Mascots Midwest Through 2032, Thanks to an Agreement Their Costumed Identities Suggest Other- and Chalk Line
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Hannibal Courier-Post • www.hannibal.net • FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015 A7 (SPORTS) SPORTS SHORTS LOCAL FACES Cardinals, Fox Sports Midwest ink new deal The men behind the masks The St. Louis Cardinals will stay on Fox Sports Hannibal High School graduates break out as Hannibal Cavemen mascots Midwest through 2032, thanks to an agreement Their costumed identities suggest other- and chalk line. On Tuesday, Yochum lived up announced Thursday. wise. to the Shoeless name as he loss his left shoe in The 15-year deal begins Yochum, 19, and Kempker, 18, both life- an unplanned gag. He quickly rose to his feet in 2018 and runs through long Hannibal residents and Hannibal High and held his empty shoe in the air, pointing the 2032 season. Financial School graduates, are nearing the end of their at it angrily as if to condemn it for causing his terms of the deal were not summer as the Hannibal Cavemen baseball defeat in the race. disclosed. team’s Shoeless Joe and Rascal mascots. The hordes of children running with him The Cardinals are a And the two young men insist the char- got a kick out of it, and fans in attendance lynchpin of Fox Sports acters have brought out their personalities. laughed along with them. It was an impro- Midwest, which broad- “I feel like it’s made for us,” Yochum said vised stunt, but the type Yochum and Kemp- casts games to parts of 10 about his and his best friend’s jobs. “It’s not ker said really brings them joy in what they do. states. Cardinals games are scary. It just clicks … it works for us.” “I made it work. My shoe came untied while the highest-rated prime- What works for Yochum and Kempker is I was walking around meeting everyone, and I time programming in St. the opportunity to goof o! and “not have any said, “Well, this could work out for running,’” Louis during the baseball consequences,” Yochum said. While they are Yochum explained. “And then I just ended up season, and the local rat- costumes, Shoeless Joe, a bu! cavemen-like stepping on the lace and the shoe came o! and ings ranked first among character, and Rascal, a cave-diving raccoon, I ate it near third base. The people loved it so all Major League Baseball aren’t just suits to their inhabitants. Inside of it worked out.” teams in 2014. This season, the costumes, Yochum and Kempker are able “You have to improvise on the field,” Kemp- only the Kansas City Royals to fulfill a passion they both share. ker added. have higher local ratings. “You get to interact with people,” Kempker Kempker and Yochum said they are always “The St. Louis Cardinals said. “Just getting to walk around, see people, finding new ways to entertain, admitting and St. Louis Blues are re- make kids happy … that’s what this is about their routine can get stale pretty quickly if ally critical to our St. Louis and it’s awesome.” they aren’t searching for new ways to keep operation,” Fox Sports Mid- “I basically just wanted to be myself, hon- things fresh. west Senior Vice President estly, and just goof o!. Seeing the kids happy, Their e!orts haven’t gone unnoticed, as the and General Manager Jack too, that’s a big part of it. I like seeing other Hannibal Cavemen’s director of marketing Donovan said. “They pro- people happy,” Yochum added. and operations, Deron Johnson, said the duo’s vide the backbone to our Their ability to make the fans happy, and act serves as a major draw at Clemens Field, programming. The Cardi- more specifically, younger fans, relies solely especially to young fans. nals have 150 games, which Hannibal natives Adam Yochum (left) and on Yochum and Kempker’s on-field antics. “The mascots have always been the hardest is an awful lot of premium Travis Kempker have donned the mascot cos- The friends use their positive relationship thing to fill,” Johnson said. “Nobody wants to content for the network.” tumes for the Hannibal Cavemen this summer, o! the field as a vehicle to draw laughs from do it because it can get so hot. We’d go several and have loved every minute of it. fans when they’re on it. Practical jokes are a games in the past where there was no Shoeless Gomez traded to JOE ALBERICO/COURIER-POST common sight, and during the middle of the Joe or Rascal. JOE ALBERICO fourth inning of each Cavemen home game, “But Travis came in and said ‘I’d love to do Astros Courier-Post Sports