Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Independent League Offers Local Baseball Fans A Unique Surprise

CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS (May 19, 2008) It first happened 57 years ago, when baseball maverick owner Bill Veeck called upon Edward Carl “Eddie” Gaedel to come to the plate on behalf of his St. Louis Browns baseball team to face the Detroit Tigers. Gaedel was signed to a contract before the first game of a doubleheader that day and popped out of a paper-mache birthday cake in between the games.

The 3-foot, 7-inch, 65-pound Gaedel, an American dwarf, came to the plate against pitcher Bob Cain in the first inning and took four, high pitches for a walk after being introduced as a pinch-hitter for Frank Saucier. As Gaedel said after the game, “for a minute, I felt like Babe Ruth.”

Ron Baron, the part owner of the Corpus Christi Beach Dawgs, may feel the same way this coming Monday night when he watches the start of his team’s game against the Bay Area Toros. Baron was raised in New York and remembers when Gaedel died in Chicago in 1961, alone in a room at the age of 36. So, to honor Gaedel, and to reinforce the idea that all men and baseball players are created equal, Baron decided to sign 4-foot, 6-inch Chris Dube, aka "Little Kato" to wrestling fans, to a one-day contract to face the Toros at Fairgrounds Field on May 26 in an official Continental Baseball League game. Dube weighs 114 pounds.

It gives a whole new slant to playing “small ball” as some managers are often heard to say.

“The whole idea of Independent League baseball is to entertain families and young boys and girls, and along the way teach them the history of the great game that I have known for almost 50 years,” said Baron. “Our league is built around the idea of keeping ticket and concessions prices at a minimum, keeping things small if you will. So with that in mind, why not sign a small player to a pro contract, to give him an opportunity.”

Baron also wanted to salute the late Bill Veeck, who “always remembered the little people in the game.”

The idea of signing a small player the May 26th holiday game also into the post-game activities when there will be a Midget Wrestling Exhibition that is sure to delight those in attendance. Little Kato will also participate in that show. Already, Baron says, the feedback from local fans about this special post-game wrestling event has been so strong that the CBL is considering a few more similar events at other ballparks later this season.

“I’ve been looking for the ideal lead-off guy for our team all spring,” said Beach Dawgs general manager and manager Hector Salinas, “and Little Kato caught my eye right away. He’s got a level swing, fast hands and of course, I love that small strike zone. I just had to make sure we could find a uniform for him.

“I think some of our younger fans under 8 years old will be able to identify with Little Kato. They can see him in the batter’s box and imagine what it might be like to go to the plate in one of our games. It’ll be a fun experience for our young fans. I just hope he gets on base for us. I heard he has fast feet.”

Dube, 44, is looking forward to facing off against the Toros on Monday night.

“It’s another chance to show folks that size doesn’t matter in life,” said Dube. “They used to tell me that I shouldn’t be wrestling, but it’s OK for two tall men to wrestle, right? And it’s OK for two women to wrestle in oil and with hardly any clothes on, right? Yet some folks want to complain about midget wrestling. It’s a bunch of BS. I don’t have time for those kind of people.”

CBL director of league operations Bob Ibach worked for the Chicago Cubs for 10 seasons and on several occasions had the opportunity to meet with Bill Veeck, including once when he wrote a book on the Cubs entitled “Cub Fan Mania.” “Bill was one of a kind and certainly had the fans in mind when he unveiled Eddie Gaedel in that ballgame many years ago. Having Chris appear for the Beach Dawgs is also a tribute to Bill’s imagination and creativity, and his idea of entertaining all fans, young and old, big and small. He always had the paying fan in mind and wanted to ensure that fans came to the park and had a good time. It’s the same vision we have for fans coming to our games in the Continental Baseball League.”

The Beach Dawgs will kick off their first season in the CBL on Friday, May 23, at Texas City, TX against the Bay Area Toros, and made their home debut on Sunday, May 25. After Monday’s 7:05 p.m. Memorial Day contest, the Beach Dawgs hit the road for a 6-game trip, with three games at McKinney, TX and three more at Texarkana before returning home for a 6-game set with the same two opponents beginning on June 3. The McKinney Blue Thunder is the league’s defending champion, managed by former Texas Ranger Curtis Wilkerson. Texarkana is in its first season and is managed by former Chicago Cubs star pitcher Steve Trout.

The first 200 youngsters who attend Beach Dawg games this summer will be able to meet and greet their hometown players on the field for the playing of the national anthem, as well as participate in free post-game clinics with Beach Dawg players. Youngsters can also run the bases and get autographs following each home game. In addition, there are plans to honor “local heroes” such as firefighters, military and police in the community on an on-going basis, along with literacy programs to enhance reading and verbal skills for youngsters.

Highlighting the early June homestand will be Free Kiddie Ride Night on June 3, followed by a free Texas Holdem Poker Tournament on June 4 and the first of many Thirsty Thursdays on June 5 when all beers are just $1 all night.

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