Once National Pig Day is over, you’ve had a free hot dog, pork sandwich and picked up a new IronPig yard sign… stop by the Independence Family Fun Center for live Roller Derby Action!
Monthly Archives: February 2014
New Home Plate Collisions Rule
This is a tough story for me to write, not because of the personal connection or the difficult content but because my memory isn’t so great these days and most of the story came to me second hand. First the new rule:
OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULE 7.13
COLLISIONS AT HOME PLATE(1) A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the Umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the Umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the Umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision.
Rule 7.13 Comment: The failure by the runner to make an effort to touch the plate, the runner’s lowering of the shoulder, or the runner’s pushing through with his hands, elbows or arms, would support a determination that the runner deviated from the pathway in order to initiate contact with the catcher in violation of Rule 7.13. If the runner slides into the plate in an appropriate manner, he shall not be adjudged to have violated Rule 7.13. A slide shall be deemed appropriate, in the case of a feet first slide, if the runner’s buttocks and legs should hit the ground before contact with the catcher. In the case of a head first slide, a runner shall be deemed to have slid appropriately if his body should hit the ground before contact with the catcher.
(2) Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the Umpire, the catcher without possession of the ball blocks the pathway of the runner, the Umpire shall call or signal the runner safe. Notwithstanding the above, it shall not be considered a violation of this Rule 7.13 if the catcher blocks the pathway of the runner in order to field a throw, and the Umpire determines that the catcher could not have fielded the ball without blocking the pathway of the runner and that contact with the runner was unavoidable.
Now let’s take a look back in time…
A long time ago in a town not so far away…
It was a warm spring morning and I woke up before my mother was able to turn on the lights and kick the bed to wake me up, (her normal routine.) I realize I’m partially dressed in my baseball uniform.
My first thought was, “Why the #&$! am I in my baseball uniform?!”
So mom hears me and comes into the room and asks how I feel.
I felt like I had been run over by a truck.
Mom doesn’t say much, just that I need to shower as I had a doctor appointment and needed to start moving. I asked what had happened and got no response. Apparently she had instructions to keep quiet so as to test my recovery.
I felt like I was in the Twilight zone.
Everyone looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ear. (Christmas Story reference for a member of the Noise Nation Staff who has yet to see this classic)
We get to the doctor’s office, everyone there was smiling.. cracking jokes about “What day it was” and still, no one would tell me what happened. In fact, I wouldn’t find out what really happened until about a week later when I was allowed back to school. I can bore you with details of a week full of repeating myself, checking the newspaper to make sure what day it really was, trying to sneak more Tylenol to deal with the terrible headache I had and dealing with the brain fog that I couldn’t escape.
About a week later I go back to school. Back to normal, so I thought… friends, school, terrible cafeteria food. All of that was still there but I was missing one key thing and it hit me about 20 minutes in the first class of the day. I had no memory of anything from that school year. No Chemistry, no Literature, not even who I went to the Junior Prom with. Keep in mind I was about a week from Final exams. I was dealing with it well right up until my Trigonometry teacher asked me what happened. I had no idea. (I ended up not having to take the finals..)
Luckily, our centerfielder was in the class and explained it to them, and me. The opposing team had a runner on second with 2 outs late in a close game. A line drive to right field set the path for the runner and a very strong throw came into me, (I was the catcher) beating the runner by about 10 feet. My mask was off but the skull cap style of catcher’s helmet was still on. As it was described to me, the runner made his intentions well known as he leaned forward for the hit and I responded by moving up the baseline leading with my shoulder. We hit. The momentum flipped me back, the helmet flew off and my head snapped back and hit home plate.
When the dust settled I was flat on my back and out cold.
The umpire opened my glove revealing the I had held the ball and called the runner out.
A few old guys from the American Legion carried me to their car and drove me to the town doctor where I stayed until they could locate my mom. For weeks after this happened I was regaled with amusing stories of how I behaved that infamous night.
Concussions back then were not viewed as serious as they are today.
Could you imagine a 16 year old being knocked cold during a sporting event and an ambulance not being called? Even after getting to the doctor that same kid not being sent to the hospital for an MRI or CAT Scan, rather watching TV with the Doctor’s wife. It’s classic stuff right there along with no seat belts and jumping your Big Wheels Evel Knievel style into a swimming pool.
