Published: June 22, 2008 11:17 pm      

BASEPATHS: Fly to see the Pigs

With travel costs at all-time highs, this is no time to talk road trip, but if you’re anywhere near east-central Pennsylvania before Labor Day, go wallow around with the Lehigh Valley Ironpigs.

Visiting last week with the Bisons, Base Paths enjoyed total immersion in the accommodating, yet cozy atmosphere. Example: As he focused from a photogenic vantage point in a picnics-only area, a security patrolman gently nudged him away, but only after he’d clicked the shutter.

Fans of old-time ballpark signage will love the Supersty. The right-field wall alone displays some 60 billboards. There are barely a half-dozen at Dunn Tire Park.

Among the fans strolling the broad concourses there’s a giddy atmosphere reminiscent of the early days at Pilot Field. Still, even a sellout at the Supersty would fill barely half of Buffalo’s downtown ballpark. The capacity of less than 9,000 compresses the energy and everyone just seems glad to be there, even to pay $12 for a little kids T-shirt or $2.50 for a bland pretzel, which in Pennsylvania ought to be against the law.

Top seats cost $14 if available. It costs $6 to acquire grass strains beneath purportedly the largest scoreboard in the minors. Beyond that there’s even a sort of knothole area where real cheapskates can watch for free. Parking is just $3 in the Pigs’ own lot and for those consigned to the outer reaches, there’s a golf-cart shuttle.

With the Phillies less than two hours away, this seems like a bargain and the stands are awash in Phillies Red.

Lehigh Valley represents Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, each with a newspaper whose dedication to local sports rivals that of the Niagara Gazette, et al. Therefore, the pressbox is pretty crowded, but among Pig-worshippers in the stands, you meet a better class of people. Disdaining its actual name of Coca Cola Park, we’ll call it the Supersty. Win or lose, the crowd squeals with delight.

WHO’S NOT ON FIRST: The Niagara Power’s first inning vs. Bolivar on Wednesday was like one of those trick questions — how does a pitcher complete an inning without retiring a batter.

Joe Durham singled but was caught stealing. Joel Blomberg tripled. Zach Leighton singled him in. So far, so good. Then Nate Radtke’s scorcher toward right hit Leighton right between the bases. The rules inexplicably call this a hit, but the runner’s out. Then Radtke was also caught stealing. Four batters, four hits, one run, none left. Drew Hollinghead led off the second with the Power’s fifth hit in a row. Skipper Sam Kirby had to be replaying this potential big inning in his dreams after Bolivar rallied to edge the ‘bolts by 5-4.

Signal back to Base Paths at pollyndoug@hotmail.com.