Opening Day in Peoria

My favorite time of the baseball season started last Thursday with the beginning of the minor league season.  Being in the middle of Cardinals country I can make it to 3 different Cardinals affiliates in less than 6 hours.  I go to more Peoria games since it is the closest at a 3 hour drive.  The Chiefs played their first home game on Saturday night.  I have never been to one of their opening nights, so the family and I made the drive.  The weather was great with temps around 50-60 degrees with a slight wind.  Perfect sweatshirt weather to watch a game.

We arrived shortly before gates opened at 5:30 for the 6:30 start.  Magnet schedules were given out to the first 2500 fans.  Nothing fancy, but it is always nice to get something for free.

The main reason we went was to have 2018 #1 draft pick sign this picture of him and my daughter.  We took this picture last August after a game.  Gorman was nice enough to come over and sign after he finished warming up.

My son also got Gorman to sign a 2018 Bowman's Best card.

We had seats down the first base line, but moved over to above the third base dugout to take some better pictures.   This is Gorman's third at bat of the game.  He would double down the third base line.  I am guessing he will get promoted by July if he has a decent first half.

One of the games on the concourse was a prize wheel.  For $1 you can spin for a chance at prizes like a tumbler, poster, bobblehead, etc.  My son scored a four pack of 2017 Bowman cards.  Not too bad with a Swanson insert and Urias base card.  The Chiefs lost 10-8 in a game that took over 3.5 hours.  I admit we left in the top of the 7th inning.  With the 3 hour drive ahead, I decided it was best to head home.  The kids were not very thrilled to make 8:00 church on Sunday morning after we got home about 12:30.