The brain fog eventually lifted, I went on to a life and career and it didn’t impact me too much but I still don’t remember anything from that year.
That experience comes back to me every time I see an athlete receive a concussion. I can relate and I am all for more stringent rules and medical evaluations when it comes to concussions and other serious injuries. Playing with injuries is foolish. Money involved or not these are still just games. Lives are not at stake. It pains me each time I hear an athlete speak of sporting events as “Battle” or “War” and having to play through pain. Sports are not war. I’ve seen both and it’s not even remotely close.
This new collision rule that MLB created is long overdue.
That’s all I have to say about that.
Filed under Lehigh Valley IronPigs
National Pig Day Event @IronPigs Official News
OFFICIAL IRONPIGS NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IRONPIGS’ 2014 SINGLE-GAME TICKETS TO GO ON SALE DURING NATIONAL PIG DAY CELEBRATION
(Allentown, PA) – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs will put single-game tickets for the 2014 season on sale to the public on Saturday, March 1, in a National Pig Day celebration that also features a Pig Roast with complimentary pork sandwiches, free IronPigs yard signs along with tons of activities for families and children. Fans seeking to guarantee seats for the most popular dates and promotions are encouraged to purchase a season ticket or mini plan package today by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447) or by visiting ironpigsbaseball.com. Coca-Cola Park has been Minor League Baseball’s most visited venue since 2008 as the IronPigs are the only Minor League club to surpass 600,000 in attendance for each of the last six years.
Initially on March 1, single-game ticket purchases will only be available to fans on a walk-up basis beginning at 9 a.m. at the Coca-Cola Park Ticket Office. The ticket office will remain open until 5 p.m. on March 1 and reopen from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 2.
At 1 p.m. on March 1, fans will also be able to purchase single-game tickets over the phone by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447) and online at www.ironpigsbaseball.com.
Prices for single-game IronPigs tickets start as low as $7 for General Admission, which grants fans access to the spacious Capital BlueCross Lawn, the Bud Light Trough, the Red Robin Oasis and all other standing-room-only areas on the concourse. The IronPigs also offer a $10 General Admission value ticket that includes $5 of Ballpark Credit that can be redeemed for food, beverage or merchandise at Coca-Cola Park (certain restrictions apply). Field Level reserved seats are still just $10. A limited number of Club Level tickets priced at $15 per game are still available. Club Level season tickets are also still available and can be purchased now by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447).
Individual tickets for the following unique seating areas (listed below) will also go on sale at Coca-Cola Park beginning on March 1 and are expected to sell quickly:
- The Hot Corner, named for its remarkably close proximity to third base, is located directly below the PPL Picnic Patio and provides a one-of-a-kind environment on the Field Level. The Hot Corner features 48 swivel-style seats across two rows directly in front of the PPL Picnic Patio and includes great amenities such as in-seat food and beverage service as well as drink rail counters, allowing for a more comfortable viewing and dining experience. Hot Corner tickets are $20 per person.
- The Bacon Strip, providing a similar look and feel to the famed “Green Monster” seats at Fenway Park, is a bi-level seating area located along the right field wall that was among the most desired seating inventory at Coca-Cola Park during its debut season in 2013. The bi-level Bacon Strip beyond right field’s “home run alley” includes 75 bar stool seats in the first row and an additional 52 stadium seats on the second level. Both rows of seating include great amenities such as in-seat food and beverage service and the added comfort of drink rail counters for food and beverages. Bacon Strip tickets are $10 per person.
- The popular Red Robin Oasis “islands” are located immediately above the left field bullpens, are fully covered, feature a circular half-table with seating for four guests and in-seat service. Each island is priced at $60 per game (each island has seating for four guests). New for 2014, 28 reserved-seating stools with in-seat service and drink rails for food and beverage have been added directly behind the islands. This new seating option, which is fully covered, is priced at just $10 per seat. Island mini plans are available today by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447) or by visiting the Coca-Cola Park offices during normal business hours.
The IronPigs set sail on their 2014 home campaign on Monday, April 7 with the first-ever 5:05 p.m. start time in franchise history as well as a commemorative Opening Day T-Shirt giveaway presented by Service Electric Cable TV & Communications for the first 3,000 fans 18 and older. Tickets for Opening Day on April 7 against the Buffalo Bisons will be available for purchase in-person beginning at 9 a.m. and over the phone and online beginning at 1 p.m. Single-game tickets for all other 71 home games will also be available during the National Pig Day celebration. There is no limit on the number of tickets that can be purchased for IronPigs home games.
