ASG2015/5

What real live nephew of your Uncle Sam doesn't appreciate a flyover?  Flyovers, however, can be difficult to catch photographically.  Lou and I nailed it!  Here's my photo of the approach from the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

And here are two that Lou snapped:

The formation flew just about exactly overhead.  I had to spin around 180 degrees while looking straight up in order to follow the flight path and capture a photo of the flyover exiting GABP's airspace:

My trusty antiquated Nikon 35mm digital camera is slow to respond between photographs.  I was lucky to have captured these two photos.

The covert espionage-quality lens on Lou's camera allowed him to get a tighter zoom on the departing jets.  The ballpark airspace was jammed up to the point of taking on an appearance like that of the Dayton International Air Show.  And look!  In the lower right-hand corner of the photo.  Is that what I think it is? 

The pre-game pageantry was far from over!

The Franchise Four honor served as prelude to the introduction of baseball's four greatest living legends:

From left to right, as they entered the GABP playing field together;  Henry Aaron (the true home run king), Johnny Bench, Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays. 

It is for moments precisely such as this which makes attending the classic, historic baseball events so special to me.  To be in the same ballpark as these four legends was extraordinary.

Then, to be treated to the spectacle of Sandy Koufax throwing out the ceremonial first pitch - to be pitching - to Johnny Bench?  Words fail adequate description.  To be there and to experience this event with my big brother Lou was to me the most important aspect.

JB stopped to share a few words, all from Johnny to be certain, with Todd Frazier.

The Toddfather took up a spot alongside the Pirates' Andrew McCutchen to loosen up.  Once Todd's arm was loose, he ran a few sprints to limber up his lower limbs:

Below, the Chicago Cub contingents favorite player, Bryce Harper, warmed up his cheek and gum with a handful of chaw in right field:

Just say no, Joe kids!

"Cutch" manned his position in center field with mismatched sleeves.

Seattle pitcher King Felix, the best pitcher in the American League, walks out to the A.L. bullpen, escorted by some comparatively unimportant Kansas City teammate.

Next in ASG2015;  Play Ball!

Roll the credits!

PSA for Big Strick

My sources deep inside the information superhighway report the release tomorrow of the tenth studio album from The Cult.  The album (do bands still produce albums?) is titled Hidden City and the album [?] cover looks something like this:

With songs that sound something like this and that in performance looks something like this when they have tour stops in places like this.

Heavy Artillery expects a song-by-song review of Hidden City for publication here by Big Strick.

Roll the credits!

Roll the director's cut extended credits!

ASG2015/4

As a part of this year's All-Star Game on-field ceremonies, MLB honored the four greatest players from each franchise (as voted by the fans) for pre-game recognition.  MLB labeled the honorees as the "Franchise Four."  You can view all of the honorees by clicking here.  All we care about here are the Redlegs!

First up, the greatest catcher of all-time, Johnny Bench!

Next, the greatest Moeller High School shortstop of all-time, Barry Larkin!

Barry and JB shared a "special moment."

In the days after, there was some sports talk radio discussion about the inclusion of Barry Larkin over such luminaries as Frank Robinson, Edd Roush (OK, that was just me), Ted Kluszewski, Ernie Lombardi, Vada Pinson, George Wright (OK, that was just me again).  Since MLB drew the line at four, worthy nominees would necessarily be excluded.  Yet Larkin checks all the boxes which merit his inclusion:  MVP, World Series champion, National Baseball Hall of Famer, a Cincinnati native and a Cincinnati Red for the totality of his playing career.

Perhaps more significantly for the hometown fans, with the ageing of our Big Red Machine idols the torch of living-legend Redleg must by necessity soon be passed on.  The Larkin's and the Davis' and the Browning's and Rijo's and Griffey Junior's and Votto's and Bruce's and, yes by God, the Adam Dunn's will one day, perhaps all-too-soon, carry that mantle.  Time and tide waits for no man nor Cincinnati Red.

The most vivid and melancholy example was next up on the Great American Ball Park All-Star Game stage:

"Little Joe," Joe Morgan, the greatest second baseman of all-time!  Yes, I just typed that.  Joe has been beset with linger ailments and isn't as mobile as he was once.

