Thursday, June 18, 2009

First days of work as a cameraman

It started on Friday with an exhibition game, but I only practiced my camera skills for a couple of innings. From watching baseball for a long time, I could figure out what I needed to do. For the first home game of the regular season on Tuesday, the Force faced off against Jennie Finch and the Chicago Bandits. Luckily, it was an easy start, camera-wise, with clouds in the sky and Finch throwing a perfect game, so there wasn't much to do when the home team was batting. We were told that we did a good job under the pressure of the league's (National Pro Fastpitch) and MLB.com's (our online streaming partner) watchful eyes.

Game two was a bit more difficult and even colder than the first night, as the temperature dropped below 60°. Rain was in the forecast, but the game just started with some clouds in the sky, enough to block out the sun again. As the raindrops started to fall, I had a little trouble with the rain sleeve for my camera, but I had it attached well after an inning or two. Luckily, I had come prepared with a jacket as heavy rain started to fall in the sixth inning and my head got soaked. With one out in the top of the seventh, which would be the last half-inning because the Force were winning, it looked like there would be a rain delay as the first-base umpire consulted with the one behind home plate. However, this was only a short break as the "grounds crew" poured dry dirt between first and second. The game would be over a few minutes later as Kat Osterman induced the final two outs in her complete game for the Force.

There was supposed to be another game tonight, but the heavy rain had left puddles on the field that forced postponement and a doubleheader scheduled for Friday. The local television station was set to broadcast these two games and use their video feeds for the stream, so I don't know if I will be doing anything for the six hours that I have to be at the stadium, except for taking down the outfield fence at the end of the nightcap. Saturday's game is being played in York, Pennsylvania, so my group of interns does not have to work that night.

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