Groups tickets are on sale now for gatherings of 20 or more and can be purchased by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447).
Fans seeking to guarantee the best seats at Coca-Cola Park are encouraged to consider an IronPigs season ticket or mini plan before individual tickets go on sale. Purchase a 2014 ticket plan and receive up to $144 of free Ballpark Credit on your ticket plan through June 16, 2014! That’s right, purchase any plan today and receive free Ballpark Credit as an added bonus in 2014. Ticket plans start at just $90 and provide the very best bang-for-your-buck. The more games in your plan, the more Ballpark Credit you’ll get this season.
Festivities to celebrate National Pig Day weekend are scheduled from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, at Coca-Cola Park. The list of festivities appears below:
- Pig Roast – Beginning at 9 a.m., fans can receive complimentary pork sandwiches while supplies last.
- Yard Signs – Beginning at 9 a.m., pick up a complimentary 2014 IronPigs yard sign (while supplies last) at Coca-Cola Park. There is a limit of one per household.
- Pig Tales in the Barnyard (12 noon to 1 p.m.) – Back by popular demand, there will be a special National Pig Day version of “Pig Tales in the Barnyard” in the Board Room located behind home plate on the Field Level concourse. Pig Tales in the Barnyard — the popular off-season storytelling event featuring Farmer Sally — is a free, hour-long storytelling event.
- Children’s Activities (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) – The popular entertainer, “Tootsie the Clown” will be creating complimentary balloon animals (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.). Free face painting is also available.
- Self-Guided Tours (9 a.m. to Noon) – Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the special Hot Corner, Bacon Strip and Red Robin “island” seating areas along with Coca-Cola Park’s clubhouses and dugouts.
- Complimentary Hot Dogs, Coca-Cola products, Martin’s Potato Chips and hot chocolate – Available from 9 a.m. to Noon or while supplies last.
- Appearances by FeRROUS, FeFe and the Pork Racers – FeRROUS, FeFe, Diggity, Hambone, Chris P. Bacon and Barbie Q. will all be making appearances throughout the day and are available for photos with your youngsters.
The Majestic Clubhouse Store at Coca-Cola Park, fully reloaded with brand-new IronPigs merchandise for the 2014 season, will be open throughout National Pig Day weekend with extended hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 and 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 2. The Majestic Clubhouse Store is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday thru Saturday and from 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Coca-Cola Park’s National Pig Day celebration is considered to be the largest Pig Day celebration of its kind in the world. National Pig Day was inspired by a Texas school teacher and has been recognized annually since 1972 – and by the IronPigs since their inception in 2008.
The 2014 IronPigs season is presented by Capital BlueCross.
— pig out —
Filed under Lehigh Valley IronPigs
Have You Seen My Valley?
I don’t want to be that guy. The guy who insists on sticking to tradition over moving ahead.
I don’t want to be the one who adds extra words to a t-shirt with a magic marker to prove a point.
And it’s good enough for me!
Regardless, I still want Reading to be the R-Phils.. but that’s not what I’m looking at today.
Last year I took a trip with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks for their away game in Richmond, VA. The folks there were wonderful and couldn’t believe we drove “All the way from Lehigh” to be at the game.
A bit before then I was at a Lehigh Valley Rollergirl bout and spoke to a member of the opposing team who told me, “Lehigh is a great place for rollerderby.”
Every now an then I encounter someone who is not from these parts and they speak highly of “Lehigh.”
I usually respond with, “The college?”
Where is the Valley going? How does the outside world not recognize the Valley?
Where’s the V?
You don’t hear Philadelphians referring to the Delaware Valley as “Delaware.”
You don’t hear folks from New York City say they live in “York.”
You don’t call Silicone Valley, “Silicone.”
I suppose Lehigh University’s basketball success a couple years ago “put the Lehigh Valley on the map” for national sports fans but the Valley part seems to be fading.
A fading Valley…
Even the IronPig’s away uniforms seem to support this sporting a large “LEHIGH” and very small Valley.
Aliens?