Editor Shoeless Joe will partake in a race with young it,’ and brought in Adam and they’ve really The Astros have added fans that starts at second base and concludes just embraced the role and they both do a another bat to their lineup Adam Yochum and Travis Kempker swear at home plate. phenomenal job. In and out of the costumes, as they make a push for they’re just a couple of shy teenagers. The race usually ends badly for Joe, as the the postseason, acquiring mascot often finds himself face first in dirt SEE MASCOTS, A8 two-time All-Star outfield- er Carlos Gomez from the MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Milwaukee Brewers. Houston, which also re- ceived right-hander Mike Fiers in the deal, sent four Cardinals swap minor league pitcher for Moss prospects to the Brewers: left-hander Josh Had- TOM WITHERS Moss didn’t perform as the middle-of-the- phia and Pittsburgh, expressed disappoint- er, right-hander Adrian Associated Press order power hitter the Indians had hoped, ment at seeing Murphy traded to the Los Houser and outfielders and when he was informed of the trade, the Angeles Angels and a season that hasn’t gone Brett Phillips and Domin- Brandon Moss was sorry to see close friend slugger told general manager Chris Antonetti well for the Indians. go Santana. David Murphy traded earlier this week by he wished he could have done more. “Nobody’s happy. Nobody’s enjoyed this sea- Milwaukee general the Indians. “We all know how much Brandon cares, son,” Moss said. “It’s just one of those things manager Doug Melvin Now he’s gone, too. how passionate he was, almost maybe at times where, the more you try, the more adjustments said a trade fell through Moss was dealt Thursday to the St. Louis too much and he wanted so desperately to you try to make, we’re just not making them. Wednesday that would Cardinals, who were in the market for an out- be that force in the middle of the lineup that Whether we try to make them, whether we go have sent Gomez to the fielder after seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday maybe it was di"cult for him to do that,” up there with a di!erent approach, everything New York Mets for in- re-injured his right quadriceps on Wednesday. Antonetti said. “Now maybe with the change seems to fall apart.” fielder Wilmer Flores “He’s a production guy in a time in baseball of opportunity and starting fresh with the Kaminsky is another strong arm for Cleve- and injured pitcher Zack when production’s low,” Cardinals manager Cardinals that he will get back to that hitter land’s future. Wheeler. Mike Matheny said. that we all know he is capable of being.” The 20-year-old was selected with the No. Houston’s move came “I know he’s excited to be here and we’re Matheny wouldn’t commit to Moss in the 28 overall pick two years ago and was consid- a week after the Astros excited to have him.” middle of the Cardinals order, either, saying ered one of the top prospects in the Cardinals obtained top starter Scott In exchange for Moss, who was in his first for starters it would probably be more based on system. Kazmir from the Oakland season with the Indians, the Indians received matchups. Moss was not in the lineup Thurs- Kaminsky has spent the entire season at Athletics. Seeking its first minor league pitcher Rob Kaminsky, a first- day and had not arrived in St. Louis about three Single-A Palm Beach, going 6-5 with a 2.09 postseason appearance round pick in 2013. hours before a game against the Rockies. ERA in 17 starts. He is currently leading the since 2005, Houston en- The Cardinals led the NL Central by 4 1/2 “We want to get our eyes on him, too,” Florida State League in ERA and has 79 tered Thursday with a one- games over Pittsburgh. However, St. Louis Matheny said. “Just kind of watch how he fits, strikeouts in 94 2/3 innings. game lead in the AL West. is in an offensive funk and hasn’t scored a but not necessarily having to put him in one In parts of three minor league seasons, The 29-year-old Gomez run in 22 consecutive innings after being particular spot.” Kaminsky is 14-10 with a 2.15 ERA. is hitting .262 with eight blanked 1-0 on Wednesday by the Cincin- Certainly, he saw the deal as a morale boost “Rob is a guy who we have liked for quite homers and 43 RBIs in 74 nati Reds. for a team in need. a while out of the draft,” Antonetti said. “He’s games for the Brewers this And Holliday is out again with the same “I’ve been on teams where it was obvious a left-handed pitcher who has got a good season.