We were treated to some great fireworks in '08!
Heads up! Francisco Leandro was voted the team's MVP. Here he lines a ball at the camera! Personal
note: I got the photo and I got the ball from my spot near the rightfield bullpen.
| Former Major League star Pete Incaviglia manages the Grand Prairie Airhogs. Here he is about to get tossed by umpire Terrence Mobley. |
Infielder Jack Joffrion displays his strong arm.
Carl Scheafer displayed a wicked "submarine style" delivery.
| Number 7 is Billy Williams. He coaches for the Sioux City Explorers. No, not the Billy Williams who is the former Chicago Cub and is in the Hall Of Fame. This Billy Williams played 17 years in the minor leagues and later went into coaching. His dedication and determination are typical of minor leaguers like those who play in the American Association. Some dates are instructive here. Billy Williams was 21 years old when the Yankees finally added ONE black player to their roster. He was 22 when the Phillies finally signed their first black player. The following year saw the Tigers sign a black player. The Red Sox were the last to break the color barrier when Williams was 25. Billy Williams was not a superstar by any means. It took quite a while longer before black players made the Major League as reserves on the bench. |
He was called safe! You decide.
| Brandon
Sing hits a grand slam! He set American Association
records for home runs and RBIs. The ball is in the upper left
quarter of the photo. An optical illusion
makes this hard to believe, but the ball actually landed behind
me in the left field stands. |
Evan Conley fires a throw to get a runner at first!
| Only at
a Pelican game will you see Bernie Carbo lead the crowd in
singing YMCA! Carbo is the former manager of the Pelicans.
As a player, Carbo had an
excellent career, highlighted by his clutch hitting in the 1975 World
Series for Boston (he had two pinch hit
homeruns). Carbo also has the distinction of being drafted ahead
of Johnny Bench by Cincinnati in the
Major League Draft in 1965. Carbo had a career batting averageof
.264 (Bench's average was
.267). He was the 1970 Rookie Of The Year. |