Game Day: American League wins 77th All-Star Game, 3-2 (7/11/06)

The Texas Rangers' Michael Young lined a two-run triple with two on and two outs in the top of the ninth inning to give the American League a 3-2 victory in the 77th All-Star Game tonight at PNC Park.

	Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette In a key play at the plate, Detroit catcher Ivan Rodriguez tagged out the Nationals Alfonso Soriano in the third inning. Click photo for larger image.

The AL, which is 9-0-1 in the past 10 All-Star Games, nearly had that streak broken when it was down to its last out against losing pitcher Trevor Hoffman of the Padres. But the AL struck quickly after that.

Chicago's Paul Konerko singled to left and was replaced by Seattle's Jose Lopez as a pinch runner. Toronto's Troy Glaus followed with a ground rule double that bounced into the leftfield stands, forcing Lopez to stop at third.

But Young, who entered the game at second base in the fifth inning, drilled a Hoffman pitch to rightcenter scoring Lopez and Glaus.

The NL's Carlos Beltran reached on an error with one out in the ninth off the Yankees Mariano Rivera, but a ground out by Philadelphia's Ryan Howard and a pop to shallow right by Milwaukee's Carlos Lee ended the game.

The winning pitcher was Toronto's B.J. Ryan, who pitched a scoreless eighth inning.

The NL broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the third, recovering from a great defensive play by AL starting centerfielder Vernon Wells.

With one out, Alfonso Soriano of the Nationals singled and stole second off the second AL pitcher, Toronto's Roy Halladay. The Mets' Carlos Beltran followed with a line single to center but Wells fired a perfect one-hop throw to AL catcher Ivan Rodriguez of Detroit, nailing Soriano at the plate. Beltran took second on the throw.

Beltran then promptly stole third and one pitch later, Halladay's wild pitch scored him to give the NL the lead.

The Pirates Jason Bay, who started in rightfield for the NL, singled in his second at-bat of the game off Halladay in the bottom of the fourth. He was then erased as the next batter, the Braves' Edgar Renteria, grounded into a double play.

The Pirates other representative in the game, Freddy Sanchez, was inserted into the game at shortstop in the fifth inning and made several nice defensive plays at both short and second. In the sixth, he leaped high in the air to snag a line drive off the bat of Boston's Mark Loretta to end the inning. As a secondbaseman, he also smothered a hot shot to his right by the Indians' Grady Sizemore with a runner on second to end the eighth.

Sanchez was 0 for 2 in the game, grounding out both times.

The AL opened the scoring with one out in the second when the Anaheim Angels' Vladimir Guerrero homered to right off NL starter Brad Penny of the Dodgers.

The NL came back with a home run of it's own with one out in the bottom of the second when the Mets' David Wright, the runner up in Monday night's Home Run Derby, drove a pitch from AL starter Kenny Rogers of the Tigers into the seats in left field. The Phillies' Chase Utley followed with an infield single, but catcher Paul Lo Duca of the Mets grounded into a 1-6-3 double play.

Penny began the game in style by striking out the side in the top of the first. The Dodgers righthander fanned Ichiro Suzuki, Derek Jeter and David Ortiz, the latter looking.

The NL failed to capitalize in their half of the first, when with one out Beltran doubled inside third. Albert Pujols, the NL leader in home runs with 29, popped to Jeter in shallow left and Bay, in his first-ever All-Star at-bat, struck out on a 2-2 curve.

The game began at 8:44 on a hot, humid night and under a threat of rain, but that didn't dampen the sellout crowd at PNC Park, who cheered the home NL squad as it was introduced. They reserved thunderous applause and a standing ovation for the two Pirates in tonight's game -- Bay and reserve infielder Freddy Sanchez. -- Jerry Micco

Game Day: Tickets? We Don't need no steeenkin' tickets! (7/11/06)

The game has started, the house is packed, and though the scalpers ticket prices have dropped like Enron stock, the party on Federal Street is raging.

As mentioned by Tim McNulty earlier, every bar on the block is packed, as is the street, Clemente Bridge and Riverwalk (yes, its open to the public tonight). Blues bands are playing and the beer is flowing.

Enter Kate, Kathy and Veronica.

This trio of thirtysomething ladies are well beyond three-IC Lights-to-the-wind, having cut out of work early to come over for the pregame parade.

Kate Cerra, of Dormont said that she and Veronica MacKenzie, of Carnegie and Kathy Oawstra of Westwood have created an unofficial welcome wagon for out-of-town guests, greeting fans from Colorado, Arizona, and Latin America.

"We're having a blast. Everyone is," Ms. Cerra said. "This is the most entertaining event the city has had in a while," she said, adding that they've been soaking it up since Friday.

They met former San Francisco Giant and Texas Ranger Will Clark at a party for 84 Lumber.

"We didn't know who he was, but what are you gonna do?" Ms. Oawstra laughed.

Meanwhile Earl and Lois Keating one-upped the girls, meeting Gov. Ed Rendell as he slipped into a party at Atria's.

The Keatings, of Mt. Lebanon, decided to come down for dinner and soak in the atmosphere of this international event in their hometown.

Wearing an "Ask Me, I'm a Pittsburgher" button, Mrs. Keating's eyes welled with tears of pride for her city.

"I called my kids in Florida to make sure they were watching," Mrs. Keating said. "I love Pittsburgh. I impressed that the city has done such a nice job showing itself to the world." -- Dan Gigler

Game Day: Even the weather is behaving (7/11/06)

	Martha Rial, Post-Gazette Pfc. April Gaetano, of Glassport, waits with other military personnel hoping for autographs from one of the players before the All-Star Game at PNC Park. Pfc. Gaetano is with the 128th Forward Support Battalion and was part of the crew involved in the national anthem presentation on the field before the game. Click photo for larger image.

The sky at PNC Park is a steady deep blue, as is the light atop Downtown's Gulf Tower. Still, it has been raining, on and off, for hours today, up to and past the 8:44 p.m. first pitch.

"Rain" may be too strong a word. It's not quite a sprinkle, not even a mist - the water has been falling in tiny intermittent droplets, like the holy water a priest shakes on baptized babies.

Most everything happening at the park has been scripted for TV, but there was one off-screen highlight: the right-field fans at PNC Park on their feet cheering the uniformed personnel, even as they rolled up the giant continental U.S. flag they held during the anthem, and even as they walked it out an exit by the right field foul pole. -- Tim McNulty

Game Day: Drinking town with a baseball problem (today only) (7/11/06)

Let the record show that Tuesday July 11 was shaping up as the biggest bar day in the five years since the North Side stadiums opened.

Public Works director Guy Costa estimated there were 35,000 on the Clemente Bridge fro the red-carpet ride to the park, which was over four hours before game time. Most of them followed the lead of the players, and headed to the North Side. On any Steeler Sunday, Heinz Field will hold twice as many as PNC Park. But with no room for parking and tailgating on the North Side, every last person who wanted a beer before heading into the game was spilling out onto the red carpet and beyond around Federal Street, from the Allegheny River to Lacock Street, making for a loud and sweaty Mardi Gras vibe. Even places like the New Moon Fusion Restaurant was doing business, and I've never seen a soul there.

