Saturday, November 22

Today, in observance of National Absurdity Day, shall detail the most absurd promotion of the 2025 season. Welcome to the Baseball Traveler newsletter. Let's talk about Minor League Baseball.

In my long career on the Minor League Baseball beat I've covered hundreds of promotions on location at the ballpark. I've written about thousands more from afar. But it took until this season for the tides to turn. I, the promo celebrator, became the celebrated.

When I visited the Tri-City Dust Devils on July 29, the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels staged Ben Hill Night at their home of Gesa Stadium. Take a look:

Why and how did this happen?

When I announced my 2025 road trip itinerary, in April, I listed the promotion taking place at each ballpark I'd be visiting. The Dust Devils hadn't announced anything on the night I planned to be in town, however, so I simply wrote, "No promo listed."

The Dust Devils staff decided they needed a promotion for that date, which led to "Ben Hill Night." The man to credit -- or blame -- for this initiative is Erik "The Peanut Guy" Mertens, who juggles many responsibilities at the ballpark.

Erik has worked for the Dust Devils since the team's 2001 inception, starting as a peanut vendor and going on to become the face of the franchise. I wrote a story about him the last time I visited the Dust Devils, in 2016. Since then, a life-size bobblehead of Erik was installed on the Gesa Stadium concourse. He is both literally and figuratively a man of many hats, as evidenced by the gargantuan cap wall he has installed in his living room. 

But enough about Erik, let's get to me! Ben Hill Night was announced via a press release that described yours truly as "the preeminent traveling journalist of Minor League Baseball." (Fact check: true). It then went on to answer the question of the hour: What the heck is Ben Hill Night?

But wait! You may also be wondering, "Who the heck are the Tri-City Dust Devils?" Please allow me to explain.

The team was established in the Northwest League in 2001, following the relocation of the Portland Rockies. They play in Pasco, which forms, along with Kennewick and Richland, Washington's Tri-Cities region. This area, at the confluence of the Columbia, Snake and Yakima Rivers, rapidly expanded following the construction of the Hanford Site nuclear complex in 1943 (a key part of the Manhattan Project).  

Minor League teams have played in all three of the Tri-Cities at various points in time, beginning with Kennewick's Tri-City Braves in 1950 (a franchise that was later known as the Atoms). Gesa Stadium opened in 1995, originally hosting the independent league Tri-City Posse before the arrival of the Dust Devils.

The ballpark, earth-toned and low-slung, is an intimate and no-frills facility. It faces south, toward Kennewick, the Columbia River and the surrounding Horse Heaven Hills.

The ballpark's most notable feature is its massive sunshade – 56 feet high and 152 feet across -- that towers above the first-base grandstand. Prior to its construction, the seats on the third-base side of the ballpark were essentially uninhabitable while the sun was still up. 

Prior to their current partnership with the Angels, the Dust Devils were affiliated with the Rockies (2001-14) and San Diego Padres (2015-20). Their most famous alumnus is NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, who spent the 2010 season with the Dust Devils after getting drafted by the Rockies.

But enough about the Dust Devils, let's get to me! For real this time. It was surreal to walk into the ballpark and see a sign advertising my own presence in the ballpark.

After throwing out a perfect strike first pitch, which immediately signaled to the fans in attendance that I was a luminary worth celebrating, I witnessed a rousing rendition of the National Anthem while in close proximity to mascot Dusty and Dust Devils manager Dann Bilardello. The former is a living representation of the weather phenomenon the team is named for. The latter is a baseball lifer who hit his first Major League homer against Tom Seaver and now has over 900 wins as a Minor League skipper.

Moving from the field into the seating bowl, I spied a man wearing a Ben Hill Night T-shirt! I initially thought he was a super fan who had made it himself -- yes, this sort of individual does exist -- but as I got closer, I realized that the whole section was wearing Ben Hill Night T-shirts. What a surprise. What a thrill. Thanks to Circle K, the sponsor of this newsletter, for sponsoring these true collector's items.

Per the Ben Hill Night press release, I am "known for [my] perpetually fluctuating beard and hair styles." This inspired the team's between-inning "Beard off," with me serving as a judge.

There was also a gluten-free bun eating contest, an homage to my longstanding status as a guy with celiac disease. This status led to me recruiting a Designated Eater program at every ballpark I visit, a fan who consumes the ballpark cuisine that my gluten-free diet prohibits. On this evening, that fan was Mark Jensen.

Mark, a Dust Devils season ticket holder, grew up in the Tri-Cities and went on to work at the Hanford Site for nearly four decades.

"In 1943, the Hanford area was selected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to be the site of plutonium production for the first atomic bomb, so the Hanford Site was established here," he said. "The Tri-Cities area basically grew up around the nuclear industry. That is where I worked. … first as a reactor operator and then in nuclear safety."

Mark wore his vintage Tri-City Atoms jersey to the game, a fitting choice considering his professional background and his ballpark meal. This is the incandescent Atomic Clucker chicken sandwich, served with garlic parmesan fries.

"It's good, it's spicy. Spicier than I normally eat, but a pleasant surprise," said Mark, adding that the accompanying garlic parmesan fries were "nice and crispy."

He's had hundreds of meals at Gesa Stadium, and he said this one ranked among the best.

In addition to spending time with Mark, concourse gladhanding and between-inning contest participation, I spent an inning in the broadcast booth with Doug Taylor, watching the action as the Dust Devils cruised to a 4-1 win over Vancouver.

The night ended as it must. I transformed into Ben the Peanut Guy, joining Erik the Peanut Guy in his ballpark peregrinations. We tossed peanuts to the crowd, led cheers, posed for photos and basked in the endorphin high that can only come from being the center of attention at a Tuesday night Minor League Baseball game. 

But when all is said and done, even when it's my night, I can't compete with Tri-City's biggest ballpark celebrity.

Thanks to my travel buddy, MLB Live Content Coordinator Braeden Botts, who joined me at the Dust Devils game and took many of the fine photos seen above.

Get in touch anytime, and please recommend this newsletter to others who may enjoy it. Also, please follow me on Instagram (@thebensbiz), X (@bensbiz) and Bluesky (@bensbiz.bsky.social). I appreciate you. 

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