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By Rosemary Pollock
New Provo Baseball Team Attracts LDS Stars, Ogden Pokes at LDS Customs
PROVO, UTAH -- A natural rivalry began Saturday night with the Provo
Angels and the Ogden Raptors swinging it out for the first of 18
games during their minor-league baseball debut at Miller Park. The
fans found more excitement off the field than on as Ogden's Corey
Hart slapped an RBI single to drive in the game-winning run against
the Angels for a final score of 3-2.
"We just didn't hit the ball very well," said desgnated hitter Josh
Gray, who said the Angels had only practiced twice since convening in
Provo for the first time three days before the opener. The Raptors
had at least had a practice game. "The fans were great," Gray added.
The game attracted baseball dignitaries such as minor league baseball
president and BYU coach Vance Law, and his father the 1960 Cy Young
Award winner, Vernon Law. Celebrity appearances gave way to nearly
2,500 fans who provided entertainment off the field.
"Are we ready for baseball in Provo?" Mayor Lewis Billing called into
the public address system. "Who Let the Dogs Out?" track played as
fans cheered the floppy eared St. Bernard named Charlie, as in
Charlie's Angels.
The Raptors are planning three more 90-minute road trips to Utah
County. "The only problem might be getting our fans to make the trip
knowing that there won't be any beer at the game. We're going to have
to 'entertain' them on the bus," Baggott joked.
The Raptors are planning to erect a sign around the Angels' bullpen
that reads "Provo Relief Society," in reference to The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints women's organization. They are
hoping to attract the season's biggest crowds for "Polygamy Night" on
August 3, where the first wife is half-price and additional wives are
$1 each.
"Honestly, some of our best material comes from straight out of the
newspapers," Baggott said. He also staged Bribery Night to honor the
Olympics two seasons ago. "This will be great for our teams, and
great for the league," he said. "We're showing everybody that it's OK
to laugh at ourselves. It's all in good fun. And what's more fun than
kicking some Happy Valley butt?"
"We're just a bunch of hicks from a railroad town," mocked Dave
Baggott, the Ogden Raptor's owner. "How can we compete with our
do-gooder neighbors to the south?" "They're calling themselves the
Angels--how perfect is that? What does that make us?"
The 200l Raptors vs. Angels schedules in the Pioneer Leaugue is as follows:
June 22-24 -- At Ogden.
July 14-16 -- at Ogden.
Aug. 1,4,6 -- at Provo.
Aug. 2,3,5 -- at Ogden.
Aug. 28-30 - - at Provo.
Sources:
Opening Night A Smash Hit, But Provo loses inaugural game
Salt Lake Tribune 17Jun01 S2
By Michael C. Lewis: Salt Lake Tribune
Raptors Plan to Devil The Angels Into Rivalry
Salt Lake Tribune 14Jun01 S4
By Phil Miller: Salt Lake Tribune
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