Now there are lingering memories of the TV series from a number of years ago that gave many nightmares of a secret alien invasion.. the show called, “V” might be giving the “V” a bad rap but really… is it so hard to acknowledge the Valley?
For your entertainment, here are some cowboys singing about a Red River…
Filed under Uncategorized
@LVRollergirls to premiere all new home teams this Saturday in season opener
Lehigh Valley Rollergirls to premiere all new home teams this Saturday in season opener
Allentown, PA- The Lehigh Valley Rollergirls will introduce fans to their new teams, the Metal Vixens and the Blast Furnace Betties, this Saturday, March 1st, when they open their 2014 season with a intraleague bout at the Independence Family Fun Center in Schnecksville.
This will be fans first chance to see the new teams in action and see what team their favorite roller girls are skating for.
According to LVRG president Stacey “Wayward Stay” Emencker, “With our home teams, the Vixens and Betties, sporting equally skilled groups of skaters, Saturdays bout is sure to be exciting. It’s going to be a great way to kick off our season and give our fans some must see derby action.”
The Vixens and the Betties will be LVRG’s home teams going forward, with the travel team, the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls All-Stars, made up of the best skaters from both home teams, carrying on the rank of the now retired Hissy Fits in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
For real LVRG fans this season there is a multi-game pass available that is good for seven home games at $55, a savings of $50 dollars. The multi-game pass can be purchased here http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/571045.
Tickets for the bout will also be on sale at the door Starting at 5 p.m. when the doors open. The bout will begin at 6. Independence Family Fun Center is located at 4345 Independence Drive, Schnecksville, PA.
About LVRG- With the revival of women’s roller derby sweeping the nation, the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls were established in January 2006 with the hope of bringing the thrill and excitement of the game to the Valley. The Lehigh Valley Rollergirls are the area’s only women’s flat track roller derby league, and have rapidly grown from just a handful of women meeting at open skates to full WFTDA members with a travel team and two home teams. LVRG has received much attention from local media outlets, including PBS and Pulse Weekly, and even traveled to Montreal in June 2007 to play in one of the first international roller derby bouts since the revival of the sport. This 501(c)(7) non-profit, skater-owned and operated league is dedicated to promoting strong women and the spirit of sisterhood, both on and off the track. When not in the rink, the girls can often be found at various community events in the area. www.lehighvalleyrollergirls.com
About WFTDA- The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association is the international governing body for the sport of women’s flat track roller derby and a membership organization for leagues to collaborate and network. The WFTDA sets standards for rules, seasons, and safety, and determines guidelines for the national and international athletic competitions of member leagues. There are currently 172 WFTDA member leagues and 94 leagues in the WFTDA Apprentice program. www.wftda.com
Filed under LV Roller Girls
IronPig Friday Night Specials or Saturday Morning Busts?
Frequent reader “Nickieboy” commented about the new IronPig’s all black Friday night uniforms:
“Guys have a question about the all black jersey. Wonder if they remember the 1979 Saturday jersey the Phillies so proudly introduced: all scarlet shirts AND pants? When they got around to wearing them they discovered it was a total disaster on television. So much so that they NEVER wore them after that one time because they found out they didn’t show up well on the small screen. Probably TV is better quality now, but wondered if they checked to be sure they will show well.”
Nickieboy brings up a good point.. one that I thought of as well. When I saw the new black uniforms I initially thought they looked like pajamas.
My style tastes aside, the all black uniforms during a night game could prove difficult to follow for the average fan.. or camera depending on lighting. (Sidenote – If you have trouble seeing at games in general I know a GREAT eye doctor who can help you with that!) 🙂
Thinking back to baseball in 1979, I watched most games on TV in black and white. My family had a color TV but being the youngest I was relegated to the basement to watch baseball on the old Black and White model. Standard definition and static were just something we lived with in the pre-digital tv age. Twist the rabbit ears or crank the rooftop aerial a bit to get better reception. With digital TV and high definition I don’t believe we’ll have any problems seeing the players on TV but in person.. well that’s another story.
Let’s take a look at the 1979 Phillies attempt at a “Saturday Night Special” uniform that lasted only one night.
From – http://www.uni-watch.com/
From – http://www.uni-watch.com/
Looks pretty schnazzy in the daylight but as you can see with the greatest 3rd baseman of all time.. those uniforms went right into the Schmidtter following that one game in 1979.
