really wasn't anything to do so they were a bit bored. We didn't leave and go back to school until 2pm so they were seated for most of the time between 10am-2pm. I lucked out and got three great kids in my group, Noah, Nathan and Shawn were awesome and made the day fun! I taught them a lot about the game, we talked about the park itself, we dodged the constant barrage of foul balls smacked our way. Actually, that was a bit scary at times, we were seriously in foul territory and had, I would guess, at least 8-10 balls hit into our area. I tried to find other things for them to see and learn about as the day went on and the boys got a bit tired of the game. Noah, however, really enjoyed the game and wants to know if we can go to a few games this summer and I'm sure we will!

(The slide show over to the left is after the Beavers got a home run. I kept snapping pictures of Noah as he celebrated.)

Noah explaining that, because I wouldn't let him bring his glove to the field, he will now have to use his brand new hat they gave him at the door to catch the foul balls.

The Portland Beavers warming up.

National Anthem time.

This is an older park and I love it. The board is run mostly by hand, no electronics. Actually, the balls, strikes and outs might be turned automatically but the rest is done by hand.

See the guy sitting under the 10, the boys and I speculated that he was controlling the balls, strikes and outs.

Then we caught glimpses of this guy changing the board to the jersey number of the player at bat.

Go Beavers!!

It was a double.

It was a beautiful day for a game with a few really cool and cute boys.