Man … there is just something cool about Minor League Baseball parks. Intimate. Clean … no … immaculate! This evening, I am in the press box at Dell Diamond, in Round Rock,Texas — home of the Round Rock Express.

Typically, my “home” Minor League field is the home of the Fort Worth Cats — LaGrave. One of my other favorites is home to the Sacramento River Cats … I stopped in there on my 18,000-mile road trip, because they left the lights on … and it drew me in like moth to combustibles.

But tonight the match up is high school baseball — some of the best in the nation. Arlington Heights High School of Fort Worth is playing Corpus Christi Moody (the number one ranked high school team in the country).

Diamond Pings

And there is more than meets the eye at this ballpark. YES! It has Wayport Wi-Fi for fans in the stands, and there is a free network for the press box … so all my needs are satisfied on a beautiful night in the Texas Hill Country.

It is interesting that the minor league team here is the RR Express. Of course investor Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers was known as the Ryan Express back in the day. Also, his two sons are executives here — another RR combo: Reid and Reese Ryan. (The star short stop for Arlington Heights is also a Ryan — Chris Ryan — but no relation I think …)

I would be remiss in the namedropping category if I didn’t mention I met two of the three Ryan men when I put out the book NOLAN RYAN: The Authorized Pictorial History several years back. At that time, of course I met Nolan — just about the time he threw his 7th and final no-hitter in the majors. I also met his youngest, Reese at their home in Alvin — as Nolan threw soft toss batting practice to his son. That was a special moment. Although I was in the dugout when Nolan faced his son Reid in a pitchers duo at The University of Texas (in an exhibition game between Texas and The Texas Rangers) … I never met Reid.

But tonight, he and his brother are my host. And there is a special father/son moment for me. My youngest son graduated from high school Sunday, but tonight he is playing in the Texas State Baseball Tournament.
Does it get any better than that!?! Well … yes it do.  My boy Zander just entered the game as a ping runner … er I mean pinch runner!  Run, Zanduh, Run!

Baseball, my boy, several Ryan boys and Wi-Fi allowing me to Tweet and blog the Texas State Baseball Championship tournament from Dell Diamond — perfect game, 7 pings!

Know what I sayin?