My tour started June 12, 2021 at Visalia's Valley Strong Ballpark for a game between the Visalia Rawhide and Fresno Grizzlies. The Rawhide is a minor league affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks; the Grizzlies are affiliated with the Rockies.
Though the team's name and major league affiliations have changed over the years, minor league baseball has been played here nearly every year since the ballpark was built in 1946.
With Covid social distancing in place, the regular seats were sold out. My choices were the Hall of Fame Club, which is about $30, or the Toyota Terrace. With 7 more games to go, I couldn't see shelling out Hall of Fame money. So, here's my view from the Terrace overlooking right field.
Turned out the Terrace is not a great place to see the game. But, my time there was made more pleasant by General Sherman IPA from Fresno's Tioga-Sequoia Brewing and the company of a good natured Giants fan who was visiting Visalia relatives and stopped in for the game.
Mascots are huge in minor league baseball. This is the Rawhide mascot, Tipper. I assume Tipper's name is related to the myth of cow tipping as a popular rural prank. Tipper is a Holstein bull and "represents the tens of thousands of Holsteins in Tulare County, the top dairy-producing area in the country." In fact, California is the top dairy state in the country, producing 1/5 of the nation's milk. Tulare County produces more than a quarter of the milk produced in the California.
Though the crowd was sparse due to social distancing, I enjoyed the atmosphere of the stadium. The General Sherman beer reminded me that Sequoia National Park was just 60 miles to the east. There is an overall Western feel about the stadium. Certainly Tipper contributes to that. But so do the ads on the outfield fence, the red barn over the center field fence and giant cowbell along the right field line.
As a bonus, after a Rawhide win, while the players high five on the field, players and fans are treated to a rousing playing of Rawhide:
Though the streams are swollen
Keep them dawwgies rollin', Rawhide
Move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on
Ride 'em in, Rawhide!
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