My first week in West Virginia is in the books. I'm exhausted and have done more work in the past week than in any other week in recent memory. It was all very worth it and I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store.
I've met some great people down here and have made great first impressions. We haven't had to pull tarp yet because of the great weather that we've had over the past week, but I expect that to change.
I have had to do a number of different things already here. I've made multiple videos per day for the video board, acted as crowd control on multiple occasions and put up an inflatable mascot, among other things. It's crazy.
During games, I am usually placed in the dugout as a camera operator for the video board. I love standing in the dugout for the whole game, except for the fact that I can't sit down during the games. The usher in my section is very nice. He comes down and chats with me before each game. I want to stash a couple of baseballs down there and give them to a kid before a game sometime.
I have also worked the camera behind home plate. Same story for never sitting, but the usher there always makes sure that I have water. I can't say enough how nice the people are here.
Cole Tucker, the Pirates' number one draft pick in the 2014 draft is a really down to earth guy. The shortstop says hi to me before every game and today we had a good chat during an inning the team was in the field. Today he was a DH and didn't have to go in the field so he came over and chatted for an inning. He expects to stay with the team for the length of the season and actually has a friend that was a dance major at Point Park.
My biggest achievement so far is the Power Minute and the Power Highlights. They are highlight clips from the previous night's home games that I put together after the game. The downside to that is that I have to stay until almost midnight after games to get them done. The upside is that they are played on the video board during the pregame show. Also, WOWK 13 in Charleston, the CBS affiliate, is airing my Power Highlight segment on their morning and noon news broadcasts. I put together a 40 second version for WOWK and a 60 second version for the Power's pregame video board lineup.
I film stand-ups for an intro and outro on the field before the game. On Wednesday, my first time doing the stand-ups for a real game, Jerrick Suiter, a 2014 late-round draft pick, was tossing balls at me during batting practice as he worked the pitching machine. I saw the balls rolling past me, and when I turned around and caught him in the act, he started laughing and pointed at me. These guys have fun.
I put together highlight music video on the day of my first game here. I made it in the afternoon and it was played while the players were stretching on the field during pregame. Almost all of them stopped to watch most of the video. When they would see a play that they made in the video, they would laugh and poke fun at each other. It was really cool to see them watching the video I made in a couple hours before the game.
I also made a motivational rally video one day. The first night that we played it, we were trailing in the bottom of the ninth. The team all watched the video and went crazy at the end of it. We came back and won in walk-off fashion. It was incredible.
My roommate is really cool here. He's been really helpful and has made the transition easier on me. He is also the number-two broadcaster for the team. My co-intern is also really cool. He's a hard worker and good to be around. We make a good team. My boss, Jay is a character for sure. An interesting character.
During games, I'm typically at the ballpark from 9:45 a.m. until 11:45 p.m. I get paid minimum wage from 5:30 until 9:30. After the game, I put together my highlight package. Before the game, I make videos and do anything else that needs done around the ballpark.
This seven game home stand is five games in and it's exhausting. They do feed us dinner before the games though and lunch the next day for me is typically the last night's leftovers, so my food situation has been okay so far.
My apartment is very hot and has weak wifi. At least I'm not there too often. The area of Charleston that it's in is decent. It's a short walk to the ballpark and not a bad walk to get to the river and relax. Living in Pittsburgh definitely prepared me for walking everywhere I go.
I have had very little to no free time here. I am allowed to take an entire hour for lunch, but I usually just eat while I'm working. I don't like wasting time. Besides that, I haven't had many breaks. That's baseball for you.
It's one week in and I'm drained. There are only two games left until we get a breather and the team goes on the road.
I am enjoying it so far though and I'm starting to get the hang of everything. I'll post a few pictures of my first week here and my first 12 days of summer vacation. If you wish to send me mail, my address in Charleston is:
1427 Lewis St. Apt. 4
Charleston WV 25301
On a side note, I was just informed that I'll be going on a road trip with Jay and Mike in late may to Lexington, KY for a game to check out their production booth and see how they run things to get a different perspective of a game.
Below is a group of photos from my first week, one that was crazy for sure. A night game and a morning game start kick off this coming week before the team goes on the road for 7 days. For now, we continue to grind. There is rain in the forecast for this week, so expect a review on the tarp-pulling process next week.
Because, why not?
Josh
Sunday, May 10
Hours: May 3-9
5-2 Saturday: Move in day
5-3 Sunday: Explore City
5-4 Monday: 10-5 (7)
5-5 Tuesday: 10-5 (7)
5-6 Wednesday: 10a-11:30p (12.5)
5-7 Thursday: 10a-11:30p (12.5)
5-8 Friday: 10-6, 9:30-11:30 (10)
5-9 Saturday: 2p-12a (9.5)
Total: 48.5
I've met some great people down here and have made great first impressions. We haven't had to pull tarp yet because of the great weather that we've had over the past week, but I expect that to change.