So are the IronPig’s new all black uniforms going to last?
Filed under Lehigh Valley IronPigs
DiPro’s Coat Has Been Located!
DiPro’s missing coat has been located! Thanks to all who participated in the search!
Yesterday at approximately 2:00pm, DiPro’s coat went missing while attending the IronPig’s new uniform release press conference. Details then were sketchy but a few leads came in that led to the eventual discovery. It was a trying time for DiPro and most definitely for his coat. Late yesterday afternoon search teams formed and scoured the area to no avail. This morning we received word that the coat has been identified by a concerned citizen who then directly contacted a joyful DiPro. Plans for the coat’s return were not immediately available.
DiPro sends his thanks and asks for privacy for him and his coat as they shall soon be reunited.
His representative did release a brief statement, “DiPro and his coat have been in touch with each other and are extremely happy this was resolved in such a timely manner. He is extremely thankful and is looking forward to weather where a coat is not necessary.”
Filed under DiPro's Dish
ANNUAL BLACK VS. GOLD SCRIMMAGE – MARCH 28TH @SteelhawksPIFL
ANNUAL BLACK VS. GOLD SCRIMMAGE – MARCH 28TH
2014 Camp Schedule Announced, Media Day
Bethlehem, PA: The 2014 Lehigh Valley Steelhawks Professional Football camp schedule has been finalized, players will be arriving in a couple weeks, the Home Opener is 40 days away… Steelhawks Professional Football is right around the corner! The first chance to check out Steelhawks in 2014 will be at the Annual Black vs. Gold Scrimmage Friday, March 28th at 7:00pm.
The Steelhawks pre-season camp sessions, and all practices throughout the season will be held at Iron Lakes Sports Club, 3625 Shankweiler Rd, Allentown, PA 18104. Camp opens with the 1st Official Practice on Thursday, March 13th, 9-11pm. It will run for 2 weeks and conclude with the Annual Black vs. Gold Scrimmage.
The Black vs. Gold Scrimmage will be the first chance to view full 8-on-8 Professional Indoor Football in the Lehigh Valley for the 2014 season. It will also be the first opportunity fans will have to get autographs and photographs with the players. While you’re there, don’t forget to grab the latest Steelhawks apparel!
The full camp schedule is as follows:
Thursday, March 13th – 9:00-11:00pm
Friday, March 14th – 8:00pm-10:00pm
Saturday, March 15th – 2:00-4:00pm
Sunday, March 16th – 1:00-3:00pm
Monday, March 17th – 8:00-10:00pm
Tuesday, March 18th – 9:30-11:00pm
Wednesday, March 19th – No practice *Season Ticket Pick-up Party, Roosevelt’s 21st– Bethlehem
Thursday, March 20th – 9:00-11:00pm
Friday, March 21st – 8:30-10:00pm
Sunday, March 23rd – 10:00-12:00pm
Monday, March 24th – 8:00-10:00pm
Tuesday, March 25th – 9:30-11:00pm
Wednesday, March 26th – 8:00-10:00pm
Thursday, March 27th – 9:00-11:00pm
Friday, March 28th – 7:00-9:00pm – Black vs. Gold Scrimmage/Media Day
*times are subject to change
All camp sessions are open to the public and hope to see everyone at the Black vs. Gold Scrimmage!
We hope to see you at the Steelhawks’ home games this season inside Stabler Arena! The Steelhawks are constantly working to add talent to the 2014 roster. Keep checking for the latest news and events from the Steelhawks! For further information please call Lehigh Valley Steelhawks Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Clark at (610) 282-3100, or visit our website at www.LVSteelhawks.com for the latest Steelhawks news!
It’s not too late… Fans are reminded that 2014 season ticket deposits are still being accepted now to reserve your seats for the 2014 PIFL season. You can reserve your seats by calling the Steelhawks front office at 610-282-3100. Ticket packages start as low as $48! Individual game tickets for each home game are now available as well!
Filed under Steel Hawks
@IronPigs Smell the Change Announcement Video + Interviews!
Thanks to Kram, DiPro and Cheryl we have a video of the IronPig’s Smell the Change announcement from yesterday! Enjoy!
