VIDEO: 'Golden Girls' love watching their Explorers
By Tim Gallagher Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, July 15, 2008
These "Golden Girls" stand during the National Anthem on Friday at Lewis and Clark Park. From left are: Alice Senske, Lois Copple, Marcie Moore, Donna Carstensen, Louella Collins, Carole Foster and Cleo Brehm. (Photo by Tim Gallagher)
SIOUX CITY -- Baseball scoring addict Alice Sensky tried something for the first time Friday night.
A baseball score book sent to her by friends from Minnesota.
"I've always used a plain notebook with plain white paper," said Sensky, who was wowed by all the bells and whistles a score book offers. You know, little dots and lines for baseball things like balls, strikes and sacrifices. "This is a new experience, you betcha!"
The game was not. Sensky, 74, was joined by six other gals in the front row of Section F, as in "Friends." These baseball buddies convene here each time their Sioux City Explorers play at home.
"We might look old, but we're young at heart," said Sensky of her friends who range in age from 73 to 82. Retirees all, their occupations back in the day ranged from a baker to a U.S. Census Bureau staffer to a school employee.
They passed a plain white envelope in the third inning, each putting in $7 so the group's "bookie" Donna Carstensen could buy a ticket for each for the next home game. None of these "Golden Girls" (their nickname, not mine) has a season pass. They buy tickets one at a time.
"I'm the bookkeeper, not the bookie!" said Carstensen, a retiree who worked more than three decades for Swift & Co. in Sioux City.
Sensky and the others agreed this is money well spent. This gang of seven was part of an announced crowd of 2,460 Friday evening. The X's average 1,854 fans this year, which is ninth of 10 teams in the American Association. Only the team in Shreveport, La., attracts fewer fans in 2008 with an average attendance of 1,475.
"If I was at home, I'd be inside watching the boob tube," said Lois Copple, a retiree who spent her career working for Sioux Rubber and the school district in Sioux City. "I like being out here in the air and being with my friends."
"I just like the game," added Marcie Moore, a retired hostess at Truck Haven Cafe. "I'm the quiet one of the group. Alice makes up for me (in noise)."
"Way to watch!" Senske yelled as one of her favorite players, Jason Tuttle, let a bad pitch zoom by. "You betcha!"
As the X's took the field to begin the third inning, the Senske the scorekeeper shouted, "We want no hits, all strikeouts and no runs!"
In minutes, Carstensen pleaded aloud, saying X's manager Les Lancaster should make a trip to the mound to calm the nerves of pitcher Tim Layden.
That's baseball. There are highs and lows within the game, even within each inning. On this night, there were contests for $1 sodas and beers, a barbershop quartet sang "Happy Birthday" and one couple celebrated their one-year anniversary at Lewis and Clark Park.
And in the first row of section F, there were seven ladies clapping their hands, passing the licorice and taking in a beautiful evening of baseball and friendship.
"You gotta think positive about our team," Senske reminded me. "If they don't do better, there's a possibility they could be dropped. They've got a good manager and he'll get it turned around."
No matter how they play, I know of at least seven fans who will be there.
"Whether it rains or shines, we're here supporting them," Senske said. "You betcha!"
Video
See video of seven women who regularly gather to watch the Sioux City Explorers play at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City. Go to www.siouxcityjournal.com
A baseball score book sent to her by friends from Minnesota.
"I've always used a plain notebook with plain white paper," said Sensky, who was wowed by all the bells and whistles a score book offers. You know, little dots and lines for baseball things like balls, strikes and sacrifices. "This is a new experience, you betcha!"
The game was not. Sensky, 74, was joined by six other gals in the front row of Section F, as in "Friends." These baseball buddies convene here each time their Sioux City Explorers play at home.
"We might look old, but we're young at heart," said Sensky of her friends who range in age from 73 to 82. Retirees all, their occupations back in the day ranged from a baker to a U.S. Census Bureau staffer to a school employee.
They passed a plain white envelope in the third inning, each putting in $7 so the group's "bookie" Donna Carstensen could buy a ticket for each for the next home game. None of these "Golden Girls" (their nickname, not mine) has a season pass. They buy tickets one at a time.
"I'm the bookkeeper, not the bookie!" said Carstensen, a retiree who worked more than three decades for Swift & Co. in Sioux City.
Sensky and the others agreed this is money well spent. This gang of seven was part of an announced crowd of 2,460 Friday evening. The X's average 1,854 fans this year, which is ninth of 10 teams in the American Association. Only the team in Shreveport, La., attracts fewer fans in 2008 with an average attendance of 1,475.
"If I was at home, I'd be inside watching the boob tube," said Lois Copple, a retiree who spent her career working for Sioux Rubber and the school district in Sioux City. "I like being out here in the air and being with my friends."
"I just like the game," added Marcie Moore, a retired hostess at Truck Haven Cafe. "I'm the quiet one of the group. Alice makes up for me (in noise)."
"Way to watch!" Senske yelled as one of her favorite players, Jason Tuttle, let a bad pitch zoom by. "You betcha!"
As the X's took the field to begin the third inning, the Senske the scorekeeper shouted, "We want no hits, all strikeouts and no runs!"
In minutes, Carstensen pleaded aloud, saying X's manager Les Lancaster should make a trip to the mound to calm the nerves of pitcher Tim Layden.
That's baseball. There are highs and lows within the game, even within each inning. On this night, there were contests for $1 sodas and beers, a barbershop quartet sang "Happy Birthday" and one couple celebrated their one-year anniversary at Lewis and Clark Park.
And in the first row of section F, there were seven ladies clapping their hands, passing the licorice and taking in a beautiful evening of baseball and friendship.
"You gotta think positive about our team," Senske reminded me. "If they don't do better, there's a possibility they could be dropped. They've got a good manager and he'll get it turned around."
No matter how they play, I know of at least seven fans who will be there.
"Whether it rains or shines, we're here supporting them," Senske said. "You betcha!"
Video
See video of seven women who regularly gather to watch the Sioux City Explorers play at Lewis and Clark Park in Sioux City. Go to www.siouxcityjournal.com
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Lena wrote on Jul 15, 2008 11:03 AM: