The Sioux Falls Canaries. The Canaries.Hey they've been around forever with that nickname. They play in the independent league that I've been stalking now for a couple of days (funny how I've never seen a Lincoln Salt Dogs game and they are 45 minutes away). The Canaries take on the Kansas City Monarchs. Oh how I wish I could travel back in time to see Buck O'Neill and Satch play for the real KC Monarchs but this all white version of independent league players will have to do.
The Canaries play in a stadium that has obviously seen its better days. Its an old two tiered stadium that may hold 4000 folks. The box seats on the bottom and then us regular folks up top in the steerage section. For chrissakes, and a local confirmed this, its $31 to sit down in a box seat somewhere around home plate. He said the only time people buy those tickets is fireworks night and this indeed was fireworks night. And it was also Big Lebowski night. When my son was younger and Halloween meant something to him, I often said I was dressed up like The Dude man to which he said once Dad you are ALWAYS dressed up like the Dude. The Dude abides. The promotion was if you dressed up like the Dude you got in for a cheaper price or free or something. Being the hip old guy I am I already had my mobile ticket on my phone and couldnt take advantage of the promotion. Though I did ask the guy if I'd have qualified for the discount or the free admission or whatever and he said close but no to which I replied "Yeah well you know thats just like your opinion man". He said ok yes. Still cost me $12.
The Canaries are obviously a bunch of 20-30 year old guys who played college ball at small universities like Grand Canyon and FIU and Texas...wait Texas? Yes they had two Texas grads. But they weren't either good enough for the minors, or got cut loose from the minors and cannot yet hang up the dream and I get it. The one thing I've noticed about this independent league in my two expert making games so far is the good teams (Fargo and KC) are wayyyyyy better than the last place teams (Sioux Falls and Sioux City). They hit better , they field way better and their pitchers have decent stuff. The pitchers I've seen for the bad teams throw nothing but 85 mph heaters and get lit up.
As I said its Big Lebowski night and there's some guy in a robe with a drink in his hand whos obviously a frustrated actor who's running the show. Dude this and Dude that every half inning. The Canaries even changed their name to the Dudes and wore weird yellow and blue jerseys they will auction off later. The game is irrelevant to most people except us olds who pay attention. An older couple sitting up by me and I conversed a couple of times about certain plays and umpire calls. Some middle aged wacky lady behind me kept whistling that two fingered shrill annoyance probably to get attention, Thank goodness she moved after an inning. Teens on dates, 20 somethings getting hammered and kids galore, bored by inning 2 (when do the fireworks start) , and the guy hollering about the Dude all the time. Look, Dude, you look more like a creepy robed unemployed Uncle the kids are told has "problems" and to stay away from. By inning 5 I'm done with this Dude nonsense and per Max I AM the Dude man.
Inning 7 and its stretch time where a guy called "Harry Canary" gets up on the dugout, beer in hand, giant black glasses, and leads the crown in Take Me Out To the Ballgame. Its ok but it's more of a Will Farrell does Harry Carey impression. Hey, Dude, it's fine and fun.
The concession stands or should I say stand was understaffed and the poor teens running it were saints but a half hour wait for a corn dog? Cmon man. Thank Gawd the beer stands were fast.
After inning 8 and a 5-1 Monarchs soccer like lead I headed out. Yeah if I lived in Sioux Falls I'd come here a lot, but sit in the $12 section and not the $31 (I still cant believe that) section. And hey the giant arena I cant believe a town this size has is right across the street. Who knows, next spring I may be back. Rage Against The Machine is playing Sioux Falls. Thats entertainment man.
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