The Full Press Conference (It’s going to prompt you to view on Youtube and will play there)
Candid thoughts with IronPig’s General Manager, Kram and DiPro
Kram catches up with The Voice of the IronPigs Matt Provence!
Kram interviews Promotion master Morris!
The IronPig’s Official Press Release
IRONPIGS DEBUT NEW LOGOS; INCLUDE UNIQUE HAT AND UNIFORM DESIGNS
New Logo Themes Include Mouth-Watering Bacon, Molten Steel and the Iconic Liberty Bell
(Allentown, Pa.) – The Lehigh Valley IronPigs unveiled a series of bold new looks and designs today at www.SmellTheChange.com to add to their on-field hat and uniform repertoire for the 2014 season and beyond. The IronPigs primary logo and home uniform, which have been among the most popular and best-selling in Minor League Baseball since debuting, remain unchanged.
“Today marks a renewal of Minor League Baseball’s most revered and iconic brand,” remarked IronPigs President & G.M. Kurt Landes. “We worked tirelessly over the last year to develop new identities that not only embody the rich tradition of the Lehigh Valley but also the spirit of the IronPigs and our fans.”
The “Smell The Change” initiative is brought to life in the IronPigs brand-new bacon-themed Saturday ensemble, which includes a bacon strip logo transfixed to the cap, a fresh “Pigs” jersey design emblazoned across the chest as well as the first-of-its-kind bacon-style piping down both legs of the pants. Similar to years past, the Saturday top is Brick Red but now includes the endearing term, ‘’Pigs” across the chest with a wavy bacon underline. The bold new bacon strip logo sits atop a two-tone cap featuring the familiar colors of IronPigs Steel and Furnace Blue. The bacon-enriched pants, the first baseball pants to feature a logo design within the piping, are also IronPigs Steel. In addition to the cap and uniform offerings, innovative “scratch-and-sniff” t-shirts that smell like bacon (they’ll literally make your mouth water) are also now available for a limited time at the Majestic Clubhouse Store and www.IronPigs.Milbstore.com.
The IronPigs pay tribute to the Lehigh Valley’s rich steelmaking history with a brand-new, all-black Friday uniform emblazoned with a Molten Red IronPigs logo on the cap, a jet-black jersey with steel-plated chrome lettering and all black pants with IronPigs Steel piping. The molten IronPigs cap logo, which appears to be literally dripping with liquid metal due to the white-hot heat necessary to forge pig iron by smelting iron ore with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, embodies the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania which is world-renowned for this process. The black jersey’s chrome lettering and numerals are meant to pay tribute to Pennsylvania’s iconic blast furnaces – including those of the Bethlehem Steel Corp. — along with the generations of men and women that poured their heart and soul into the steel manufacturing process. Steel from the Lehigh Valley is a part of this country’s most prominent landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Empire State building. By introducing black pants to this look, the IronPigs are currently believed to be the only team to wear an all-black uniform combination in professional baseball.
The black uniform with electric highlights was purposely chosen as the new Friday home look so it serve as the ideal compliment to post-game Friday Night Fireworks at Coca-Cola Park. To coincide with this new look, the IronPigs will unveil an official “Black Out” shirt and encourage fans to wear black to all Friday home games at Coca-Cola Park.
The IronPigs will don a new powder blue and burgundy two-tone Sunday cap this season that connects the rich histories of the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia regions with a fresh-take on the world-famous Liberty Bell. In this new design, the Bell is suspended by an I-beam, a symbol of the Lehigh Valley’s steelmaking prowess, and features metal rivets to indicate the Bell’s iconic crack. Lehigh Valley residents may also be familiar with the fact that in 1777, the Liberty Bell was hidden in Allentown so that the British army wouldn’t melt it down for munitions. The cap will be worn with the retro mesh IronPigs jersey which was introduced in 2013 to pay homage to the Phillies’ tradition-rich teams of the 1970s and 1980s in which the Phillies went to the postseason in six of eight seasons and won their first World Championship in 1980.
The new mesh batting practice cap features a rebrand of the IronPigs’ iconic primary logo by turning the traditional pig head from its typical profile position to a forward-angling design. This Furnace Blue cap provides a refreshed look to one of Minor League Baseball’s top-selling logos by adding even more facial features to the pig head badge. The official on-field batting practice cap by New Era has been completely redesigned for 2014 and features high-tech diamond texture fabric that is lightweight with breathability and wicking and even offers 50-plus UPF protection and a performance sweatband. The cap-style debuted in Major League Baseball last year and has been well-received by players and fans alike.
