The 2023 Reds Fantasy Camp Coaches Are.......

 They just announced the Camp Coaches! "Doung"* Flynn returns as always as Camp Commissioner and Joel Youngblood will be the Camp hitting Instructor. They are as follows. 

Todd Benzinger Glenn Braggs Tom Browning Brady Clark Aaron Harang Tom Hume Austin Kearns Brandon Larson Jim Maloney Corky Miller Hal Morris Ron Oester Joe Oliver Ted Power Joe Price Pokey Reese Arthur Rhodes Ron Robinson Chris Sabo Eddie Taubensee Brett Tomko Scott Williamson Herm Winningham Dmitri Young

I can't wait to get out to Goodyear!

* Fineable again?

2014

2016

Batting Practice at the Reds Hall of Fame

A  few years ago the Reds Hall of Fame folks started hosting batting practice sessions in the fall leading up to camp while the weather holds out. Tonight was a perfect night to get some swings in. 

Getting Ready with conditioning

Since a bout of Covid ended my Dragons season prematurely, since late August I’ve started my pre camp conditioning. Basically it involves cardiovascular training with my stationary bike. Also adding some weight training. Late in September we started batting practice at Swingtime on Saturday mornings. Also every work out is followed by some hydrotherapy, aka Hot Tub. I learned at my first camp, the benefits of both hot and cold tubs. Two years ago about my own hot tub, and haven’t looked back. 

Swing Time batting cage 

Mike’s Gym

Happy Hour Soak!

5 year Anniversary of Field of Dreams

 As we look forward this week to the Reds and Cubs playing at Field of Dreams In Dyersville Iowa, I'm taking a look back to 2017, when a bunch of campers went to the first ever Scott Green's Play at the Plate tourney at the Field Of Dreams site. As I wrote in an earlier post, one of the fringe benefits of RFC is playing with the same great friends you met at camp at these other tournaments. FOD is a very found memory. Playing the game I love with great friends, at the site of one of my all time favorite movies. What could be better? Here are some photos and videos of that great experience.

A True Play at the Plate!

The Dragons were well represented at FOD

My Traveling mates Steve, Gwen and Scott

The Dyersville Reds

Even Dottie Hinson made it to Iowa from Rockford!

Out of the Corn

Me and the Coach!

Dragons

PATP!

 

3rd Annual Baseball Heaven Alumni Association Golf Outing

 3rd Annual Baseball Heaven Alumni Association Golf Outing.

One of the great  events on The Reds Fantasy Camp calendar is the BHAA Golf outing. It was started 2 years ago for the charitable wing of RFC, the Baseball Heaven Alumni Association. The mission of the association  is to raise  funds,  to make grants to charitable organizations to further amateur baseball activities. Even with last year's rainout, the outing has raised thousands of dollars for a great cause. It was a great July afternoon at the Aston Oaks Golf Club. I want to thank the committee for organizing such a fun event. The dinner with raffles and silent auctions raised even more money for the cause. I won two silent auction items, a signed Ja'Marr Chase Bengals mini helmet and a nice Masters winner collage for Karen's office.

                                                                                

2022 Reunion Weekend Play Day

 As a veteran camper, one of the continued perks is playing in the Reunion weekend Play Day games. It's a great way to stay connected to the Fantasy Camp Fraternity. The Reds HOF started this a few years back. This years edition was played at the Blue Ash sports complex which has a great replica of Crosley Field. It's was a pretty great way to spend an incredible Saturday during Father's Day weekend.

It was a good excuse to break out the video camera too!

Me behind the Plate

The Dragons were well represented 

A true Baseball Couple Jim and Sherri Maples

Jim and Chuck Maples

Jeff Cox Strikes a Pose

Love the old time scoreboard

Your's Truly

The Comish's Plaque

My Buddy Steve Ritchie warming up

Conversation with Ed Reynolds

Can of Corn!

Johnny Bench Signing

 Not that this has anything to do with Fantasy Camp per se, but a few days before the camp signups I had a nice print signed by the GOAT of catchers and boyhood Reds Idol Johnny Bench. It makes a nice edition to the Man Cave/Office. Back during the 2016's camp Johnny was a surprise special guest.

2016 Camp