If anyone feels more strongly about the statement “bits are fun” than Norm Hitzges it would probably be whomever is responsible for the Frisco RoughRiders game day experience.  Last Thursday, I made a trip out to the Dr. Pepper Ballpark with the family to take in a pre-4th of July looksie at the Texas Rangers farm system.  As advised by MRH (our Rangers insider) I had planned on getting a good look at SS Elvis Andrus, OF Julio Borbon, and OF Ben Harrison.

Like I said, that was the plan.

If you’ve never been to Frisco to watch a RoughRiders game, you need to go; but not for the baseball.  Even from the parking lot, it feels less like a minor league game and more like a vacation.  Much like walking into the temple, the entrance to Dr. Pepper Park looks like a getaway.  And once you make it inside you’re entertainment options seem endless.  If you wish, you can take your kids over to the huge playground area and fight hundreds of other parents for “quality time.”  Or you may choose to soak up the scene by taking a walk through the ballpark.  Regardless of how you choose to spend your time before the first pitch let me suggest a must-do before finding your seat; located near left field you’ll find a cheesesteak stand… get one… or two.

But when I finally found my seat, I sat down (with my free Frisco RoughRiders hat on) and began my focused analysis of the Texas Rangers farm system.  That is until after the first half inning the crowd was told to wake up a new mascot named “Reggy.”  Little did we know that after “waking him up” this Purple Party Dude would be doing some bit after every half inning for the rest of the game. 

Here’s a run down of the “Reggy” experience:

1. While a video played on the outfield screen displaying some purple mascot sleeping on a bench we were prompted to yell “Wake up Reggy!” by a very strange voice coming through the speaker system.  After three very weak attempts to wake this thing up the video shows him “rumbling, bumbling, and stumbling” towards the field.  This build up lead to his entering from the outfield and doing a few lame cartwheels towards the visiting team dugout.
2. When the Springfield Cardinals would bat Reggy found himself infatuated with their first base coach, mocking him and playing with him every chance he got.  This relationship would eventually climax into a choreographed swing dance in the 6th inning.
3. I believe it was in the 4th inning when Reggy got a call from his mom that was video conferenced onto the outfield screen.  Apparently she took a liking to the umpire during this call and, despite Reggy’s embarrassment, kept blowing kisses or some such in the direction of the umpire.
4. Reggy’s mom had experienced love at first site.  And this love drove her all the way to the ballpark when she made an appearance in the 7th inning.  Music began to play and Reggy’s mom started seducing the umpire the only way she knew how, by wiggling her hula-hoop waist around and around.  This approach apparently worked because he too joined Reggy’s mom in a slow dance to finish out the song.

The RoughRiders lost the game.  Bad.  And maybe it was because they played so poorly but I have to admit, I really enjoyed Reggy and his antics.  Did this huge Purple thing take away from the baseball being played on the field?  Yes.  Was it somewhat annoying that each change of teams lasted 5 minutes?  Yes.  But I will forget watching Springfield’s 3B Allen Craig make an amazing dive to stop a ball and throw Dustin Majewski out from his knees.  I won’t however forget watching Reggy pump up an inflatable monkey and do the Men in Black dance with him on the first base line.

The Frisco RoughRiders turned what I thought was going to be homework into something much more enjoyable.  Thank you Reggy.