To test my theory I went into a place I've always been afraid of, the 222 Bar -- a three-story orphan of a building beneath a Rt. 279 on-ramp that looks like the kind of place a troll might live.

It was full too, and actually really cool in there, and I regretted not going in before. Owner Jerry Reese -- whose grandmother bought the place in 1948 -- challenged my theory. (No crowd is big enough for a bar owner.)

"The Steelers crowd is bigger. This is more spread out, though. The Steelers crowd is from 11-1. They have two hours to drink and are in and out quick -- today is slow and steady," Reese said.

Still, Reese didn't see a Steeler regular all day. The people there were out-of-towners or irregular Pittsburgh fans, getting a unique perspective on the city's manic pre-game drinking scene. -- Tim McNulty

Game Day: Red Carpet on a gold bridge (7/11/06)

	John Beale, Post-Gazette A red carpet was placed across the Roberto Clemente Bridge as players were carried, one at a time, in open trucks and SUVs, their names on cards placed on the roofs to PNC Park for the All-Star Game. Click photo for larger image.

It's said there's one in every crowd, today there were at least two.

Among the thousands who lined the Clemente Bridge, peered out of office windows and from on top of parking garages to see the filming of the MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet show were a pair of young men who cracked wise on anything and everything during the event from annoying Yankees fans, the attractiveness of the players wives, to Mariano Rivera's balding head.

A motorcade featuring each of the players riding in the back of ethanol-burning Chevy trucks along with their families was filmed for the pregame broadcast, as the All-Stars made a grand entrance to PNC Park across a specially made 1837-foot long, 44,388-square foot carpet made by Home Depot, that was laid in two sections: from the Byham Theater to end of Clemente Bridge and from the Clemente Statue to Federal Street.

Though it was swampy hot outside, fans lined six and seven deep along the bridge cheering and jostling for free promotional items (read: junk) thrown by players. The crowd was estimated by CIty Public Works director Guy Costa at 35,000.

Two of them, Brian Deiseroth of New Kensington and Ray Sharkins of Cheswick watched with amusement and kept a running commentary.

The World Series trophy was even given its own car and Mr. Sharkins yelled "Throw it," as the trophy went past.

"Pittsburgh's not gonna see that again for a long time," Mr. Deiseroth said, an understatement bordering on folly.

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Albert Pujols arrives on the North Shore side of the Roberto Clemente Bridge at PNC Park for the All-Star Game. Click photo for larger image.

The pair, who have attended every All-Star event over the weekend, were about ready to strangle a Yankees fan who kept raising his arms and waving his hat, thereby blocking their ability to take pictures of the event.

Nonetheless they said they've been having a blast, and that this event, along with the Steelers Super Bowl victory, "has made it a pretty great year to be a Pittsburgh sports fan," Mr. Deiseroth said.

Sox of both colors, Red and White, seemed to get the biggest crowd cheers. (though admittedly I got there just after Freddy Sanchez and Jason Bay had gone through).

David "Big Papi" Ortiz was big pimpin' in a white suit and a huge golf umbrella. He might need it tonight -- the thunderstorms are said to be en route. -- Dan Gigler

Game Day: Thinking about Mayor O' Connor (7/11/06)

A lot of people have been asking whether the national news media, or the public address announcers at the ballpark, would mention Mayor Bob O'Connor's cancer battle during All-Star festivities. Neither happened last night and I think I know why.

I covered Bob's last five years on Pittsburgh City Council and his last two runs for mayor, and (like many, many people around town) have spent time with him and his family, and know full well his connection to this city. So I felt the shocks yesterday afternoon and thought they would reverberate around PNC Park too. They did not. The All-Star game is a national and international event without deep ties to real Pittsburgh -- ESPN's lazy and uninspired TV intro to the Derby was all about molten steel, for crying out loud, as if it were 30 years ago -- and it's about entertainment and glitz.

Leading up to the 8 p.m start of the Home Run Derby, those inside the park last night were repeatedly asked to revv up (as opposed to redd up) their cheers for the television audience, with ESPN's Chris Berman telling fans to cheer as if Maz, Pops, Roberto and even the Steelers were on the field. The last thing announcers were going to do is bring the crowd hurtling down with shocking talk about the mayor's health.

That being said, I'm not really surprised. On the field stuff at the park during All-Star Week is not run by the Pirates; it is run by Major League Baseball staffers out of New York. I doubt they knew about the severity of the mayor's condition or, more significantly, the ways that politics, sports, pride (and a suspicion of outsiders) mix together in Pittsburgh's cultural identity.

We'll see if that changes tonight. -- Tim McNulty

Game Day: Baseball Rainman (7/11/06)

After fielding 600 to 700 baseball trivia questions over the course of five days, Gregg Klayman learned something.

"I learned that Bert Campaneris played third base for the Yankees when Dave Righetti pitched his no-hitter,'' Klayman said.

At least he thinks he learned that. Pittsburghers were saying just about anything to win a MLB.COM cap at his company's booth at FanFest in the Lawrence Convention Center. Klayman is going to look it up to make sure it's true as soon as he gets home to New York.

Klayman, 31, comes by his love of baseball trivia honestly. His father, Dick Klayman, is sports editor for the New York Post, and his son soaked up stats and stories by osmosis. Taking on all comers is fun for him, particularly "when I see a kid 12 or 13 ask me something impossible. It's kind of cool.''

He figures if there were 600 questions, he got about 150 wrong, but a lot of them were impossible Pittsburgh questions like which block a certain Pirate lived on.

Klayman would do four or five 10- to 15-minute segments a day, and about two-thirds of the questions were about the Pirates. So he learned what year they changed to black-and-gold uniforms (1948) and everything most of us have forgotten about the 1960, '71 and '79 World Series. But the question he was happiest to get had nothing to do with the home team, but allowed him to rattle through 100 years of baseball and figure it out.

What five pitchers threw no-hitters in both leagues?

OK, I'm a seamhead, too, so I gave it a whack.

"Jim Bunning?'' Right.

"Randy Johnson?'' Right.

"Roger Clemens?" No.

"Kenny Rogers?" No.

"Nolan Ryan?" Right.

The others are Hideo Nomo and Cy Young, Klayman said.

"Nomo popped into my head and I completely guessed on Cy Young. That was my guess and it was right. That was the highlight moment. I think that was on Sunday.''

Most days, Klayman is director of fantasy and interactive games for mlb.com, but once a year he gets to play seamhead guru. "For myself, the most fun is learning more about baseball, learning about history, and the look on a fan's face when he stumps me." -- Brian O' Neill

Game Day: Clemente threw like a girl? (7/11/06)

Bet you didn't know Roberto Clemente got his great arm from his mother.

