Opening Day Date Night {2015}

Thursday night was date night, baseball style. Well... I call it date night but it was really just a work event. However we knew the girls would not be "into it" so we left them with my parents. Anytime we go out in public without children I officially call it a date night. Trips to Walmart, Home Depot, or fast food joints are not beyond being called "date nights". After all they are pretty few and far between so I take anything I get. 
50 Years from now I will be able to say I was there on opening day of the inaugural season and I will have the spirit towel to prove it. 

Joplin just got big time friends. We now officially have a minor league baseball team, again. We had a minor league team years and years ago in fact Mickey Mantle played for us (there's a little Joplin history for you). The team shut down years ago and the stadium went to shambles... until recently. 
I somewhat wish I was joking about being excited over this, but I'm not. 

The best part is Russ' work is close by, REALLY close by.

 They even had a tail gate party to kick off opening day.

Free food and drinks and free tickets to the game it was a great time to be had by all. 

They also sponsor the team so that means they have lots of free tickets to the games lying around for their employees. Plus with our employee parking sticker we will always have free parking close by. I have a feeling baseball games may happen fairly frequently :). 

Oh and look! I met Blue. Blue is the Blasters mascot. At first I didn't get how a husky dog fit in with the Blasters. The name "Joplin Blasters" is a play on the old minor league team "Joplin Miners". It pays a tribute to the history of mining that turned Joplin into the city it is today. (More Joplin history, your learning so much about JoMo.) Then I realized another big team sponsor is a local dog food company. It's all about connecting the dots friends.

Plus look at my SUPER COOL new shirt my Dad got me. Live strong Cardinal Nation!

I took a few shots during the game.

And snapped a photo with my date.

The game carried on for almost 3 hours and guess what.

We won!!!


The Joplin Blasters beat the Wichita Wingnuts 5-2   I am SO glad they won the opening day game. 
Here's to hoping for many more summer nights at Joe Becker Stadium and many more wins for our home team.

Have you been to a baseball game lately?