All kidding aside, it took Joe a while to amble out to where JB and B Lark were waiting.  Joe's spirits haven't been outwardly dampened by his frailty.

Last to be honored, but by no means least, was you-know-who!

Pete!  Pete!  Pete!

Pete was greeted warmly by his former teammates (yes, including Larkin) and with thunderous acknowledgment from the fans:

What's that?!  Pete received a warm tepid embrace from Johnny Bench!

JB doesn't need sympathy from anybody.  He's the greatest catcher who ever lived, he's been a smashing success off the field for half a century and he has an out-sized ego surpassing those even of medieval kings.   Yet one can't feel a small bit of sympathy for the greatest Red of all-time (arguably; Frank Robinson must never be overlooked) who has always stood, at least partially, in the shadow of the hometown Pete Rose.  JB being eclipsed only in Cincinnati is a reality of Reds Country. 

Next in ASG2015;  More pre-game ceremonies.  Yes!  More!  [What year is this, now?]

Roll the credits!

ASG2015/3

Soon after team photos concluded, the sun came out, the dark clouds were swept away on a light breeze and blue skies abounded overhead.

The tarp was rolled away and players took to the infield for batting practice and fielding grounders.  There was Bryce Harper:

And wherever Bruce Harper was, the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo could be found nearby.  Rizzo must have a man-crush on Harper.

Rizzo was all over Harper's jock!  Speaking of Joc....

Home Run Derby runner-up Joc Pederson warmed up wearing his cap at a jaunty angle.

Pitchers headed to the outfield to shag fly balls during batting practice:

The Pirates' ill-temped Garrit Cole, the Giants' Madison "Mad Bum" Bumgarner and the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw (three-time Cy Young awardee and 2014 N.L. MVP) made the long walk together (more or less).  As did the Cardinals' Michael Wacha and the Mets' Jacob deGrom (2014 N.L. Rookie of the Year):

Infield practice was dazzling:

Not that you could tell by watching these five National Leaguers.  Following batting practice for the Senior Circuit, the National League All-Stars were waved off the field to make way for the American Leaguers (boo!).

Bring it in, boys!

Max Scherzer stopped by the MLB Network desk to hit on speak to MLB Network eye candy journalist Heidi Watney (oh yeah, and Ken Rosenthal too):

A game of Musical Chairs ensued as, evidently, the MLBN production crew couldn't figure out where to seat Scherzer:

That matter settled, the Junior Circuit got down to infield business:

Meanwhile, back at the MLBN desk:

Cincinnati Red and 2015 Home Run Derby champ Todd Frazier was taking his turn in the barrel with Ms Watney.

The approach of game time suddenly felt real when the National League's starting catcher, the Giants' weak sister Buster Posey (2012 MVP), made his way out to the bullpen to begin warming up the NL's starting pitcher:

Somebody allowed Reds' broadcaster Thom Brennaman onto the field with a microphone and pre-game ceremonies were officially underway in a long, annoying and unnecessarily verbose manner.

Next in ASG2015; On-field ceremonies!

Roll the credits!

ASG2015/2

Team photos completed, but with the tarp still on the infield, players then began warming up.  The Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer (the 2013 A.L. Cy Young Award winner) started getting loose immediately:

Max threw two no-hitters in 2015, missing out on a Perfect Game when he hit a batter with 2 outs in the 9th inning.

For Lou and I, the star of pre-game warm ups was Aroldis Chapman:

In 2015, the 63 highest-velocity pitches thrown during Major League Baseball games were thrown by the Cuban Missile.  All of 'em.

One had to feel a sense of alarm for the guy warming up Chappy when the Missile, sufficiently lathered, cracked a diabolical grin as he made his final throws as if thinking to himself, Let's see if you can catch this 105 mph fastball!

Get out of the way!  Don't try to be a hero like Mr Heavy Artillery!

I shot only 1 video clip throughout the totality of ASG week and it was a 27-second clip of the Cuban Missile heating up.  You may view the Heavy Artillery Film Studios clip by clicking here.  Even with the crowd noise, music blaring and being some distance away you can still hear the baseball popping in the player's glove when he catches Chappy's throw.  Glad it wasn't me.  By that point I had enough ASG bruises, thank you.

Next in ASG2015; Other players warming up!  Contain your enthusiasm!

Roll the credits!