I've been to Hartville several times over the years and it's a fun place to find various foods and items from the vendors on the inside but on Saturdays, the outside is opened up to the yard sale crowd and I was hoping to find some nice items from those sellers.
That didn't work out as that area's numbers were lower than usual as some rain fell in the morning and I'd bet that kept some vendors home as sitting in the rain didn't seem very appealing.
I didn't spend very much other than a few bottles of hot sauce from a local vendor that she stated "was in seventeen stores in the area" named Muck Monster.
She was giving out samples and I was impressed enough with Garlic Serrano to buy a few bottles.
A quick trip down the road for lunch had just enough time for a stop at A&W drive-in for a coney and chicken sandwich along with a gas stop and a few bags of chips for the ladies here.
As we drove up the road, there was always time for a stop at the Medina antique mart, which rarely fails to find something for the collection.
I didn't spend as much as usual but I did find a 1972 Indians program scored from a game against the Oakland A's for twelve dollars, so there was something added to the collection.
Medina isn't that far from Avon, which was the main reason for the trip on this day.
I had visited Avon a few years ago when Rachel did one of her Duck Tape YouTube shoots for the company, and had driven by the home of the Frontier League's Lake Erie Crushers but didn't attend a game.
The stadium is a basic one-level stadium that uses field turf as its surface.
I think this may have been the first time that I have ever been the only person in the stadium, as I was first in line and the ticket taker opened the gate after scanning my ticket before the general manager was ready (although it was he that unlocked the gate!), so for about two minutes, I stood inside the gate as the only fan in the stadium!
We were the only people autographing amongst the small crowd and I didn't have anything for myself, so I was working to help others that had sent things along.
The players here are thrilled to sign and several players took their cards from their days in affiliated baseball to show to other players.
There were a few that I remembered from visits to Hagerstown and I asked about their memories of the Muni.
Former Phillies farmhand Jiandido Tromp just smiled when asked and he gave a look of "I can't say anything nice, so..." pitching coach Jason Zgardowski, who had also hit Hagerstown as a Phillie's minor leaguer, talked about how players had to fight for hot showers after the game.
Catcher Michael Blanke, who had been a Kannapolis Intimidator (White Sox) chatted a little about Hagerstown but even more about the former home of the Intimidators, Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium, and the world's hottest baseball stadium!
Blanke told a story about a blazing hot Kids Day start with the sun beating down on the players and getting worse by the minute along with the usual loud blaring noise that teams use for these occasions.
Blanke decided that he was going to get kicked out as soon he could and after he was booted from the game, he laughed as he walked across the field to the centerfield clubhouse area with "Spongebob's theme song played as I left the field!".
All the players were terrific except we didn't get former Phillie J.D. Hammer, who didn't seem interested in anyone, including his teammates!
I don't have the time to graph often anymore but that was a very enjoyable hour doing what I used to have so much fun with.
The Crusher's crowd was very small and I wonder if it wasn't for a town still paying for a stadium, if they would even still be in business.
Built in 2009 during the stadium and minor league baseball boom, Mercy Health Stadium is well maintained and in good shape but near fifteen years of age, and minor league baseball not as desirable as it once was for cities to spend their dollars on
Considering the number of teams that are within an hour or less drive ( Cleveland, AA Akron, High A Lake County, MLB Draft Mahoning Valley), the Crushers are in a tough spot with competition for the baseball dollar in an area that could be considered overserved even without them.
I'd like to see the Crushers stick around, the staff was great, the players friendly, and their logo (very reminiscent of the old Jamestown Jammers) is terrific.
I would have bought a hat, had it been in my size, at the gift shop but I settled for a baseball for the collection with two shirts for the ladies at home.
After leaving the stadium, we decided to stop at the Winking Lizard, which I had enjoyed so much when I visited Avon for Rachel's trip.
Winking Lizard has sixteen locations in Ohio, mostly in the northern half of the state, and I remembered how much we enjoyed our stop on our previous visit.
The Lizard was very busy and they said it would be a thirty-minute wait but it turned out to be closer to ten minutes before we were seated.
As we waited for our food, we watched National Treasure hold off the charge of Blazing Sevens to win the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.
After an excellent burger and splitting a small appetizer of chicken tenders in spicy garlic sauce (Garlic mixed with their signature 911 sauce), we were on our way back home after a long and fun day.
If you are ever in Ohio and see a Winking Lizard, you really need to stop by and grab a bite.
My work life has changed and I don't have the time to autograph very often but it's fun to jump in every once in a while and just have some fun.
I have three other trips planned for the remainder of the season, so I'll be writing about those after they happen and all three have their special reasons for their selection.
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