Farm Report: Tacoma Rainiers vs. Portland Beavers Tucson Padres

Last night I went to my first Pacific Coast League game since last year's last-ever Portland Beavers game, and my first Tacoma Rainiers game since a Rainiers-Beavers tilt last July. In the meantime, the Rainiers won the PCL championship, while the Beavers moved to Tucson and became the Padres (the Rainiers' opponent last night). But I was mainly interested in seeing Cheney Stadium for the first time following its major off-season renovation.

For starters, the exterior is totally different -- the new luxury suites make it appear more like an office building than a ballpark. But it definitely looks better than it used to, and I especially dig these Native American-styled salmon sculptures around the outside...

The renovated concourse is far nicer, and I'm glad the time capsule is still on the premises...

In the stands, the overhang is much smaller, providing a lot less shelter. Otherwise, the interior changes aren't as dramatic. The old concrete bowl feels a bit modernized with all its new seats, but looking out on the field, Cheney is more or less the same....

The Ben Cheney statue still sits in the stands, in a small section preserving some of Cheney's old wooden seats...

However, I suspect some finishing touches are still on the way. Like, it's weird that there aren't the usual ads plastered all over the luxury suites and press box (not that I'm complaining), and the concrete dugouts aren't even painted. Here, Rhubarb entertains on the Padres' bare dugout during the seventh-inning stretch...

Rhubarb and later I bumped fists.

I ate a Rainier Dog and bought a Rainiers cap and picked up a Rainiers schedule for my collection, featuring future Mariner second baseman Dustin Ackley...

Ackley contributed a grand slam to Tacoma's come-from-behind 7-6 win. Also, Mariner Franklin Gutierrez played DH, on a rehab assignment following his recent struggles with irritable bowel syndrome.

Nice to see that the Padres still have many of the Beavers from last year (Luis Durango, Luis Perdomo, Will Inman, etc.), as well as the same manager, Terry Kennedy. They'll stay in Arizona through 2012, after which they move to their permanent home in Escondido, California, playing in a new ballpark near my dad's house.

Final note: on the drive to Tacoma and back I listened to former Beaver radio guy Rich Burk's Pastime Radio, where I got to hear what it'd sound like if he traveled back in time to call game three of the 1947 World Series. Nice to listen to Rich's play-by-play again (albeit for an ersatz broadcast), along with his newfound, post-Beavers perspective. Be careful what you wish for.
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It Was 25 Years Ago Today: Expo '86 Opens

For awhile there, the Northwest hosted a World's Fair every dozen years: Seattle's Century 21 Exposition in 1962, then Spokane's Expo '74, and finally Vancouver's Expo '86, which opened 25 years ago today. Though I was alive for the latter two, I didn't go to either one (for that matter, I haven't been to any World's Fairs). But Expo '86 was the first one I was at least conscious of, though about all I remember was Jean Enersen's live reports.

Expo Ernie was the mascot (image found here)...

And here's the temporary monorail...

When I was in Vancouver in February I found this time capsule...

Many celebrities attended the star-studded fair, including Archie and his pals...

For more, check out this fan site.
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Seattle's Time Capsules, Part 1

Location: Alki Beach
Occasion: Centennial of Seattle's first non-native settlement
Sealed: 1951
To Be Opened: 2051
This capsule was buried under an obelisk marking the "birthplace of Seattle," where the pioneering Denny party first came ashore. It weighs 720 pounds, though its only artifact I know of is a Boeing bomber model. The following year, another capsule was buried beside it, containing Hawaiian shirts, playing cards, and a document predicting what Seattle life would be like in 2052. Here is a photo before it was buried; read more here and here.

Location: Alki Beach
Occasion: unknown
Sealed: 2009
To Be Opened: 2059
Two blocks northeast of the above capsule is this one, buried under the sidewalk near the 1/8th-scale Statue of Liberty. Contents listed here; read more here and here.

Location: University of Washington Communications Building
Occasion: Opening of the building
Sealed: 1956
Opened: 2007
Much to the surprise of the faculty who opened it in '07, among the 1950s newspapers, photos and textbooks were 1980s copies of Playboy, Hustler, and "two pairs of stained men's briefs." The capsule, stuck in the wall next to The Daily student paper's office, was apparently sabotaged by some smartass journalism students in the early '80s. They also threw in an issue of The Rocket (with cover star Ted Nugent), I'm Okay, You're Okay, Twinkies, a condom, and, for whatever reason, an unopened letter to Linda Ronstadt. Daily staffers at the time included local luminaries John Keister, Clark Humphrey and Charles R. Cross. In the September '07 issue of Columns, the UW alumni rag, Cross commented, "When I was at The Daily, there was no one person who was generally responsible for anything. No, this is not the work of one person, and not everyone who was involved in it wants to be identified." When asked if he'd forgot about it, he replied, "Oh no, it was on my calendar." Read more here.

Location: University of Washington Communications Building
Occasion: Centennial of the first UW journalism classes
Sealed: 2007
To Be Opened: 2057
This capsule replaced the one above, in the same spot, during the same year. Contents unknown, though considering the Nintendo logo, it's probably filled with Donkey Kong cartridges. Hopefully some future smartass journalism students will stealthily supplement it with futuristic pornography, and two pairs of stained men's briefs.

Location: Nordstrom
Occasion: Presumably Nordstrom's taking over of the Frederick & Nelson building as its downtown flagship store
Sealed: 1998
To Be Opened: 2023
I just happened to notice this one day while waiting for Eliza to try on shoes, or something. Contents unknown.

Location: Colman Dock
Occasion: 50th anniversary of Washington State Ferries
Sealed: 2001
To Be Opened: 2051
First set inside the case of the big old clock inside the ferry terminal, but when the clock was moved outside, this capsule was stuck under the information desk. Contents listed here; read more here.

Anybody know of any others?
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