One of the weird things about this blogging thing is that we blogger folk toil in relative anonymity to each other. We read each others’ work, pat each other on the back with a comment or two, and maybe even exchange emails. If we are lucky, we might even friend each other on Facebook giving us a little bit of insight into our respective worlds beyond the keyboard.
But especially with a blog such as this, where we are a cabal of like-minded scribes scattered across the nation, we rarely make face-to-face contact. Since the doors opened at Bus Leagues Baseball way back in 2007, I believe the only meetings were Brian and Eric once or perhaps twice and myself and Will for a spring game in 2009. Unfortunately, we have yet to assemble for a first annual Bus Leagues Gathering – which I imagine would be a lot like the Jim Rose Circus minus the piercings and sword swallowings.
So being that most of us haven’t met, we don’t talk on the phone, nor do we do what the kids today call “skype”, most of us haven’t heard what any of the others sound like. Sure, I’ve done a few youtube videos, but what about everyone else?
Tonight I was finally able to match a name to a voice for one of my fellow Bus Leagues bloggers. Our own Brian Moynahan was featured on a Podcast for the website Beyond the Boxscore. Sure, it was mostly in regards to his capacity as writer for MiLB.com, but it was still Brian, and the host, Dave Gershman, gave Bus Leagues Baseball a couple of shout-outs.
Two things entered my mind after I finished listening to the podcast:
1) Erin Andrews had talked to Brian and I hadn’t.
2) I thought he would sound a little bit more like Bill Simmons. After all, Brian is from New England. Isn’t that how they all sound?
So go listen to Brian talk about the NY-Penn League, Anthony Gose, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and other great bus leagues topics.
In fact, Eric and I have met face-to-face on three glorious occasions: at the Hall of Fame in 2008 (where we both got parking tickets), at Camden Yards in 2009 (the infamous “Biff the Usher” incident, and at Citizens Bank Park in 2010. Alas, this year’s 4th Annual Bus Leagues Summit has been postponed until further notice, mainly because I kept forgetting to tell Eric that Chris, Billy and I will be in Ohio this weekend.
And Brian and I met at an independent baseball game in Worcester, MA in early June when the Brocton Rox played the Worcester Tornadoes as part of the Can-Am League. We need to add a “Bus Leagues Baseball Meet Up” to our bucket lists for 2012. Great info on the podcast Brian.
1. I never paid that parking ticket. I am likely no longer welcome in Cooperstown.
2. Will and I went to the inaugural game of the Richmond Flying Squirrels together two years ago due to a very lucky quirk of his traveling schedule.
3. I have talked to Tamara on the phone once.
Also, every time Brian and I met was memorable. The HOF is naturally interesting (but we also got a tour of the archives and saw what we now know to be a faked Ty Cobb diary). Biff the Usher was so overzealous he wouldn’t let me move four rows back (AWAY FROM THE FIELD) to sit with Brian and his friends. And, finally, the completely foul-mouthed, mulleted women in front of us at the Philly game were truly memorable, in my book.
I never paid my parking ticket either, and there’s a chance I’ll be stopping there on Monday on the way back from New York with the same car. Not gonna lie, I’m a little nervous.
I can’t believe I neglected to mention the meeting with Tamara in Worcester. For shame, Brian, for shame.
It’s so easy to think “Ah, when will I be back here any time soon?”
When the place is Cooperstown, the answer is probably “sooner than you think”.