David Maraniss made the rounds in town this week to talk about his book, "Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero.'' It's the perfect follow-up stop after taking his book tour to Puerto Rico, where he met people who knew the Clemente family when Roberto was a boy.

From the moment he was old enough to use his arms, Roberto began throwing things, just for the joy of it, the people told Maraniss. But the people don't think he got that throwing ability from his father.

Luisa Clemente, a dignified woman, was a butcher who was said to be able to haul 90 pounds of meat on her right arm. She could fire a strike from a pitcher's mound, too, well into old age.

Roberto's wondrous wing seems to have come from his Mom's side of the family. -- Brian O' Neill

Day 4: Bombs over Pittsburgh (7/10/06)

Throughout this All-Star week, Coast Guard boats with machine gun turrets have been seen patrolling the Allegheny River outside of PNC Park. Those machine guns could have been put to use tonight to ward off incoming fire: as in the bombs being dropped by sluggers into the river during the home run derby.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette The phrase "Going, going, gone" has a whole new meaning for a fan trying to field a home run swatted out of PNC Park into the Allegheny River Monday during the All-Star Home Run Derby. Click photo for larger image. 'Dan the Fan' Read more adventures of the Home Run Derby Fleet at Dan Majors' All-Star journal: Dan the Fan

Twenty balls splashed down into the river in the area behind right and right-center field which became the drop zone for fan favorite "Big Papi" David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox and eventual Derby champ Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies.

I was standing on the Riverwalk concourse as the Ortiz and Howard shelling commenced. You could hear the oohs, ahhs, gasps and wows, from the crowd but you couldn't see the ball coming until it was nearly on top of you.

One ball whizzed by a few feet in front of my face and practically scorched my eyebrows. Andy Ho and his friend Jenna Bosco, both of Shadyside, stood nearby clutching their beers fearful of getting beaned.

But the sluggers may have been secondary stars to the river itself.

Sean Brady, co-director of Venture Outdoors said that his rented their entire fleet of kayaks and canoes - upwards of 50 total for the evening.

"This is great for the image of Pittsburgh. This is what you want to see on your television," Mr. Brady said. "This fits our mission so well - to turn people onto the rivers and outdoor sports that haven't done this before."

Just about 100 different non-motorized craft ranging from kayaks and canoes to a guy in an innertube with an oar lined the riverbank. Another 70 or so pleasure boats watched from the other side of the river.

Walking back to the PG, building I passed a young couple with a flag of their homeland, the Domincan Republic wrapped around them. Carlos Sanchez ("Like Freddy," he said) and Natalie Navarro flew to New Jersey on Friday and drove here from there to cheer on their country's native son, Big Papi, attend FanFest, the Derby and the game tomorrow night.

They've been impressed with what they've seen here in Pittsburgh.

"It's actually pretty nice. We've really admired the buildings here," he said. "We're going home satisfied."

Guy Annable from Toronto concurred. "I've had a fantastic time. Pittsburgh has been incredibly hospitable and its gonna shine tonight."

Indeed it did. -- Dan Gigler

To watch a video of fans scrambling for baseballs in the river, click here.

Day 4: A new Ryan Express (7/10/06)

Ryan Howard won tonight's Century 21 Home Run Derby at PNC Park and he did it with a flair that could only be befitting the national stage on which the young Philadelphia slugger was standing.

	Martha Rial, Post-Gazette Phillies slugger Ryan Howard brought his 5-year-old son, Darian Howard, to the press conference after winning the All-Star Home Run Derby. Click photo for larger image.

Howard defeated the New Yorks Mets' David Wright, 5-4, in the final of the Derby, which is part of Major League Baseball's 77th All-Star Game celebration. Howard, a 26-year-old first baseman who is a reserve for the National League, was tied with Wright at 4-4 but he had five outs remaining to get the winner. Each contestant is given 10 outs per round. An out is any ball hit that is not a home run.

On his final blast, a shot to right field, he hit one of the two "Hit It Here" signs that were put up by MasterCard Corp. By doing that, Howard won a lucky fan 500 free flights courtesy of MasterCard.

It's the ultimate frequent flyer plan.

In all, Howard, who bats left-handed, hit 23 home runs on the night. Of those, eight made the Allegheny River on either a bounce or fly. Twenty balls total were hit into the river by the eight Home Run Derby contestants.

Howard, who is a reserve for the National League, was consistent in all three rounds of the competition. He hit eight homers in round one, 10 in round two and five in round three, which was stopped once he passed Wright.

Wright, who finished with 22 home runs, hit 16 of those home runs in the first round of competition. He hit two in the second round and four in the final. He will start at third base for the NL in tomorrow night's 8 p.m. game. -- Jerry Micco

Day 4: Kerplunk! (7/10/06)

The moment everyone has been waiting for arrived early in the Century 21 Home Run Derby on Monday. Big splash time.

	Martha Rial, Post-Gazette Dan McClain, of Turtle Creek, and his brother John McClain, of Clifton, New Jersey, wait for the All-Star Home Run Derby batting practice to begin. The pair said they hope to snag a ball blasted out of PNC Park and into the Allegheny River. Click photo for larger image.

Houston Astros outfielder Lance Berkman, the Derby's second participant, hit the second of what would be three home runs into the Allegheny River on the fly. It was the first ball hit into the river during the competition and it traveled an estimated 463 feet. It wasn't the longest ball Berkman, a switch-hitter who batted from the left side on Monday, hit during his early round chances. He drove a ball to right centerfield approximately 468 feet.

It's still early in the event and some of the big left-handed hitters, the Phillies Ryan Howard and the Red Sox David Ortiz, have yet to take their swings.

Outside PNC Park, a decision by city officials to close the walkway outside the ballpark along the Allegheny River for safety reason was leaving some fans irate. (Click to story.)

John Ambrisco and his son John Jr. drove in 70 miles from Dunbar, Pa., were peeved about the situation, because it came without warning and they made a point to check the newspaper and television broadcasts to make sure there weren't any such restrictions.

Guy Annable, who came a little further -- from Toronto, to be exact --and fashioned a rigged 15-foot fishing net for the event wasn't too disappointed and said he could see the merit in the police decision.

"If it's about safety, that's understandable," he said. "But I guess I'll go home ball-less."

"Baseball-less," he quickly corrected himself.

	Martha Rial, Post-Gazette Police begin to order people off the riverwalk outside PNC Park before the start of the All-Star Home Run Derby. Boaters were allowed to stay, but only paddle-powered craft were allowed near shore. Click photo for larger image.

Filing dispatches from the river, the PG's Dan Majors and Larry Walsh said that initially they thought this was a bit of party pooping from the boys in blue but changed their minds after watching the events unfold, saying that the Riverwalk was narrow, the water shallow and the fans a little overzealous. Had a big crowd on the Riverwalk decided to jump into the river, someone might not have made it back up.

