Finally, a MiLB hat that's literally unreal

Plus, an age-old nursery rhyme come to life [Ben's Biz Beat]( [By Benjamin Hill]( February 02, 2023 The Super Bowl matchup is set (Go Eagles!), meaning that it’s that time of the year when Roman numerals are in vogue. Therefore, while waiting for Super Bowl LVII, please enjoy this, the XL edition of the Ben’s Biz Beat Newsletter. Let’s talk about Minor League Baseball.    INTRODUCING: THE AUSTIN NIGHTS [Hats off to the Austin Nights]( As you all well know, Jan. 15 was [National Hat Day](. To mark the occasion, Sam Dykstra, Tyler Maun and I solicited suggestions via Twitter for a new (albeit fictional) Minor League Baseball team. We chose one and then fleshed out the specifics during [episode #390]( of “The Show Before the Show” podcast. Our ultimate goal was to then have a corresponding visual to share. That goal has been met, as the image above showcases The Austin Nights. The name was originally suggested by podcast listener Chad Miller Jr. (@Mr_Cinco_Ocho), whose suggestion was actually Austin Knights (a play on “Austinites,” the term used for residents of Austin, Texas). Sam, Tyler and I altered that to Austin Nights, devising an identity that showcased one of Austin’s biggest claims to fame: the hordes of bats that emerge from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge on a Night-ly basis. The next step was the most important: We enlisted the talents of MLB graphic designer Vince Pettofrezzo to bring the Austin Nights logo to life. Vince, in our humble opinions, did a fantastic job, taking our at-times-unfocused brainstorming conversation and converting it into an actual piece of art. This was an entirely theoretical exercise, of course, as the Austin area is already home to the Round Rock Express (Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers). If the Express are interested in adopting the Nights as an alternate identity, however, we would of course be thrilled. What do you think of the Austin Nights logo? And, relatedly, what as-of-now theoretical Minor League teams would you love to see exist in real life? benjamin.hill@mlb.com [Ronnie Gajownik]( Our discussion of the Austin Nights’ finished product was part of a full-to-bursting Episode #391 of The Show Before the Show podcast, which also included Sam and Tyler’s interview with new Hillsboro Hops manager Ronnie Gajownik. She is just the second female manager in Minor League Baseball history (behind Tampa’s Rachel Balkovec), and the first at the High-A level. [LISTEN TO THE SHOW BEFORE THE SHOW PODCAST HERE](   JOSH JACKSON INTERRUPTS [Dozer Park, home of the Peoria Chiefs]( This is Josh Jackson, promising Ben not to go on too long, fellow, but insisting on issuing a greeting to all of you out there in newsletter land. I host The Show Before the Show podcast’s Ghosts of the Minors segment, in which I challenge you to identify a historical Minor League club hiding among two teams phonies.  In the last episode, we cut through the fog with the Grays Harbor Loggers. This week, I ask you which of these teams messed up the yard in the Minors of yesteryear: - The Fresno Fruit Thieves - The Watonga Weeds - The Centralia Pets For the answer, [tune in next time]( won’t you?     HOPELESSLY OBSCURE MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TRIVIA! [Scott Rolen] Congrats to new Baseball Hall of Fame electee Scott Rolen, who worked his way through the entirety of the Phillies farm system before making his Major League debut in 1996. Rolen spent all of 1994 with the Class A Spartanburg Phillies, who were established in 1963. Prior to Rolen, who had been the only Spartanburg Phillies alumnus to have been elected to the Hall of Fame?   [Hickory Dickory Docks]( IT’S TIME: NURSERY RHYMES COME TO LIFE IN HICKORY Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest ideas. Case in point: The Hickory Crawdads announced a new alternate identity last week, and it’s inspired by a centuries-old nursery rhyme. From Aug. 17-19, the High-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers will suit up as [the Hickory Dickory Docks](. The Hickory Dickory Docks’ primary logo features -- you guessed it -- a mouse running up a clock. The mouse in question is carrying a baseball bat, while the understandably perturbed-looking clock utilizes a baseball as a pendulum. Note that the clock is set to 8:28, which is Hickory’s area code. The Dickory Docks’ on-field debut is still more than six months away, but [merchandise is available now](. Get it before the clock strikes three, because at that point you’re out.   