Lancaster with the Phillie Phanatic

Lancaster, PA - 08/14/2010 - Clipper Magazine Stadium

Our tour through the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball landed us in Lancaster, PA on a beautiful Saturday night (mid 70s in August!) for a game between the league's two closest geographic rivals, the York Revolution and the Lancaster Barnstormers. As one of the league's top draws, weekend games in Lancaster typically are close to sold out. Add in a rivalry game and a celebration of all things Philadelphia (with an appearance by the Phillie Phanatic), and those without tickets purchased in advance - namely us - found themselves on the lawn. Although the capacity is officially listed at "6,200+", 8,069 fans turned out to watch Lancaster outslug York 11-7.

Lately, getting mascot pictures had become a little easy. In many cases, we found ourselves at sparsely attended games or at places where the mascot had a set time and location to meet with the fans and pose for pictures. Not this time. We've met Cylo (Lancaster's cow)

a few times before and since Junior is fresh off of his Cheesesteak tasting excursion, we set our sights on the legend himself, the Phillie Phanatic. Watching the Phanatic walk through a sea of people is similar to seeing a politician move through a crowded room. His handlers were telling anyone the would listen "no autographs" and "he won't be stopping for pictures." Lucky for us that there is one thing politicians can't resist - kissing babies. Well done, Junior!

Camden, Philly and a book update

Sorry for the long break since my last post but I've been busy. All this book research and proposal writing is hard work. For instance, just the other week, I found myself sampling cheesesteaks in Philadelphia with Mrs. Mascot Hunter, trying to decide who had the best ones. Ah, the hard life I live. At any rate, the scope of the book has changed slightly to now only include the teams within the Atlantic League. These eight teams span from Connecticut to the southern tip of Maryland and will still allow me to approach the book how I want but will allow more detail on the teams and adventures than I could have fit in with the original plan of 30. I'll update the book's website to reflect this as soon as I get a few free minutes (or my cardiologist bans me from cheesesteak tasting for a week).

To date, I have received one rejection from an literary agent stating, in so many words, that the project was not far along enough to warrant her getting involved. At this moment, I have a completed proposal on my desk awaiting one last proofread and then it will be off to a publisher that I have identified as a possible fit based on some of their previous books. In the meantime, any activity or restaurant suggestions within a hour of Bridgeport, CT, Long Island, Somerset, Camden or Newark, NJ, Lancaster or York, PA or Waldorf, MD are always welcome at mascothunter@aol.com. OK, enough ramblings - you really just wanted to see pictures of us with Finley and Blooper of the Camden Riversharks and a six month old taste-testing cheesesteak. For the record, he preferred the roll at Pat's and the flavor of the steak at Gino's.