Petside Items: Baseball and Dogs from Guest Blogger jo Singer

I thoroughly enjoy perusing the Internet for hot little items, which are both newsworthy and at the same time may give us a chuckle. Therefore, for you sports fans and dog lovers out there, I found one for you this morning, which may tickle your funny bone. With the baseball season back in full swing, I am pleased to report that hot dogs are not the only pups that participate in the sport. It seems that an active minor league team in Trenton, New Jersey, The Trenton Thunder, is following a recent trend being set in the Minor Leagues, which eventually may catch on in the Majors, as well. Who knows if this will trend will take off but there is always a possibility.. Chase, a nearly eight year-old Golden Retriever, is the team's unofficial mascot. Aptly named for his talent, he also loves to cuddle with his teddy bear while waiting for the game to begin. This teddy bear is actually a baseball. Who would have thunk it? Chase holds a vital position on the team. Not just a pretty face, he has replaced the team batboy during the first inning. His job, commanded by the human bat boy, is fetching the bat each time a Thunder team hitter throws it at the end of his turn at bat. I suspect that he also may have been visiting us at the Petside community and was smart enough to take the hint how keeping fit is a good idea. He also participates in the line up in front of the dugout during the playing of the National Anthem. His designated spot is sitting in the corner of the dugout for the first inning and when the Thunder team's turn at bat, he situates himself near the top dugout step. In case you are worried about the condition of the bat after Chase gets finished retrieving them, when questioned if the bats are slobbery, Infielder, Chris Malec replied that he is not worried at all about slobber. Since Chase is a careful member of the team, the bats are consistently delivered slobber free. We all know that hitters are protective about their bats and I must believe that Chase also knows how precious these bats are to the players. Team pitcher, Steven Jackson gives kudos for Chase's performance. “He’s very good at what he does. He’s a great retriever and he can chase down balls very well.” Fans respond positively to Chase's first inning performances. Some fans have even traveled long distances to enjoy his antics. It is also good for business as news about the team's furry player gets around. Thunder Vice President of Marketing, Eric Lipsman shared, “We had one fan drove up all the way from Virginia one day and said they came here specifically to see Chase.” So the next time you attend a baseball game, and hear that familiar call, "get your dogs here", you never can tell . . . there may be a canine bat boy on the premises. Would you enjoy watching a bat doggy perform? Leave a comment and pitch us your answer.