While the road uniform is unchanged, the interlocking ‘LV’ cap in the riveted IronPigs font has been replaced by the IronPigs primary logo on a Brick Red cap putting a fresh twist on the highly-successful logo.
Fans can check out all of the uniform designs for the 2014 season at www.SmellTheChange.com.
These brand-new on-field IronPigs jerseys and caps, as well other innovative merchandise such as “scratch-and-sniff” bacon logo t-shirts, are now available at www.IronPigs.Milbstore.com or by visiting the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Coca-Cola Park during normal business hours (Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday’s, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.). The Majestic Clubhouse Store is open daily and is the official retail store of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Single-game tickets for the 2014 season go on sale during the club’s annual National Pig Day festivities at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday, March 1 at 9 a.m. Single-game tickets can also be purchased at ironpigsbaseball.com or by calling (610) 841-PIGS (7447) beginning at 1 p.m. on March 1.
Purchase a 2014 ticket plan and receive up to $144 of free Ballpark Credit on your ticket plan through June 16, 2014! That’s right, purchase any plan today and receive free Ballpark Credit as an added bonus in 2014. Ticket plans start at just $90 and provide the very best bang-for-your-buck. The more games in your plan, the more Ballpark Credit you’ll get this season. Call (610) 841-PIGS (7447) or visit Coca-Cola Park’s ticket office during normal business hours to purchase your mini plan or season ticket package today. The 2014 season is presented by Capital BlueCross.
— #smellthechange –
Tales From the PorkSide – Those Behind the @IronPigs Uniform Change
The IronPig’s new uniforms have been a hot topic and we set off to find out more. Prompted by DiPro’s missing coat we can only speculate that answers to our questions, and possibly DiPro’s coat can be found… In the PorkSide!
IronPigs live in the sunlit world of what they believe to be Coca Cola Park.But…there is, unseen by most, an underworld, a place that is just as real,but not as brightly lit… a PorkSide.
This is the second time we have opened the porthole to the IronPig’s underworld and we still have to be very careful. Not sure what we’ll find here and shocking news can be just as harsh as being struck by a line drive up in the Lighted side of Coca Cola Park. There seems to be a dim light shining in the back of this tunnel. Let’s check it out. OW! Just hit my head on something! What is that? It’s a coat rack.. an empty coat rack. Ok, the PorkSide is just taunting us now. Come on, that light is peaking my curiosity. We stumble slowly along until we find this sign:
It looks like a… Tweet. A Twitter message! We have our first clue! We have a website link! This is starting to get heavy… should we proceed? Of course we are! Let’s do this! Yeah, this is a fancy website. All the Pig’s new gear showcased in a very… dark… manner. There’s got to be more. If you want to see for yourself, click that sign to see the website. My eye is drawn to the lower right portion of the page. Site Credits. Perhaps we’ll find something there…
Ah Ha! More answers and two more links to follow… the first sign was so clear with only one path. Now we have to make a choice. Which do we choose? Which leads us to what we are looking for and which leads us to our doom? Which leads us to the resting place of DiPro’s missing coat? I’m going with the first link. Wow! This website looks great! We made a good choice. Bright colors and smiling faces!
So these guys create baseball logos. Quite a few familiar faces here. Our beloved Pig’s logo, the Pig’s cousins the Flying Squirrels logos among many more. Is this exactly what we are looking for? Not sure yet but we’ll keep looking. We trace our steps back and I’m thankful Kram Jr. left a trail of Peanut Chews for us to follow back to the original sign. Now on to that second link… Another sign!
Artists! Strategists! Code monkeys! Oh my!
So we now know who was truly behind the IronPig Uniform changes. We know where the new uniforms for the Majestic Clubhouse store were hidden pre press conference and we know where the Smell The Change website had been hiding all week. All in.. The PorkSide! Still have not located DiPro’s coat.
That’s all I’m willing to stay in the PorkSide today. Stay tuned for high quality Cheryl Pursell video from the IronPig’s Press conference today! |
The Porkide is always there, waiting for us to enter – waiting to enter us. Until next time, try to enjoy the daylight.
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