We're Living Here in Allentown

Imagine our elation when it was announced this morning that the Phils AAA affiliate will move from Scranton to Allentown for the 2007 season. While we don't get home as much as we used to, the thought of hanging out with our dad at games in the Lehigh Valley when ever we do make it home to the 18091 area code is just too cool for a school of thought. Being able to dial up the house and say "hey let's go see hamels pitch this Saturday" for instance is phan-tastic.

We do, however, hold a special place in our hearts for Scranton and the S/WB Red Baron's stadium, a minor league representation of the late, great Veterans Stadium in dimensions, wall, and astroturf. A few years back, sometime around 2000 we think, dear old dad and his pals at the post office somehow pulled off a major league coup: the boys of the Delivering 18072 convinced the park's grounds crew to welcome us into Lackawanna County Stadium for a grounskeeper vs. mailman day of softball (yeah, that's what we said). Naturally, we were recruited as a ringer, even if we pop up too many times at the dish. Instead, as a late inning edition to left field, we protected a lead by breaing down on a sinking liner and making a sprawled out, diving catch for the third out in the sixth. We even got a huge strawberry on our left arm from the turf. The entire 3 second-moment was something we had been waiting to feel our entire lives to that point (and since, to be honest). We thought the big club would notice. They didn't but, it's their loss. No matter.

Thank you, Scranton, and good night.