Memphis Trip: Star Wars and Baseball

If you have read some of my past posts, you know my love of minor league baseball.  Two big reasons are the great promotional items and the chance for in person autographs.  A few weeks back I noticed the Cardinals Triple A team in Memphis was having Star Wars night this past Friday with the big draw being a Harrison "Darth" Bader bobblehead giveway.  Work has been a little slow this month with the excess rain here in southern Illinois, so it was not a problem taking off Friday to make the 5 hour trip to Memphis.   

We arrived in plenty of time to receive the bobbleheads handed out to the first 1,500 fans.  I think I like this one better than than one I received in Peoria in May.  It was nice that all four of us received these, as I can sell the extra 3 to pay for the cost of the tickets and parking.  The tickets were cheap also as for $64 we received 4 tickets in the front row down the first base line, 4 hot dogs and sodas, and 2 coupons for large pizzas from Papa Johns. 

The programs were simple but nice.  This is more of a flyer as it unfolds to show a color poster on one side, with a score card on the other.  Wish I had spotted these sooner because ..

it would have looked great autographed along with this 2018 Bowman Chrome card.  It is very true what is said about O'Neill's stature.  While he is somewhat short, he is built like a stack of bricks.  He signed before the game after he finished warming up.

Alex Mejia signed on his way out to warm ups.  My son and I have gotten him before.  He is one of the nicer guys around.  I wish I had his Topps Series 2 card with me.

Luke Voit also signed after he finished stretching.  We got the top 2 cards signed on Friday, the bottom 1 on Saturday.

The bottom Voit was part of the 2017 team set that I bought for $5.  Lots of good names in the 35 card set like DeJong, Bader, Pham, Weaver, Flaherty, etc.  Topps could learn something from Choice with the simple yet crisp designs.  No tidal wave fronts on these cards. 
 
Memphis trailed 4-0 for most of the game, but chipped away late and scored the game winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 8th.  After the game, I was able to track down a player I had been trying to get an autograph from for 3 years.

Poncedeleon was the last player I needed to sign 2 of these posters.  These were given out at a Peoria game in 2015 on a Signature Sunday where the entire team usually signs except the starting pitcher and catcher.  Poncedeleon started that night and was promoted to Palm Beach the next week.  He was hurt during Spring Training in 2016 when I was in Florida.  He was scheduled to start 2017 in Springfield, but an injury to a Memphis pitcher resulted in him being promoted 2 days before the home opener which I attended.  During a game in May, he was hit in the head with a line drive and missed the rest of 2017.  I saw him in Spring Training this year, but was never close enough to get an autograph.  As luck would have it, he was sitting in the stand Friday night charting pitches.  I waited until after the game was over to ask him to sign, but he denied me at first.  About 2 seconds later, he comes back and says how cool the poster was and signed both.  Persistence pays off.

Saturday nights game was not as eventful.  Besides the Voit card, we got 2 other autos.

Arozarena took his time and gave a great signature.  I am not sure if that is a happy face on the far left.

  
Patrick Wisdom is hands down the nicest player I have ever met.  He takes time before the game to sign, and also signs after the game by the dugout until everyone gets something.  An usher says he does this every home game.  I hope he finally gets a call up this year after being overlooked for a September call up last year.