Village Pub and Beer Garden, Nashville.<\/p><\/div>\n

As noted earlier, we pulled out of Memphis about 10:30 a.m. and, since we would arrive in Nashville ahead of check-in time, our intrepid tour leader chose a stop at the Village Pub and Beer Garden (1308 McGovack Pike) rather than have us wait in the hotel lobby. Great move \u2013 great place. Known for its local and regional craft beers, stuffed pretzel sandwiches and locally produced meat and cheese platters, it was the perfect stop for our group.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/em>I went for the \u00a0Sausage Sampler Platter (bratwurst and Italian sausages cooked in beer, served on a bed of sauerkraut with garlic paprika Monterey Jack cheese, pepperoncini\u2019s, stone ground mustard, and Silke’s dark bread), the perfect accompaniment for a cold IPA.\u00a0 Also popular with our group were the Blackened Chicken Stuffed Pretzel and the Southern Meat and Cheese Tray \u2013 not to mention the many beer offerings and the fact that it was Moscow Mule Monday.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

As the beverages flowed, the smiles on our group expanded (and the volume of the conversation was amplified) \u2013 at least until the food began to arrive. Overall, it was a tasty and refreshing stop on our way into Nashville.<\/p>\n

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THOUGHTS FROM BBRT\u2019S SURVEY OF TRIP MATES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

What I like most about Ballpark Tours trips.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing able to have almost anyone keep my scorebook while I explore the ball park!” \u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(NM, Woodbury, MN)<\/span><\/p>\n

“The people. Seeing everyone again is like ‘Getting the band back together.’ Lots of laugh and memories.\u201d<\/strong> <\/em>\u00a0(TF, Saint Paul, MN)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Finally, maybe too soon, it was on to the Hotel Indigo \u2013 an upscale, downtown Nashville hotel with well-appointed rooms, a nice bar\/restaurant, fast and reliable internet and (this will set the tone) an armoire instead of a closet, slippers for each guest, a Keurig coffee maker and a full line of Aveda body and hair care products.\u00a0 Enough said.\u00a0 We\u2019ll enjoy the stay.<\/p>\n

I headed for the ball park about an hour before game time \u2013 just a 6-8 block walk.\u00a0 I may take a different route next time, on this jaunt I passed mostly abandoned buildings (the area is being revitalized) and bail bonds businesses.<\/p>\n

First Tennessee Park<\/strong> \u2013which \u00a0opened in 2015 \u2013 is home to the Nashville Sounds. The stadium, which holds 10,000, has very sleek design and, most notably, a unique guitar-shaped scoreboard\/video board (a tribute to Nashville as Music City). It has a wide concourse that circles the entire field \u2013 offering great views from anywhere.\u00a0 Out in right field, you will find another unique aspect of this ball park \u2013 The Band Box<\/strong>, with its full bar and host of free outdoor diversions, including shuffle board, foosball, bean bag games, ping pong and \u2013 for a five-dollar fee \u2013 miniature golf.\u00a0 There is also ample seating (couches, lounge chairs, bar stools) and a very \u201cI\u2019m on vacation having a good time\u201d vibe. BBRT recommendation: \u00a0If you get here, go there.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Nashville Sounds’ Bloody Mary – a solid double, but not a home run.<\/p><\/div>\n

It was at The Band Box that I grabbed my traditional Bloody Mary ($8.50).\u00a0 It was a decent pour, nicely spiced (pepper, tabasco and just the proper amount of celery salt) and garnished with a lime.\u00a0 In the Pacific Coast League, Nashville and Memphis are traditional rivals.\u00a0 Nashville is ahead in the standings this year \u2013 and they also win the Tennessee BBRT Bloody Mary match-up. (Neither, however, is threatening the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers\u2019 lead.)<\/p>\n

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JUNIOR GILLIAM WAY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

