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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 37th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > April > 12 > Entry
Now you have to cheer on your own
One of the best moves the Cincinnati Reds did for this season had nothing to do with acquiring a big righthanded bat or finding a fifth starter or even the new mammoth HD scoreboard (so far there have been a lot of zeros in HD on that board).
The best move? No cheerleaders. And I’ll bet nobody has noticed because nobody has missed them. I haven’t received a single e-mail that said, “Hey, what the heck. No cheerleaders? I’m not coming to any more games. No cheerleaders? That’s un-American.”
Nothing against the hard-working young ladies and gentlemen who performed that duty last year, but cheerleaders at a baseball game doesn’t fit, doesn’t work. They don’t belong. They were like hood ornaments on cars. Why?
THE BEST thing for the Reds Sunday (maybe) had nothing to do with Easter baskets. It was the fact Pittsburgh started righthander Ian Snell. So far this year, it is just like last year. If the Easter Bunny is lefthanded you could stick him on the mound and he’ll beat the Reds.
That’s why acquiring a big righthanded bat in the offseason was so important but we’re still waiting to see his magical appearance. Maybe HE is the Eastern Bunny.
NICE ANECDOTE: Manager Dusty Baker was really angry after Saturday’s game, the one that ended with Jay Bruce getting doubled off first base because he ran hellbent for third base on a one-out fly ball.
Baker was definitely angry at Bruce. Then before Baker could summon Bruce into his office for a little verbal undressing, Bruce walked into his office.
“Jay came into my office before I could go to him,” said Baker. “I was going to wait until before today’s game. But he felt so bad he came in himself. He knew the situation and he even told Edwin Eincarnacion before the play, ‘One out.’
“He felt terrible,” said Baker. “I was so mad afterward, but after I saw how he felt it was hard to stay p.o.’d. It’s like your kid coming to you and saying, ‘Dad, I messed up.’ You are about to spank him, but you say, ‘OK, son, don’t do it again.’ “
Bruce is a lot like Homer Bailey. People forget their ages. Both are 22. “And Jay just turned 22 like last week,” said Baker. “I didn’t know that he was only 22.”
Yeah, Dusty, very young for a ball play but too old to spank, even for running bases that way.
It was the way Chris Sabo used to run the bases. It was like tee-ball. Run until you’re out. Run until you either score or somebody tags you out. We called it the Chris Sabo School of Baserunning. You had to wear goggles to graduate.
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Comments
By M Sizemore
May 2, 2009 9:21 PM | Link to this
Thank you for not having cheerleaders this year! I can now end my boycott and spend my money at the ballpark!By Boo!
April 15, 2009 4:16 PM | Link to this
I don’t get why people hated the cheerleaders so much.. how were they annoying? They danced in between a few innings for maybe a few minutes at most. My little girls loved them and I thought they did a lovely job! I hope that they are back next year.By JoeD
April 15, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this
Ever think about the father/daughter aspect? I have friends that are cancelling season tix because their daughters are no longer interested in attending games.By JoeD
April 15, 2009 11:50 AM | Link to this
Wow.Did you attend the games? These girls were the best things that unorganized organization had going.I know many people that went just to watch them dance.By J-K
April 15, 2009 10:48 AM | Link to this
I think the cheerleaders were a really great rolemodel for little girls. They were classy, and got the fans excited when the Reds were doing terrible last year. You should stick to writing about things that you actually know something about.By Chris
April 15, 2009 8:48 AM | Link to this
Maybe you have not received a single invoice about the Reds Dance Team because you are a newspaper in Dayton. You should check the Cinci news links to see their posts already about it. (Note: A post was blogged the day of Opening Day about “where did the cheerleaders go”) Seems like the Dayton news is a bit behind.By Lucille13
April 14, 2009 5:31 PM | Link to this
Geez Hal - did you ask one of the cheerleaders out and get rejected or something? You sound pretty bitter…For your information, I did notice that they weren’t around and know for a fact they will be missed by the fans - they are actually very talented!I have already voiced my concerns to the organization. Guess what? It’s 2009 - now there ARE cheerleaders at baseball games - get over it!By ross
April 14, 2009 5:19 PM | Link to this
beav..u are so right Bruce is horrible..that whole OF is terrible..the Reds are a group of punch and judy’sBy un Hal-e
April 14, 2009 2:48 PM | Link to this
What an ignorant thing to do- attacking the Reds cheerleaders. You must be out of subject material for your second-class articles. The dancers were very popular and many fans looked forward to watching them during the otherwise boring inning changes. Pick on someone your own size, or better yet, just stop talking.By Albert
April 14, 2009 9:08 AM | Link to this
the cheerleaders were much better then that sorry team… u guys are pathetic at best.. Go Cards..By plumbinjoe
April 13, 2009 4:20 PM | Link to this
Would you tell all the kids asking for the Cheerleaders autographs at RedsFest that there was no room for them at the ballpark?By Mr. Cin_ister
April 13, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this
Hal, you are an unadulterated fool. The cheerleaders were an asset to the organization as far as public relations.By Scott
April 13, 2009 2:05 PM | Link to this
I miss Chris Sabo. He was the baseball player that caught my attention when I was younger, and I was hooked after that. I remember asking my dad if there were awards for new players, which he said there was (Rookie of the Year). I said Sabo would win it and he did. I haven’t been right on my picks since, but Sabo and his playing style should be something we see more of than we currently are.By Scott
April 13, 2009 8:07 AM | Link to this
No “duggout dancers”?? OH JOYOUS DAY!!! Seriously this was very annoying at the Reds game. It’s bad enough the Dragons were doing it (do they still have it this year), and it’s the most annoying thing next to toddler races. Hopefully this is a good sign going forward. HOORAY NO CHEERLEADERS!!!!By AP-FLORIDA
April 13, 2009 7:35 AM | Link to this
Yeah, let us talk about who traded Hamilton !!!By Jim T
April 12, 2009 5:38 PM | Link to this
HuberTucky, maybe you should stay off the Blogs. If you think what Dusty said was dumb take a look at your comment. Do you EVER post anything that is that has substance.By Beav
April 12, 2009 3:10 PM | Link to this
Bruce stinks. He’s been terrible ever since that hot start last year. Can’t play RF, can’t hit lefties, can’t run the bases, Ks way too much. Too bad they didn’t send him to Texas instead of Hamilton.By Rick M of Anderson Township
April 12, 2009 2:49 PM | Link to this
Did you know????….Ryan Freel went to the ‘Chris Sabo School of Baserunning’ on a full scholarship and then graduated with honors.By Colgar
April 12, 2009 2:47 PM | Link to this
What was wrong with what Baker said? I don’t understand. It makes perfect sense to thinking people. Bruce was a man about it. Baker made the point.By HuberTucky
April 12, 2009 2:33 PM | Link to this
Does Toothpick EVER have anything intelligent to say? Never as an ESPN commentator and not yet as a Red’s manager. He should stay quiet and hide.