Somewhat disappointed, but no less enthusiastic, hundreds of fans lined the Clemente Bridge from end to end to catch a glimpse of the splashdowns. -- Jerry Micco and Dan Gigler

Day 4: Stinkin' Media (7/10/06)

The potpourri of odors was a dead giveaway: coffee breath masking last night's booze; too much cologne, or in some cases not nearly enough; a faint whiff of B.O. wafting the air.

Must be media day down at the Westin Convention Center hotel, an event that a veteran baseball writer for this paper termed something unprintable, though the word "goat" was used rather colorfully.

		Tell us ... What do you think of All-Star week in Pittsburgh? Have you and your family enjoyed the many events? Send us your thoughts at baseblog@post-gazette.com. Please include your name and hometown at the end of your message.

The players were finally on display and the international baseball media descended by the droves from every corner of the baseball world. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 reporters, photogs and camera crews were jammed into a third floor conference room at the hotel, getting an hour each to fire away questions to the National League players, followed by the American League stars.

On the field, the players are in uniform, but in street clothes you get a glimpse into their personalities. For instance, Derek Jeter was impeccably dressed in a light blue suit and gold tie, and looked like he stepped straight off the pages of Esquire, while across the room White Sox reliever Bobby Jenks worked a lip full of dip, spitting into a water bottle. Both affably answered questions. Slightly different in the style department though.

Ditto for A-Rod and Big Papi. At the table next to Jeter, his Yankees teammate Alex Rodriguez wore some kind of a conservative checked sport coat that could match a Bear Bryant hat. Meanwhile David Ortiz was the blingiest one of all, donning a pair of diamond studded sunglasses and some watches and bracelets that are probably worth more than two-years of my salary.

Ichiro Suzuki had by far the biggest throng of media -- nearly all Japanese, who crowded four and five deep to get some sound and shots of their national hero. You would have needed a helicopter to see him past the cameras and boom mikes, though at times the same could be said for Pirates Jason Bay and Freddy Sanchez who each garnered as much attention as any of the bigger name stars, as well they should - this is their show, after all.

A pair of comely reporters from a Venezuelan television network were not shy about using their, ahem, assets to score interviews with players. If I'm a player, let's see ... I can answer questions from a fat, balding beat writer from Cleveland, or some gorgeous women from South America. That's a tough one.

Cal Ripken Jr. -- Cal Ripken! -- walked by in the lobby. Tommy Lasorda held court in a hallway, probably hoping to meet up with his namesake rat from Three Rivers Stadium. Mark Malone was reporting for ESPN and the old Steelers quarterback is still built like a statue.

I should hope I look so good when I'm pushing 50. And that I won't have coffee breath masking last night's booze, too much or too little cologne, and a faint whiff of B.O. -- Dan Gigler

To watch a vodcast about media day, click here.

Day 4: Nothing in common (7/10/06)

The only thing missing at PNC Park was MTV shooting a new program titled The Surreal World. Put it this way, there's no good reason for this type of an assemblage to roam around the foul lines during All-Star Workout Monday: Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis, actress Alyssa Milano, Pirates of the early 1990s Bobby Bonilla and Doug Drabek, director Rob Reiner and former Superman Dean Cain and, reportedly, a couple of "American Idol" contestants (like I would know what they look like). What was this, a Seen column on a baseball-banned medication?

Granted, this was billed as a media op, and there were plenty of celebrity TV folks on hand: Chris Berman, Bonnie Bernstein and Mike Golic of ESPN, Fox's Kevin Kennedy and Jeanne Zelasko, plus a former Steelers quarterback, Mark Malone of WBBM-TV in Chicago. At least, as working media, they had some reason to be there. Drabek, working for some sponsor, and Bonilla were schmoozing old Pirates pals.

But Milano, the former "Who's the Boss" child actor (back when she and then-Penguins star Robbie Brown were an item) claimed to be selling a clothing line, or somesuch. Reiner and Cain were still rubbing elbows from Sunday's softball game.

And Weis? Was he recruiting?

Longtime manager Lou Pinella - trolling for a new job? - and Tim Raines were among the former players amid the cacophony. The alumnus who attracted the steadiest attention was ex-Pirates manager Chuck Tanner, who is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday night. -- Chuck Finder

Day 4: And the Gratuitous Marketing Award Goes To... (7/10/06)

Of all the Taco Bell taco hats, Mastercard credit card stands and Chevy trucks, one gratuitous marketing campaign at FanFest stood out above the rest: Home Depot's "Dream Yard" display.

Situated near the windows overlooking the river on the second floor, the display depicts a backyard barbecue, complete with a Toro lawnmower, Husky contractor clean-up bags, a wheelbarrow full of Scotts products (two bags of Turf Builder) and a Weber grill.

Tenuous baseball ties include a Pirates apron draped over said grill, and a table set with Pirates gear. --Anya Sostek

Day 4: Specter of the Steelers (7/10/06)

Even on a day when baseball in Pittsburgh is the focus of the sporting world, it's hard to ignore Pittsburgh's other team --particularly if you're selling things.

Tom Budd, manager of Hometowne Sports in Century III mall, spent last Friday night in Jason Bay's living room as he autographed merchandise to sell (Mr. Budd has a picture to prove it).

From his stand at FanFest, Mr. Budd has sold dozens of $40 Jason Bay autographed baseballs, and even several $225 autographed jerseys. But his $5 Terrible Towels are selling as fast as most of the baseball merchandise.

Business at FanFest is good, he said, but it's just a warm-up: "Training camp starts in 20 days."

Over on Sixth Street, Steve Sodell has transformed a storefront into a bastion of All-Star merchandise. As the owner of Sports Fan Marketing, in Scottsdale, Ariz., Mr. Sodell travels to three or four major sporting events per year to sell T-shirts, hats, and trinkets.

Thus far, he said that All-Star business has been steady, but a little slower than other cities. "Pittsburgh's not a baseball town -- it's a football town," he said. "For the Super Bowl, we destroyed here." -- Anya Sostek

Day 4: Bargain baseball (7/10/06)

Experts estimate that $52.3 million will be spent on All-Star festivities. But for Jeremy Ray, it's all been a bargain.

Ray, a 29-year-old elementary school principal decked out in Red Sox gear, traveled with three of his friends from Saco, Maine. The four are sharing one queen bed and one air mattress at the Quality Inn in Oakland -- paying $94 a night in a deal they found on Orbitz.

During the Futures game last night, Ray was thrilled to find $4 beers and $2.50 hot dogs outside the stadium. At Fenway Park, he said, a simple can of beer would set him back $6.50.

Inside PNC Park, he could get a whole Primanti Brothers sandwich for $6. "There was a lot of weird stuff on it, but it was alright," he said. "For $6, I still find that to be a deal."