I have had to do a number of different things already here. I've made multiple videos per day for the video board, acted as crowd control on multiple occasions and put up an inflatable mascot, among other things. It's crazy.
During games, I am usually placed in the dugout as a camera operator for the video board. I love standing in the dugout for the whole game, except for the fact that I can't sit down during the games. The usher in my section is very nice. He comes down and chats with me before each game. I want to stash a couple of baseballs down there and give them to a kid before a game sometime.
I have also worked the camera behind home plate. Same story for never sitting, but the usher there always makes sure that I have water. I can't say enough how nice the people are here.
Cole Tucker, the Pirates' number one draft pick in the 2014 draft is a really down to earth guy. The shortstop says hi to me before every game and today we had a good chat during an inning the team was in the field. Today he was a DH and didn't have to go in the field so he came over and chatted for an inning. He expects to stay with the team for the length of the season and actually has a friend that was a dance major at Point Park.
My biggest achievement so far is the Power Minute and the Power Highlights. They are highlight clips from the previous night's home games that I put together after the game. The downside to that is that I have to stay until almost midnight after games to get them done. The upside is that they are played on the video board during the pregame show. Also, WOWK 13 in Charleston, the CBS affiliate, is airing my Power Highlight segment on their morning and noon news broadcasts. I put together a 40 second version for WOWK and a 60 second version for the Power's pregame video board lineup.
I film stand-ups for an intro and outro on the field before the game. On Wednesday, my first time doing the stand-ups for a real game, Jerrick Suiter, a 2014 late-round draft pick, was tossing balls at me during batting practice as he worked the pitching machine. I saw the balls rolling past me, and when I turned around and caught him in the act, he started laughing and pointed at me. These guys have fun.
I put together highlight music video on the day of my first game here. I made it in the afternoon and it was played while the players were stretching on the field during pregame. Almost all of them stopped to watch most of the video. When they would see a play that they made in the video, they would laugh and poke fun at each other. It was really cool to see them watching the video I made in a couple hours before the game.
I also made a motivational rally video one day. The first night that we played it, we were trailing in the bottom of the ninth. The team all watched the video and went crazy at the end of it. We came back and won in walk-off fashion. It was incredible.
My roommate is really cool here. He's been really helpful and has made the transition easier on me. He is also the number-two broadcaster for the team. My co-intern is also really cool. He's a hard worker and good to be around. We make a good team. My boss, Jay is a character for sure. An interesting character.
During games, I'm typically at the ballpark from 9:45 a.m. until 11:45 p.m. I get paid minimum wage from 5:30 until 9:30. After the game, I put together my highlight package. Before the game, I make videos and do anything else that needs done around the ballpark.
This seven game home stand is five games in and it's exhausting. They do feed us dinner before the games though and lunch the next day for me is typically the last night's leftovers, so my food situation has been okay so far.
My apartment is very hot and has weak wifi. At least I'm not there too often. The area of Charleston that it's in is decent. It's a short walk to the ballpark and not a bad walk to get to the river and relax. Living in Pittsburgh definitely prepared me for walking everywhere I go.
I have had very little to no free time here. I am allowed to take an entire hour for lunch, but I usually just eat while I'm working. I don't like wasting time. Besides that, I haven't had many breaks. That's baseball for you.
It's one week in and I'm drained. There are only two games left until we get a breather and the team goes on the road.
I am enjoying it so far though and I'm starting to get the hang of everything. I'll post a few pictures of my first week here and my first 12 days of summer vacation. If you wish to send me mail, my address in Charleston is:
1427 Lewis St. Apt. 4
Charleston WV 25301
On a side note, I was just informed that I'll be going on a road trip with Jay and Mike in late may to Lexington, KY for a game to check out their production booth and see how they run things to get a different perspective of a game.
Below is a group of photos from my first week, one that was crazy for sure. A night game and a morning game start kick off this coming week before the team goes on the road for 7 days. For now, we continue to grind. There is rain in the forecast for this week, so expect a review on the tarp-pulling process next week.
Because, why not?
Josh
Sunday, May 10
 |
| The view from my desk |
 |
| Filming my stand-ups on the field |
 |
| The sunset from the river by my apartment |
 |
| Editing my Power Highlight package |
| ||
 |
| This is the "Toast Man" Toast Man Article |
 |
| My spot in the dugout |
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| The giant inflatable mascot I put up every morning |
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| Cole Tucker #2 |
Hours: May 3-9
5-2 Saturday: Move in day
5-3 Sunday: Explore City
5-4 Monday: 10-5 (7)
5-5 Tuesday: 10-5 (7)
5-6 Wednesday: 10a-11:30p (12.5)
5-7 Thursday: 10a-11:30p (12.5)
5-8 Friday: 10-6, 9:30-11:30 (10)
5-9 Saturday: 2p-12a (9.5)
Total: 48.5
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