it is a sign of summer to go out to the ballpark and watch a baseball game, an unique American experience — our national pastime.

in Seattle you go to Safeco Field to watch the Mariners. in Los Angeles you go Chavez Ravine to see the Dodgers.  in Orange County you go to Anaheim to see the A’s.  in New York you go either to the Bronx to see the Yankees or to Queens to see the Mets.

if you are living in the Coachella Valley of the California desert where do you go to see a baseball game?

the answer is to the Palm Springs Stadium to see the Palm Springs POWER play.

admittedly this is not baseball at the major league level. in fact it is not triple A (AAA) ball.  it is not AA ball.  it is not even A ball.

it is the Southern California Collegiate Baseball League (SCCBL) which is a six-team, summer collegiate league. The league recruits elite collegiate baseball athletes and their season begins in June and ends on late July.

The SCCBL consists of the Palm Springs POWER, Inland Valley Buccaneers, San Diego Force, So Cal Bombers, and Arroyo Seco Sentinels and Riverside Bulldogs.

but the point is… this is baseball.

the Desert Dynamic Due (PJ and yours truly) went to a game the other evening and thoroughly enjoyed it.

we had so much fun!

first of all the price was right. ticket price was $ 7.  second, the seats were first come first serve, and we sat in the second row very near home plate.  third, to deal with the heat of the desert the stands have misters strung up every aisle with the hope that a little cool mist from time to time can help you forget the reality of outdoor 100+ degree temperature.

but even more fun was the ambiance. for example, dogs are allowed.  food and drinks are prohibited from the park, yet many people bring in coolers with everything you can imagine.  families galore.

the highlight had to be the between inning activities organized by the baseball club. off beat on-field contests.  promotions and giveaways occur between each inning.  crazy, ridiculous fun activities that usually have kids running the bases on the field.  all in good fun.

and the POWER has a mascot.  a Big Horn Sheep named Rocky.  just what it should be.

on top of this was a very entertaining baseball game. you will not believe what the final score was.  19-1.  yes siree.  amazing!

the POWER team is good. really good.  they have won the league championship five of the last six years.  they are in first place in the league again this year.  their statistics are amazing.  the club has won 31 games this year, and lost only 3 games.  their players are hitting with averages that defy belief.  they have 5 of their starting players hitting with averages above .400.

bottom line, you can watch baseball in the desert in the summer!