At FanFest today, Ray stood in line for free autographs from Goose Gossage and Gaylord Perry. His next stop was going to be lunch: from All-Star sponsor Taco Bell, for free. -- Anya Sostek

Day 3: Sarah is magic. Tim is not. (7/9/06)

I've stood in the Rose Garden for presidential news conferences, rode National Guard trucks through sloshing flood waters in New Orleans, and interviewed senators, governors and homicide detectives over 10+ years in the newspaper biz, but I've never been as notebook-shakingly nervous as I was today, waiting for Sarah Silverman in a hallway under PNC Park.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Comedienne Sarah Silverman cheers after catching a fly ball hit by her boyfriend, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, at the All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game Sunday. She also makes reporter Tim McNulty nervous. Click photo for larger image.

Sarah Silverman. Dark-eyed, beautiful and potty-mouthed standup comic and actress from "There's Something About Mary," "Saturday Night Live," "Mr. Show" and "School of Rock." Writer and star of her own indie film, "Jesus Is Magic," marked for its shocking language and themes. Longtime fantasy object of all of my movie-loving dorky friends. Girlfriend of Jimmy Kimmel, late-night talk show host.

The Legends and Celebrity All-Star Game is at 7 p.m. and I don't know how, where or when to interview Silverman, but know I have to -- I'd never be able to face my friends, let alone my bosses at the paper, if I don't. So I find my way to the concrete tunnel outside the locker rooms and wait. For almost two hours. Silverman finally comes out around 6:30, in long black pigtails and cutoff shorts, alongside Kimmel, walking quietly to the entrance to the field. It's my big chance and they agree to talk -- Kimmel does most of it, saying it's their first time to Pittsburgh and he wants to go to Primanti's. Silverman, rather bashfully, says they brought their dads along for the weekend. Then, as if her DNA requires her to tell a joke, she says they love playing in the All-Star celebrity game because "it's for a great cause." She pauses, shoots a look at me, and says, "Oh -- it's not?"

		Listen in Danny Masterson tells reporter Tim McNulty that he won't have any pregame jitters going into the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.

It's about then that I realize I was too nervous to turn on my tape recorder.

I try to do the professional thing and get them so say something -- anything -- salvagable onto my tape, but they get swept away onto the field. Joining them are the other 50 or so reporters and camera-people covering the game, who know you can talk to the celebs all you want, without waiting in the hallway for two hours, right there on the baseball diamond.

For the record, my interview with "That 70s Show" actor Danny Masterson was easier.

-- Tim McNulty

Day 3: Much ado about mallards (7/9/06)

All I know is that the ducks are gone.

I have no idea where they went, and I am sure they will return at some point. For now, though, they are gone, and that just has to be a sign that something is amiss.

	Bob Donaldson, Post-Gazette Duck and cover: a Coast Guard craft outfitted with machine guns helps provide security in the waters off PNC Park. Click photo for larger image.

For those who have a seriously dated image of Pittsburgh, our rivers are as alive as ever. Living on an island a mile upstream from PNC Park, I see it every day. And that includes the waterfowl, who, by day, hang out near PNC Park and, by night, head up our way and on to Millvale or wherever they end up.

Today? Nothing.

I rode my bike to PNC this afternoon to cover the Futures Game and saw no signs of them. What I saw instead were low-flying aircraft, a boat with a machine-gun-looking gizmo at each end of it, five huge floating baseballs in the Allegheny (for the Derby), and a whole bunch of River Rescue guys. No ducks.

Walking up to the ballpark, I noticed a bird on the sidewalk, looking very much like it had just collapsed there seconds earlier. I asked a nearby city policeman about it, and he confirmed he had just watched it fly face-first into the back of the Andy Warhol Museum.

No explanation for that, obviously, but I wonder if what is bugging the ducks is getting to the birds, too.

Once inside the building, the scene was just as jarring. The press box, which I have never seen half full, was packed for the Futures Game, all with familiar faces from around the baseball-writing circuit. Very strange to see them all at one place. The Pirates' clubhouse was populated by teenagers and twentysomethings from the U.S. team. The mascots were running into each other in the hallways and elevators. (These guys never go out of character, either. Baxter, the Arizona ... um, something ... was blowing kisses to a lady in the elevator on my way out. She laughed like she had been drugged.) Even the celebrities were everywhere. I was jotting notes outside the Pirates' room, and Rob Reiner and Jimmy Kimmel walked by.

Not exactly a rainy Monday night against the Brewers.

A part of me kind of likes this. I enjoy hearing from fellow writers and other visitors all their praise for Pittsburgh and, in particular, the great stuff that has happened along the water. But a part of me is kind of looking forward to having the Ducks back Thursday, too. -- Dejan Kovacevic

Day 3: Name dropping (7/9/06)

Celebrity softball games are boring. How do I know? I tried to watch one Sunday night in PNC Park, and found myself instead flipping through the All-Star Game Media Guide to see which surname has appeared the most times in All-Star history.

Hey, it beats finding out whether one of the characters from "That '70s Show'' can go from first to third on a single.

So here's the answer. The Davises have kept up with the Joneses. Each name has been worn by 10 players. The Joneses are Andruw, Bobby, Chipper, Cleon, Doug, Randy, Ruppert, Sam, Todd and Willie. The Davises are Alvin, Chili, Curtis, Eric, Glenn, Jody, Mark, Ron, Tommy and Willie.

The Smiths (Al, Alfred, Dave, Edgar, Harold, Lee, Lonnie, Ozzie and Reggie) and the Johnsons (Alex, Billy, Bob, Charles, Davey, Don, Howard, Lance and Randy) are tied for third place in this surname derby with nine. So are the Williamses (Bernie, Billy, David, Matt, Mike, Mitch, Stanley, Ted and Woody) and the Wilsons (Dan, Donald, Glenn, Hack, Jack, James, Jim, Preston and Willie). My guess is that all these Anglo-Saxon tags will be surpassed by more guys named Martinez within the decade. There are seven (Dennis, Edgar, Pedro, Ramon, Tino, Tippy and Victor), as many as the Jacksons (Bo, Danny, Grant, Larry, Ransom, Reggie and Travis), but all but one of the Martinezes has played since 1990.

Hey, if you're still with me, part of you must have cared, too. -- Brian O' Neill

Day 3: Is it football season already? (7/9/06)

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette The immaculate pop-out: Steelers immortal Franco Harris fields a fly ball during the All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game Sunday. Click photo for larger image.

Now it's official: The first "Here we go Steelers, here we go" chant from the crowd at PNC Park for the Legends and Celebrities Softball Game, occurred at 8:07 p.m. It was, of course, during a Franco Harris plate appearance. Harris popped out. -- Jerry Micco

Day 3: What a Meathead! (7/9/06)

Director Rob Reiner got an early start on a possible career in politics, recovering nicely from a mini-faux pas in pregame interviews before the Legends and Celebrities Softball Game.

In an interview shown live on the centerfield screen at PNC Park, Reiner was asked what the most exciting thing he's done since he came to Pittsburgh.