QUESTIONS OF MINOR CONCERN Last week’s question (submitted by Rick F.): What’s the most ridiculous promotion you have enjoyed at a Minor League ballpark?  "Late ‘90’s, between innings of an Erie SeaWolves game, two contestants tossing plungers into a 10’ tall inflatable toilet. Sponsored by a local plumbing company." -- David Gadd, who, in a follow-up email, submitted photographic evidence: [A clogged terlet in Erie] "As my memory serves ...The ballpark was St. Paul’s Midway Stadium, former home of the Saints. They had a promotion to see how long a selected fan could stay hanging on the right-field wall with Velcro. I do not remember what they were trying to win, maybe just to keep the balls that hit them." -- Leigh "The late, great Lowell Spinners were known for crazy promotions. On the left is a Mookie Betts bowling pin. On the right is a toothbrush holder/bobblehead of the dentist that was an advertiser at the games." -- Howard Corday [Lowell Spinners giveaways] "I saw 'Dancing Christopher' at a New Britain Rock Cats game (before the Double-A team moved to Hartford and became the Yard Goats). I have not seen him at a Yard Goats game, probably because he hit the big time. He [appeared on 'America’s Got Talent']( doing his impression of the Village People singing the YMCA song." -- Liz W.  "I was not at the park for this one, but it was hilarious on the radio. It was the early 2000s, when Portland, Ore., still had a Triple-A team [the Beavers]. The [Sacramento] River Cats were up there for a weekend series, and we were listening to [River Cats broadcaster] Johnny [Doskow] call the game on the radio. World Team Tennis was also in Portland for the weekend, so the Beavers gave away tennis balls to the first 3,000 fans. Sadly, it was also a dollar beer night. What were they thinking? "Everything was fine until the 7th inning stretch when a tennis ball landed in the outfield. Within seconds, it was followed by approximately 2,999 more tennis balls. My feeble memory tells me that Portland almost forfeited the game." -- George Cusack Next week’s question (submitted by Eric Murto): "Do you keep score when you attend Minor League Baseball games? It’s becoming a lost art!" As always, send your responses (and suggested future questions) to benjamin.hill@mlb.com.   [Johnny Doskow is headed to The Show] JOHNNY DOSKOW FINALLY GETS THE CALL In the above anecdote regarding Portland’s ill-timed tennis ball giveaway, Johnny Doskow was the man on the mic describing the chaos to the Sacramento River Cats fans listening at home. That was one of a seemingly infinite number of scenes that Doskow has described, as he broke into Minor League Baseball with the 1993 Cedar Rapids Kernels and began calling games for the River Cats in the year 2000.  2023 marks a new chapter for Doskow, as this past Friday the [Oakland A’s announced]( that he had been added to their broadcast team. After three decades in the Minors, his big league dreams have come true.  Congrats, and here’s to more [baseball haiku](   DON'T LEAVE HUNGRY One of my latest [Minor League Ballpark Guides]( features [Veterans Memorial Stadium]( home of the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Writing this Guide got me thinking about my [2015 Cedar Rapids visit]( when [Designated Eater Tim Mullin]( enjoyed a grilled pork tenderloin sandwich that was bigger than his head.  [Cedar Rapids' grilled pork tenderloin sandwich](   HOPELESSLY OBSCURE MINOR LEAGUE TRIVIA ANSWER! Prior to Scott Rolen, the only Spartanburg Phillies alumnus in the Baseball Hall of Fame was Ryne Sandberg. “Ryno” played for Spartanburg in 1979; like Rolen, he was in his age-19 season.  To submit a trivia question for possible inclusion in a future newsletter, email benjamin.hill@mlb.com.   [IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER, TELL THEM TO SUBSCRIBE HERE](   Contact [Benjamin Hill](mailto:benjamin.hill@mlb.com) [Twitter]( Online]( © 2023 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. [Visit MLB.com](. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners. Subscription required. Blackout and other restrictions may apply. Please review our [Privacy Policy](. You ({EMAIL}) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages or purchased a ticket from [MiLB.com](. 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