First Tennessee Park is located on Junior Gilliam Way. Gilliam \u2013 born in Nashville – was an infielder (2B\/3B) with the Dodgers from 1953-66; 1953 NL Rookie of the year; a two-time All Star; and key member of seven NL pennant winners (four-time World Series Champions). \u00a0Before joining the Dodgers, he was a three-time Negro League All Star (Baltimore Elite Giants) and the 1952 International League Most Valuable Player (with Montreal).\u00a0 Considered one of MLB\u2019s true gentleman \u2013 and a gamer who gave his all for the team \u2013 Gilliam is not only honored by with Nashville\u2019s Junior Gilliam Way, he also has a Los Angeles park named in his honor.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We had good seats once again, down the third base line \u2013 and we saw a competitive contest, taken by the Reno Aces (over the Nashville Sounds) 3-2.\u00a0 Shelby Miller<\/strong> \u2013 a 15-game winner for the Cardinals in 2013, but sent down after starting 2-9, 7.14 for the Diamondbacks this season \u2013 went 7 1\/3 innings, giving up just two runs on ten hits.\u00a0 He helped himself out with some key strikeouts (a total of nine K\u2019s versus no walks). Miller, reaching the mid-90s, threw 72 of 100 pitches for strikes. \u00a0In addition, he got a hand (or arm) from Reno catcher Ronnie Freeman<\/strong> who shut down the Nashville running game, nailing all three Nashville attempted stealers (second, third and fourth innings). The Sounds were, apparently, testing the 25-year-old Freeman, in his first game at AAA since being promoted from AA Mobile.\u00a0 He passed. There was one other attempted steal in the game.\u00a0 This one, by Reno, was thwarted by Nashville catcher Matt McBride<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 Not a good day on the base paths for either side.<\/p>\n

There were mixed feelings about the Nashville Sound Wave (cheerleaders\/dance line). Some of our group questioned whether baseball needs cheerleaders. \u00a0I’ll stay out of that one. \u00a0Everyone seemed to like the racing country stars – Johnny Cash, Reba and George Jones.<\/p>\n

Reno scored one in the fifth on a long home run by DH Peter O\u2019Brien<\/strong> (his 22nd of the season) and two in the sixth on a bases-loaded single by LF Kyle Jensen.<\/strong>\u00a0 No surprise there, On the season, Jensen is hitting .287, with 26 home runs and 105 RBI in 116 games. \u00a0The offensive star for Nashville was leadoff hitter\/CF Arismendy Alcantara (say that three times fast). Alcantara (who has played 86 games at the major league level over the past three seasons) \u00a0went two-for-four with a double, triple, RBI and run scored. \u00a0Overall, a close, well-played game and a nice, clean scorecard.\u00a0 (Although, I might note that, while Reno starter Shelby Miller went 7 1\/3 innings, the Aces used four pitchers to get the last five outs.)<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll have more on Nashville and Bleacher Bums XXXIV tomorrow.\u00a0 We are staying<\/em> in town and the Tacoma Raniers are coming<\/em> to town \u2013 but I am now off to explore Nashville\u2019s Honky Tonk Highway. \u00a0To read about Ballpark Tours 2016 Day 1, click here<\/a>; Day Two<\/a>, click here; Day 3, click here<\/a>. \u00a0I will leave you with a final baseball commentary.<\/p>\n

EDDIE MATHEWS \u2013 GOT YOU COVERED<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On this date (August 16) in 1954, the first issue of Sports Illustrated<\/em> hit the newsstands.\u00a0 One the cover was BBRT’s \u00a0favorite player of all time, Braves’ third baseman Eddie Mathews. The Braves\u2019 third sacker – known as a basher (512 career home runs) and a brawler (he had some memorable conflicts with players like Don Drysdale and Frank Robinson) – was pictured hitting a home run.\u00a0 He would appear on the cover again in June of 1958 and August of 1994 (40^{th<\/sup> Anniversary Issue).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n}

A few quotes about Mathews tell his story:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Ty Cobb: <\/span><\/strong>\u201cI\u2019ve only known three or four perfect swings in my life, and this lad has one of them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bud Selig:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0“When you saw him play, you knew you were seeing greatness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Braves shortstop Johnny Logan:\u00a0<\/strong> \u201cI didn\u2019t mind starting fights. Mathews was always there to finish them for me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Braves pitcher Tony Clonigner: <\/strong>\u201cIf you ever wanted to pitch inside, you didn\u2019t have to worry about the batter making it to the mound with Eddie Mathews at third.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Warren Spahn on Mathews’ fisticuffs with Frank Robinson: <\/strong>\u201cHe (Eddie) hit him with three punches that not even Muhammad Ali could have stopped.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Eddie Mathews on competitiveness:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019d take on the other third baseman. I wanted to beat him in every department: fielding, hitting, running the bases.\u00a0 I played that game all my life, and it kept me going.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Eddie Mathews at his Hall of Fame induction:\u00a0<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019m just a beat up old third baseman.\u00a0 I\u2019m just a small part of a game that is a tremendous part of America today.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT<\/h3>\n

Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); The Baseball Reliquary; Baseball Bloggers Alliance.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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I<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was a short (2-3 hour) bus ride from Memphis to Music City (aka Nashville). \u00a0We pulled out of Memphis at the very humane hour of 10:30 a.m., a well-rested and ready-to-go group. \u00a0Conversations on the bus focused on the previous day\u2019s game, past Ballpark Tours Trips and \u2013 given that this was a fairly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13,11],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n