"Talking to you," Reiner said, as the 20,000 or so booed the former "Meathead" from TV's "All in the Family. Recovering from the slap at the city, Reiner then went on to recount how he and his son every year attend baseball games all across the country. He said three years ago, they came to a game at PNC Park, "and it's our favorite park." That brought a rousing cheer from the fans. -- Jerry Micco

Day 3: Sharp pitcher (7/9/06)

Freedom High School's Josh Sharpless trotted onto the USA team mound with two out and the bases load in the fifth inning of an 8-5 lead for the home side. In other words, the homegrown Pirates farmhand from Beaver County was being handed the ball by USA Manager Gary Carter at the most critical juncture of the game so far. Oh, and the still-filling crowd at PNC Park -- almost three-quarters capacity by this point -- gave him a friendly ovation. He gathered even more applause when, on an 0-1 count, he enduced an inning-ending flyout to center field.

Hu was the batter. No, it's not an Abbot & Costello bit. The World batter's name is Chin-Lung Hu of the Los Angeles Dodgers. -- Chuck Finder

Day 3: He steals bases and breaks helmets (7/9/06)

Lloyd McClendon threw so fast as a 12-year old he could crack a Little League helmet.

Tommy Parks 49, of Waldorf, Md., knows that because he was wearing it when it happened.

Mr. Parks was at the Futures Game with his brothers Scotty, 47, and Waldo, 50 and Waldo's son Jakob, 20.

Watching the players who might be stars in a few yeas, the Parks brothers looked back to their boyhood in Gary, Ind. when "Legendary Lloyd" McClendon was a star of their Little League.

You have to throw pretty hard to crack a helmet. Young Tommy Parks was not only awarded first base, "They let me keep the helmet," he said.

McClendon went on to star in the Little League World Series, play in the Major Leagues and manage the Pirates. He is now a coach for the Detroit Tigers.

Parks can't tell you what happened to the helmet. -- Brian O' Neill

Day 3: This game is "muy importante" (7/9/06)

A half-full crowd at PNC Park is early into this afternoon, uh, delight otherwise known as the All-Star Futures Game. None of the minor leaguers are recognizable to anything but a seamhead, but, you know, you don't get to see a pitcher named Homer every day. And here was Homer Bailey of the Cincinnati Reds giving up a World run in the top of the second. The U.S. squad, though, conjured a pair on a home-run by Kansas City's Billy Butler in the bottom of that inning.

	Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Pine-Richland's Neil Walker, now a minor leaguer in the Pirates' farm system, warms up in the on deck circle before batting in the third inning of the All-Star Futures Game Sunday at PNC Park. Click photo for larger image.

Pine-Richland's Neil Walker made his first plate appearance in the third. After an 0-2 count, he grounded a high chopper to second base. It was the first out of an inning in which the USA reeled off five runs over the next eight batters. So Walker came up again, this time with two aboard, against a different pitcher and batting from the plate's left side, and popped up for the inning's final out.

Walker's batting practice and pregame was the biggest whirlwind of all, followed as he was by a gaggle of television cameras, still photographers, microphones and notepads. He also was wired for sound by Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh, the microphone sticking out the neck of his red USA jersey.

"A little bigger stage," Walker joked beforehand to that gaggle. The only other time he has played in PNC Park was in the 2003 American Legion West All-Star Game. "This is definitely a lot nicer."

He had 25 friends and family in the ballpark today, minimum. While one of the hometown boys - Freedom pitcher Josh Sharpless being the other - garnered considerable media attention, another Futures player with an intriguing backstory mostly stayed in the shadows.

World infielder Yunel Escobar came to America two years ago on a boat filled with 36 refugees from Cuba. He still doesn't know enough English to comfortably tell the story. So pitcher Yovani Gallardo in the next locker translated for him.

While Escobar told his tale, about how five other baseball-playing friends joined him on the boat and in his major-league dream, he spoke with a vigor. He talked of this Futures game being "muy importante" and, at the mention of his family and fellow Cubans watching the ESPN-televised contest on a stolen satellite signal (the network isn't permitted into the communist country), he tapped his breastbone twice with the thumb of a clenched left fist.

This game may be slipping in significance among North America's youth, yet it endures in various Caribbean, Central and South America ports as an international pastime. -- Chuck Finder

Day 3: Flash! -- 1 Billion people are not watching the Pirates-Phillies game (7/9/06)

At the packed Hi-Tops bar across Federal Street from PNC Park, the Pirates-Phillies game was relegated to tiny, obstructed view TVs, like it was the Pro Bowlers Tour. All five big screens, the PA system and a rapt crowd were tuned in to the World Cup Final between Italy and France.

To be fair it was not the international scene like you might see at bars on the South Side: Only a few fans were in Italian blue, and the only French thing was the waitresses trademark decolletage (look it up).

Most people seem to be killing time and beating the heat before the Futures Game starts across the street.

The Pirates shouldn't feel too bad though, at least in the PNC Park press boxes, only two of the three televisions were tuned to the action in Berlin's Olympic Stadium, the other to the baseball game. -- Tim McNulty

Day 3: Get Ur Frisk On (7/9/06)

Here's a sign of how tight the security is at the ballpark: even Vincent's of Greentree Pizzeria has a metal detector.

In fact, all entrances to the park are barricaded w/ metal detectors. Ushers with bullhorns remind fans to mind their metal objects. It isn't quite airport security strength -- you don't have to hand ushers your cell phone and pocket change as you pass through -- but the security is still intense with plainclothes soldiers (with dead giveaway buzz cuts) and scary looking back packs mingling with the fans. -- Tim McNulty

For a full story about security around PNC Park, click here.

Day 3: Unsolicited Advice (7/9/06)

If you're thinking about driving to the Home Run Derby tomorrow or All-Star Game Tuesday, here's a singular word of wisdom: Don't.

The area around PNC Park looks like an orange tide: as in PennDOT orange traffic cones. Add to that a very healthy presence of the Thin Blue Line and you have yourself quite the boondoggle of red tape.

Its so confusing over here that City Public Works director Guy Costa said that people have actually driven onto the Three Rivers Park Riverwalk by accident. Public Works crews blocked off part of the riverwalk with Jersey barriers to avoid any future reprisals of the "Bridge to Nowhere" incident.

The police and other officials are working out the kinks now, but again a bit of unsolicted advice from yours truly: don't even think about it unless you have some kind of a parking pass or you answer to the name of Jason Bay. -- Tim McNulty

For tips on getting around and parking at the park, click here.

Day 2: 16,000 pounds of muscle with a one-track mind (7/8/06)

Headed over to the ballpark this afternoon, and I have to say that the walk across the Clemente Bridge never gets old, especially the view. The exploding-with-color Burton Morris graphics are plastered everywhere -- even on Port-A-Johns -- and there is a new mural that stretches from end-to-end across the Warhol Bridge.

