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June 27, 2007
AN EVENING AT THE CLIPPER'S GAME!
What do the Columbus House Rabbit Society, Clipper’s Baseball Team, and ZOOperstars have in common? June 22! On this evening, CHRS members, families, and friends attended the Clipper’s vs. Ottawa Lynx game at Cooper Stadium with ZOOperstars as the entertainment. John and Heather Dean, coordinators for this event, met most of us at the front gate and ushered us to our seats. By game time, we were all sitting on the third base side in the General Admission seats eagerly anticipating the game’s beginning. To add to the excitement of the evening, John was dressed as a Clipper’s player and had clipboard in hand to record runs batted in and other facts about the game!
Throughout the game, the ZOOperstars provided entertainment. For those unfamiliar with this group, ZOOperstars are huge inflatable animal characters based on famous athletes, such as Jeff Gordog, Clammy Sosa, and others listed in the “quiz” below. The characters dance to contemporary hits and do skits, which sometimes involve children/adults from the audience. Each character has some unique quality, such as Centipete Rose who splits into two pieces with both running around frantically for its other half; or Shark McGwire who has a vibrating fin and can extend the shimmy to his whole body. At this Clipper’s game, each character was quite entertaining, but one in particular seemed to truly awe the crowd: Clammy Sosa as he devoured the Clipper's bat boy! It seemed pretty uneventful at first – a 10-foot-tall clam walking in the field from third base toward home plate, waving at ballplayers, the audience, and whomever walked by. However, as he walked past the bat boy (or perhaps an actor playing the bat boy?), he suddenly turned around, opened his shell and "swallowed" him! By now, the audience was mesmerized as the clam began to move its body up and down, forward and backward. Next thing you know, the shell opened part way and out came a pair of shoes. The audience went ballistic! Then followed the socks, cap, and the bat boy’s uniform! Finally, out popped the bat boy himself in boxer shorts and undershirt! And of course, to add to all the fun, the band was playing “Weird Al” Yankovich’s song Eat It throughout the skit! Comments around me ranged from, “GAROSSSS,” to “I can’t believe what I just saw!” to “COOL, let’s see that again.”
It turned out to be a great evening weather wise and game wise as the Clippers beat the Ottawa Lynx 4 to 0. One other interesting tidbit for baseball fans: Nationals prospect John Lannan made his AAA debut and pitched well enough to earn the win!
CHRS would like to thank John and Heather Dean for coordinating this event. Both score very high with all the rabbits they have adopted/fostered over the years! Also, thank you to all the members who came to join in the festivities. It wouldn’t have worked without your participation! Finally, for anyone who wishes to see the ZOOperstars again, or for the first time, they will be back at Cooper Stadium August 10th. If you attend this game, be sure to look behind first base where you'll probably see one fan dressed in a clipper's uniform, hurriedly writing all the details of the game on his clipboard, while the fan next to him reads a magazine and ducks when there's a loud crack of the bat! That would be none other than the Deans enjoying another evening with the Clippers!
ZOOperstar Quiz: The following ZOOperstars appeared at the June 22nd Clipper’s game at Cooper Stadium. Who do these ZOOperstars represent? (hints have been provided)
Harry Canary: _____________, long time announcer for Chicago Cubs
Jeff Gordog: ______________, NASCAR driver
Shark McGuire: _____________, slugger for the Cardinals, now retired
Clammy Sosa: ________________, power hitter for the Cubs, now with the Rangers
Snail Earnhardt: _______________, former NASCAR driver
Derek Cheetah: ________________, Shortstop for the Yankees
Answers to quiz:
Harry Canary - Harry Caray, long time announcer for Chicago Cubs
Jeff Gordog - Jeff Gordon, NASCAR driver
Shark McGuire - Mark McGuire, slugger for the Cardinals, now retired
Clammy Sosa - Sammy Sosa, power hitter for the Cubs, now with the Rangers
Snail Earnhardt - Dale Earnhardt, former NASCAR driver
Derek Cheetah - Derek Jeter, Shortstop for the Yankees
*Image of Harry Canary from www.volcanoesbaseball.com.
Information about ZOOperstars compiled from John Dean, www.usatoday.com, and www.businessweek.com.
Posted by Eileen at June 27, 2007 1:07 PM