“Behind the eye black in the Sunshine State” is a blog by Journal sports editor Jim Johnson, who traveled to Florida with the Rainy River Community College baseball team. Warning: Reading this material will accelerate symptoms of spring fever and potentially lead to unsupervised men purchasing an ugly pair of Crocs or a new pair of swim trunks.
“I just saw a gator try and eat a bird.” – Marc Simard, IF/P (St. Lazare, Manitoba)
Just another comment you won’t hear back in frozen International Falls. Fortunately, there are plenty of memories from Florida.
Thursday night after home run derby and a round of batting practice, Colin Barton (P, Fort Frances) and Chris Verdugo (IF/P, Tucson, Ariz.) had to sing karaoke back at Bahama Bay Resort (Verdugo’s team lost in home run derby; Barton’s team lost in a batting practice competition).
Barton bailed out, but Verdugo nailed John Legend’s song, “Everybody knows,” with most of the team watching.
Next up was Coach Koenig, who was blindsided when unknown members of the team put the coach’s name in to sing Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.”
With a little help from the bartender’s girlfriend (who volunteered), Koenig did his best rendition of Snoop Dogg, the bartender’s girlfriend sang a solid Katy Perry and they both knew the chorus (surprisingly).
Evan Marsh (C/IF/P, Dauphin, Manitoba) took his turn next – on his own, no blindsides – and he sang Brad Paisley’s song “Alcohol.” Both Marsh and Verdugo were first-time karaoke singers.
Evan’s dad, Bill, was the last blindside, and he had no problem with Tim McGraw’s “I like it, I love it.”
Eric Erickson (OF/P, Barrett, Minn.) and myself had our names in and were ready to bring down the resort with Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl,” but it wasn’t in the cards.
Friday afternoon’s games were preceded by a long session of batting practice and a trip to Bob Evans, a Denny’s-type restaurant that featured great breakfast food (it didn’t disappoint). Sitting with the Dickersons – Mike Jr. and Mike Sr. – I found out Mike Sr. once played baseball against a certain Chicago native named Kirby Puckett. Nice. Mike Sr. also once watched a middle-schooler named Tim dominate the local basketball courts. It was Tim Hardaway.
Like I said in the previous blog, there wasn’t much to report from Friday’s games – 9-2 and 12-1 losses to Fergus Falls. However, Saturday went much better.
Remember this comment Tuesday on Facebook from Tony Zelazny (P/OF, Anchorage, Alaska) following his first pitching performance in years?
“I had my first college baseball pitching debut today against Mt. Union’s JV team I threw 2 innings. 1 hit no runs no K’s but we rolled 2 double plays a 1-2-3 and a 5-4-3 I am so pumped up to pitch watch out Hibbing I am gunning for you man I love baseball so much and living my dream of playing college baseball.”
Watch out Hibbing was correct. Powered by Zelazny’s six solid innings – he surrendered one run while striking out six – the Voyageurs picked up their first win of the season by a score of 8-1.
Mesabi Range defeated RRCC 7-0 in the last game in Florida, but the 1-7 record was just a footnote on a memorable trip. We didn’t get the four wins to get a good jump on eclipsing last year’s total, but that won’t be a problem once games resume in a couple weeks. By the way, the Mesabi Range game was played in 85 degrees without a cloud in the sky (one last awesome weather comment).
Right before the flight back, I asked each guy what was something they learned on the trip they didn’t know before. Here are their answers:
Mike Dickerson, OF (Chicago, Ill)
* If I get on base it makes everyone else’s job easier.
Alan Strom, IF (Kensington, Minn.)
* I can still get a 50-year-old stewardess to fall in love with me.
J.C. Crane, P/C/OF (Tucson, Ariz.)
* Koenig treads water in 5-foot pools.
Marc Simard, OF/P (St. Lazare, Manitoba)
* Don’t ever take opponents easy and don’t lose focus.
* Koenig has a tough time swimming.
Evan Marsh, C/P/IF (Dauphin, Manitoba)
* Ocean water tastes like jock strap sweat (assuming jock strap sweat tastes like the ocean).
SIDENOTE: On the way back from Friday’s games we stopped by a beach so some of the guys could see the ocean for the first time. Numerous players jumped into the Gulf of Mexico.
Zaul Tapia, IF (Douglas, Ariz.)
* The team is very solid. With a little more practice we will be fine.
Kevin McNarland, IF/P (Boissevain, Manitoba)
* Watch out when you jump for a ball in the base path.
Mason Imhof, OF (Littlefork, Minn.)
* You can catch a cold even in the warmest climates.
Tony Zelazny, P/OF (Anchorage, Alaska)
* Old men can still play Juco ball (Zelazny is the oldest member on the team at 22).
Chad Sohlman, P (International Falls)
* Roller coasters are awesome!
Mike Menard, IF (International Falls)
* Rooming with Koenig was awesome. HA!
* Colin Barton is the funniest kid I’ve ever met.
Chris Verdugo, IF/P (Tucson, Ariz.)
* Even if you have a bad outing pitching one day, don’t let it discourage you. Just forget it and do better the next day.
Brett Orpin, OF (Dauphin, Manitoba)
* Even in Florida, the ocean is cold.
Adrian Romo, IF/P (Douglas, Ariz.)
* Shower curtains fall when least expected.
* Some things are meant to be forgotten.
Colin Barton, P (Fort Frances, Ont.)
* Good group of guys and we’re going to have a great year.
* There are gators in Florida. Saw one for myself.
* The Sunshine State is a legit name.
Zach Severson, OF/P (International Falls)
* Tony (Zelazny) throws a dirty curve.
Eric Erickson, OF/P (Barrett, Minn.)
* Scandinavian skin does burn really easily.
* Shell necklaces are coming back!
Coach Bill Marsh
* The Florida sun can take skin right off your face.
Coach Josh Koenig
* I learned that we have a great group of guys and that the defense is solid. But we need to get more consistent on our hitting and pitching.
None of the guys realize this yet, but for many of them, this trip will be the highlight of their baseball careers. It won’t be the awards or accolades, the individual performances or the future major or minor leagues they played against. They’ll remember this trip and all the good times they had with teammates. I was fortunate enough to experience three of these Florida baseball trips in college, and the fourth one as a coach ranks right up there.
What did a local sports editor learn on this trip?
* I guess white shell necklaces are back (just like the one I purchased in Florida on a baseball trip in 2002), and
* I want to coach again, thanks to the Voyageurs, the first team I ever coached.
After the games Saturday coach Koenig informed the team that I had accepted a job in the Twin Cities and start March 28. My last day at The Journal is March 25.
It was a great run in International Falls, highlighted by experiences with great people (just like this trip to Florida), and it was the first of many goodbyes that will be tough.
I came here as a sunburned 22-year-old a few months out of college (still use the same mug shot), and have made more memories than the entire Voyageurs baseball team combined.
Severson and I watched “127 hours” on the flight home, and it served as another reminder to never take things for granted. I never did while enjoying my stay in the Borderland, and my hope is that these kids – along with all the people I had the pleasure to write about – do the same.