The big events at PNC Park don't start until tomorrow, but its already a hive of activity. Folks trickled over from FanFest, some sipped beers and noshed sandwiches outside of the pubs near the park. Kids and grown-ups splashed around in the water steps at the Three Rivers Park Riverwalk, while others snapped pictures on a gorgeous day (here's to hoping the weather stays this way through Tuesday). Just off the shoreline, a set of five huge inflatable baseballs have been set up in the river, presumably for the Home Run Derby. I'm hoping these things become permanent fixtures if only so we can adopt the slogan: "Come to Pittsburgh, because we've got big ..." -- well, you get the idea.

I passed by one Pirates employee and asked "How's it going?" to which he replied: "It's going. But I can't wait for Wednesday to get here." To which I wanted to say, "Well maybe you should hope Wednesday never gets here, because then the Pirates quest for futility continues," but I thought the better of it. Besides there is absolutely no call for some stinkin' media member to be lippy, especially when the Pirates staff and so many other people are working so very hard to make Pittsburgh look its best this weekend, and to give us all one big party.

In a parking lot between PNC and Heinz Field a miniature city of satellite trucks and promotional tractor trailers are setting up, with roadies and stagehands buzzing around. The guys from Chevy are setting up a music stage, Dick's has a mobile store and Bud Light is creating some kind of a club-on-wheels that folds out of the back of a Semi like the coolest Transformer you ever saw.

But instead I walk over to the guy in charge of 16,000 pounds of muscle.

Gary Whaley, of St. Louis is one of eight team members travelling with the Budweiser Clydesdales, which will be on display near the park. These animals will take your breath away with their beauty, grace and power. Each of these gentle giants stands about six feet high at the shoulder and weighs around 2,000 pounds. If one bumped into you, it would send you flying. But these big fellas are docile, and downright friendly. There are eight horses in the team, and they each require 30 to 40 pounds of hay and 15 to 20 pounds of grain to eat daily, and oh yeah - a 40-cubic-yard dumpster that will get completely full with, um, droppings, during their stay.

Mr. Whaley said the best part of this gig is getting to ride the Clydesdales, but that the job is demanding. A former farrier (horseshoe-er) by trade, Mr. Whaley said that in addition to the daily rigors of feeding, maintaining, grooming and exercising the horses, he's spent five of the last six months on the road. But he said the travels, which have taken him to air shows in Battle Creek, German festivals in Ft. Wayne, drag races in Topeka and now All-Star Games in Pittsburgh have exposed him the varying cultures around our country.

"Even here I've noticed that you guys talk a little different," he said.

Git aht! Rilly?

-- Dan Gigler

Day 2: Like e-Bay with a pulse (7/8/06)

	John Beale, Post-Gazette Steve Blassingame of Euclid, Ohio, displays a baseball signed by 14 Hall of Famers from the first All-Star game that he brought to the Hunt Auctions booth. Click photo for larger image.

Some of the baseball memorabilia brought before appraisers from Hunt Auctions at the Major League Baseball FanFest today looked like it belonged the same place people found it -- the bottom of a box.

But others had real value, like the 1933 baseball driven this morning from Euclid, Ohio, to Pittsburgh, where Steve Blassingame brought it to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on his mother's behalf. She'd inherited the ball from other relatives and had it sitting in a bag of stockings in a closet, never thinking to mention the ball to her son until last year.

The ball has the signatures of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Carl Hubbell and about two-dozen other baseball stars of the 1930s, including 14 Hall-of Famers.

If in mint condition, auction company President David Hunt told Mr. Blassingame, the bill might be worth $20,000 or more. Instead, with its faded but mostly readable names, Mr. Hunt valued the ball at about $5,000 to $7,000.

He offered to sell it for the Blassingames at a future auction, but not the one being held Tuesday as part of FanFest's highlights, because a similar ball signed by 1933 all-stars has already been consigned for that.

I'll be writing more about that ball and other appraised items, both schlocky and rare, in Sunday's Post-Gazette. -- Gary Rotstein

A spit shine for the Golden Triangle (7/7/06)

One of the neat things about an event like this is seeing the way the City primps itself like a guy or gal headed out on a blind first date.

Consider for a moment, how different this place must look to someone who hasn't been to this city since the last All-Star game held here in 1994: Three Rivers is gone, as is the old convention center, replaced by a pair of architecturally gorgeous buildings. The nudie joint corridor on Liberty Avenue has been replaced with art galleries and theatres. The South Side, Station Square and Strip revitalized. The North Shore was created, along with that sweet Riverfront Park and bike trail. And that really only scratches the surface.

	Keith Srakocic, Associated Press Takara Cancy paints a section of a mural this morning sponsored by the Pittsburgh All-Star Community on a boarded-up Downtown building. Click photo for larger image.

Nearly every business on Liberty and Penn Avenues has some sort of colorful sign up inviting visitors to spend one color: green. Vacant buildings, usually eyesores, have been spruced up with bright artwork. Tourists snapped pictures of buildings and architecture the rest of us pass by every day without a second glance. Some sort of exotic car rally was just going on Penn Ave. About a dozen Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Rolls Royces parked along Penn between Sixth and Stanwix Streets. Looked like South Beach.

Downtown has an energy not typical for after work on a weekend. The buzz is palpable, and there are plenty of cool events, for those looking to explore our city, tourists and natives alike. For instance this evening there's a Gallery Crawl Downtown, featuring some artwork inspired by the Negro Leagues. Tomorrow night a microbrew festival on the North Side. A slew of cool stuff at the Heinz History Center. A whole lineup of things can be found here and here. -- Dan Gigler

Forbes rises again! (7/7/06)

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy, former pitcher Grant Jackson, County Executive Dan Onorato, Bobby Del Greco and State Senator Jim Ferlo chat after the dedication ceremony yesterday for a new historical marker at the site of Forbes Field in Oakland. Click photo for larger image.

After an hour of speeches by a long string of dignitaries, we finally heard the sound of one boy's bat hitting another boy's pitch -- because restoring Forbes Field's old outfield wall and flagpole wouldn't have made much sense if the story didn't end with a ballgame.

More than 200 fans and a healthy handful of old Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays showed up the unveiling of a state historic marker at Center Field Plaza in Oakland this afternoon.

The last remnants of the old ballpark, which saw its last Pirates game in 1970, were touched up for this. A replica of Forbes Field's entrance gate and ticket window, built by members of Carpenters District Council, went up right behind it at Mazeroski Field.

"We realized they had it right back in 1909,'' Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said, recounting how PNC Park took its cues from the ballpark that went the way of the wrecking ball.

State Sen. Jim Ferlo of Highland Park, who helped save the outfield wall as a private citizen more than three decades ago, got the $25,000 state grant to restore it yet again.

"He pretends he's in politics,'' Arthur Ziegler, president of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, said of Ferlo. "He's really a preservationist."

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Steven Lukac, left, 12 and Tanner Carlisle, 11, sing the National Anthem before "The Game That Never Happened," a symbolic contest between the Negro League's Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Pirates -- a game that never happened in real life because of segregation. Click photo for larger image.

