Before last Sunday’s game between the Blue Wahoos and Montgomery Biscuits, the scoreboard at Community Maritime Park took a direct lightning hit during a wild thunderstorm that delayed the start of the game for a couple of hours. The video of the hit was so, well, striking that it made national news on NBC’s Today Show with weatherman Al Roker.
The game was eventually played with no scoreboard or video screen, and by Monday night's game neither had been repaired. The Blue Wahoos are out of town for the rest of this week and return to the Bayfront on Monday. Donna Kirby, the Director of Guest Services and Community Relations for the Blue Wahoos says repairs are ongoing. "The scoreboard looks pretty good (right now), we're running it through some last minute tests." Kirby says they are still waiting for some parts to repair the video screen at the ballpark. She says once those parts arrive, technicians who specialize in the type of video board they have at the stadium will "be working around the clock to have it up and ready."
Last week’s series was the final one scheduled between the Blue Wahoos and the Biscuits this season so despite the torrential rainfall every effort was made to get the game in. Kirby had praise for the grounds crew at the stadium. She said members of the visiting Montgomery Biscuits quipped "you guys think we're playing baseball (here) tonight? I'm really proud of our grounds crew."
For last Monday night’s game, the Wahoo’s staff had to make some quick changes in the night’s scheduled activities. They had scheduled a "Battle of the Stars" night, pitting fans of Star Wars and Star Trek, but Kirby said "we had to go to plan B." She said they pivoted to an "old timey night" with organ music and going back to way it was in the olden days of baseball. "Kirby said "I was really glad we were able to turn that around on a dime."
And that’s not the only thing that’s been turned around in Blue Wahoo land. Since the second half of the season got under way a few weeks ago, the Blue Wahoos have the best record in their division and have been in first place or tied for first place for the past week. Monday night's win was the team's sixth in a row, and completed their first ever five game sweep of an opponent.
This week the Blue Wahoos are in Birmingham playing the Barons in a battle of first place teams. Pensacola will be back at Bayfront Stadium Monday night for a week of games against Jacksonville and Biloxi.
