MWL All-Star Game - Two Fans' Blog

Scott Wilson, assistant general manager of the Cedar Rapids Kernels, and his son, Keenan, traveled to Fort Wayne, Ind., Monday morning for the 2010 Midwest League All-Star Game and corresponding festivities.

They were kind enough to write about their Monday experience. Here it is.

Thanks, guys.

Minor league baseball is just that, minor league; no airplanes around as we packed into two 15 passenger vans and left the stadium at 6 am for a 7 and 1/2 hour drive to Ft Wayne.  After 2 stops, one 1/2 hour delay in Chicago, where we found out that not all exits allow you to get back on to the interstate going the direction you were headed...we arrived in Ft. Wayne with 15 minutes to spare.

 We chased a storm the whole way over here and were glad to find out when we arrived that the  storm had passed and everything was a go for the night.  This stadium certainly lives up to everything that John Rodgers has sold it to be over the past year and a half.

They have tremendous group areas and a complete paved area to walk all the way around the field.  The entrances to the stadium are very wide open and inviting giving a very large feel to the concourse areas.  The centerfield gate has a small amphitheater, and splash pad /fountain area for kids to play in and people to just hang out in while watching the game. The scoreboard that is the second largest in all of MiLB is just that, MASSIVE, (large enough to light up the whole stadium by itself, after the fireworks show with enough light for people to leave by). 

We sat in a private Area just under and to the left of the scoreboard for the evening.  The food was terrific and they served a new "course" every hour or so, ranging from the hamburgers and hot dogs first to chicken breast, rib tips, pulled pork and finally apple crisp...(of course they would with Johnny Appleseed as their mascot running around all game).

The players participated in an autograph session, catch on the field, then a skills challenge that consisted of thows from shortstop, throws from the catcher, and throws from shallow center.  After those points were tallied the West was losing 10-9 to the East with the Home run Derby and the points earned there to decide it...Khris Davis from Wisconsin put on a clinic and hit 9 bombs in the first round of the derby, but the East's home town Tin Cap Freiman hit 12 to take the East to the win on points.

The West got redemption in the final round when Davis again put on a show and hit 11 and Freiman hit 8 to wrap up the night.  The derby was followed by a fireworks show shot from deep center on a flatbed cart.  Everyone seated on the berms in the outfield were asked to move to the concourse or at least behind the foul poles for the show.

It was a great fireworks show which wrapped up a long, but very fun day 1 at the MWL All Star Game. 

Scott and Keenan Wilson