Not even razing this ballpark could keep it from drawing fans. Since 1985 there has been a tradition, launched by the late Saul Finkelstein, of returning to the site each Oct. 13 with an audiotape of that famed Series game. That was one of four World Series played at the ballpark, but the Pirates weren't the only baseball team to play at Forbes Field. The Homestead Grays did, too.

So along with former Pirates Steve Blass, Grant Jackson, Bobby Del Greco, Don Schwall, Bob Friend, Manny Sanguillen and Nellie King, the late great Pittsburgh slugger Josh Gibson, who played for both the Crawfords and Grays, was represented by his great-grandson Sean Gibson. He introduced former Negro League players Theodore Toles, Mamie "Peanut'' Johnson, James Tillman and Wallace "Bucky'' Williams. Lugenia Leonard and Rose Hunter, wife and daughter of the heavy-hitting Grays first baseman Buck Leonard, were also introduced to applause.

Then came "The Game That Never Happened,'' a meeting of the Grays and Pirates on the diamond at Mazeroski Field, with thirty boys from Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg wearing period uniforms. The Grays won 7-4 -- and maybe another tradition was born. -- Brian O' Neill

See a video on the Forbes Field re-dedication here.

Friend of the Devil(-Rays) (7/7/06)

It was neither a scientific study nor an undercover operation. But the boss was clear: Find out what makes FestHeads click.

So I became one for the first day of the All-Star FanFest at David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

The requirements were rigorous: wear the free All-Star FanFest caps and shirts they gave me and smile.

The first part was easy. For the second part, I figured I had to talk to the experts.

	John Beale, Post-Gazette All-Star FanFest volunteer coordinator Linda Barletto addresses a crew before they begin their their opening day at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. Click photo for larger image.

Like Bob Schweitzer. In real life, a mild-mannered finance professor at the University of Delaware, he becomes a bonafide FestHead during each All-Star break, wearing color-coordinated shirts and hats, smiling insanely at anyone and being more helpful than a Wal-Mart greeter on speed. This year marks his 11th straight year as a volunteer.

He talks baseball. He sees baseball. He watches other people talk and see baseball.

His suggestion for success: Try to make everyone happy.

That seemed more difficult than the Pirates finishing above .500.

But after much research, I discovered the secrets of the FestHeads.

First, they're creatures of habit, structuring every summer around All-Star games. They travel to the various cities so they can spend four hours a day working FanFest and then have the rest of the day to play.

Second, they're masochists, paying their own transportation, food and lodging so they can volunteer at FanFest.

Third, they tend to be big baseball fans.

And fourth, they get cool shirts and hats each year.

After four hours of smiling, meeting and greeting, I'd had enough. I mean, how many people in a row can you be nice to before common sense sets in and you snap at the fat guy in the full Dodger's uniform that overweight people shouldn't wear stretch fabrics?

Somehow, the FestHeads soldier on. -- Steve Levin

Read the full story here.

Exhibits good, autographs not so much ... (7/7/06)

I'm just back from the opening six hours of FanFest at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, with a few random thoughts that will be part of a story in Saturday's Post-Gazette, giving people an idea of they'd find it worth it to make the trip Downtown -- or not:

	John Beale, Post-Gazette The Pirate Parrot mascot wins a heat of the Steal Home Challenge against a pair of youngsters yesterday at the All-Star FanFest. Click photo for larger image.

Major League Baseball deserves credit for declining to nickel-and-dime its fans once they get in the door after paying $15 or $20. Opportunities to take home photos, cards and videotapes of you or your children are plentiful, and at no charge.

Interactive baseball hitting, pitching and fielding opportunities are abundant for youngsters and for adults who want to still feel like kids. FanFest is similar to the Carnegie Science Centers's SportsWorks, as opposed to being the kind of stand-and-look museum that bores too many kids, but it also has enough in the way of historical items to see and collectibles to buy, to satisfy baseball nostalgists.

Technology is a wonderful thing when it works, but the devil when it doesn't. Fans enjoyed the opportunity to simulate pitching to Barry Bonds and hitting a Roger Clemens pitch, but a number of computers and cameras were inoperable at certain exhibits, which slowed some lines or nixed some opportunities altogether.

And never in my life will I understand autograph-seekers. In the only line that snaked and created a wait of two hours or more, people waited for signatures from the likes of Steve Blass, Manny Sanguillen, Jim Rooker and Chuck Tanner. It's baffling that people want to spend time that way. -- Gary Rotstein

Read the full story here.

FanFest begins ... (7/7/06)

Just back from FanFest and I can say that it is part P.T. Barnum and part Pee Wee Reese. Every single inch of the convention center is covered with baseball bric-a-brac. Every sense is assaulted with sight, sound, touch and taste of baseball. And business.

	John Beale, Post-Gazette Anne Stadler, of Brighton Heights, takes a photo of memorabilia including the 1979 World Series Trophy yesterday at the All-Star FanFest. Click photo for larger image.

The collectibles available would make anyone salivate. An outfit called Crescent Collectibles from Iowa is selling a ball autographed by the entire 1926 Yankees team and says its authenticated by James Spence, who apparently is the guru of that sort of thing. Price: $10,000. Nearby an original Stephen Holland oil painting of Muhammed Ali, autographed by the G.O.A.T. himself, is available for a mere $100,000.

Only complaint is the overzealous Mastercard reps at nearly every turn offering some kind of "free" swag -- gym bags, blankets -- in exchange for a credit card at an A.P.R. so high that it would make the Pirates bullpen E.R.A. seem respectable by comparison.

But the baseball is why we're here, and that aspect does not disappoint. The exhibits are interesting and informative. The interactive stuff is a blast and its a hoot to see kids -- some age 4, some age 40 -- trying their hand at the batting cages and fielding simulators. Based on the number of parents and kids already at the event together, and business folks streaming over at lunchtime, something tells me there isn't much work going on in Downtown office towers today.

	John Beale, Post-Gazette Scott Myers of York, left, chats with former Pirates manager Chuck Tanner yesterday at the All-Star FanFest in the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, Downtown. Mr. Tanner was signing autographs and posing for photos at the Major League Legends area. Click photo for larger image.

Senior Airman Samy Fineman, is 22 years old and fresh back from Afghanistan. An autograph hound, the Chester W.Va., native drove up today for FanFest intent on getting Bill Mazeroski's John Hancock. No go on that, but he was able to get a picture with Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch.

Batch was on hand to co-host a symposium with Sean Gibson, great-grandson and director of the Josh Gibson foundation, on the Negro Leagues which included a question and answer session with living former Negro League players including Ben Jones of the New York Black Yankees, Theodore Toles of the Pittsburgh Crawfords and 99-year-old Bucky Williams also of the Crawfords. These gentlemen -- this history with a heartbeat -- offered a perspective on what is was like to play in those days as well as their thoughts on the state of the game today.

A great start to the weekend. -- Dan Gigler

See a video on FanFest's opening here.