Lansing - It only took fans two innings to soak in the sights, sounds and smells of baseball at Oldsmobile Park for the Lansing Lugnuts’ home opener.
After a 42-minute, 13-run first inning, rain and sleet set in as fans bolted toward the exits and out of the 46-degree weather.
The official attendance for the home opener was 7,013.
“It’s too cold,” said Bob Clone, as he left the ballpark with his 10-year-old son, Ben. “We’ve been in Myrtle Beach for a week, we’re not used to it.”
But the 43-year-old Holt resident said the first two innings was plenty of time to take in the atmosphere.
“We got a little food, got a little ball and got a little cold,” Clone said. “I had a plate of Winston ribs and a beer, (Ben) had a salted pretzel and a hot chocolate.”
Winston’s Bar-B-Q is a new addition to Oldsmobile, joining the traditional hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
The barbecue stand replaces an old fan favorite, the Turkey Man, who sold giant turkey legs.
Jerome Winston, who also caters for the MSU football team, said the Turkey Man moved to a location outside of the stadium.
“(The Lugnuts) called me and asked me if I wanted to come down,” Winston said. “Before I came I talked to the Turkey Man, he said he was going on to other things.
“It’s a winning combination, just like apple pie and baseball. It’s apple pie, baseball and Winston’s Bar-B-Q.”
The ballpark foods weren’t the only changes during the off-season. Of the 25 Lugnut players, 22 are new this season.
“It’s hard to tell who the players are, even with a program,” Clone said. “But they sure can hit the ball.”
Harry Davis, 72, and his four best friends made the trip from Brighton. He said the group has been coming since the park opened five years ago.
“It’s a nice stadium, good baseball, good crowd and fun atmosphere,” Davis said. “We bring our wives when it’s warm weather.
“They’re not quite at the same level of fans as we are. They’re a lot smarter.”
After the harsh weather conditions drove away the majority of the crowd, a few fans stuck around to watch the Lugnuts (3-1) beat the West Michigan Whitecaps (2-2) 12-3.
Social relations junior Kristen Anderson sat hunched over on the third-base side with a gray hooded sweatshirt and green Spartan Marching Band jacket.
“It’s fun,” Anderson said of her first Lugnuts game. “Despite the weather it’s fun. Since the weather is not good there’s not that many people, but the people who are here are excited to be here.
“Otherwise, they wouldn’t be here.”
Hoping to catch a souvenir in the home opener, a handful of fans braved the weather as they huddled together on the left-field lawn.
“The reason I wanted to sit on the grass is because more balls come out here,” said 12-year-old Jeff Davenport.
The first 2,500 fans didn’t need to camp out in left-field to claim a souvenir. Each received a free Sammy Sosa bobblehead doll with the Lugnuts logo on the back of his blue Chicago Cubs hat. The Lugnuts are a Cubs affiliate.
But Lettie Davenport came out to the home opener for the baseball.
“You have to come out for the opener and the closer,” Davenport said. “It’s baseball.”
