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July 18, 2008
A day in the life of a Pirate Batboy!
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Did you know that a batboy really isn?t a boy at all but in all actuality a ?batman?? He is that young man sitting near home plate at every game. Did you ever wonder what a batboy does? It?s a job that would keep anyone hopping.
Andy Olson is in his fourth season as batboy for the Pittsburgh Pirates. How he landed this job is quite an interesting story. For his high school senior project, Andy had to interview someone in the line of work in which he was interested in. At the time, Andy wanted to be a baseball announcer. He went to interview Greg Brown, an announcer for the team. ?I was just joking around with him and asked if there were any spots open down at the stadium. He said there might be,? Andy recalled. Sure enough, there was an opening for a batboy. Andy went down for an interview and the job was his.
Many people have an idea of what they think a batboy does, but what many people don?t realize is that they often arrive at the ball park five hours early for a night game. Once Andy arrives, he helps prepare the dugout and bullpen for the game, by setting out the water, Gatorade, seeds, and gum. ?We do a lot of busy work,? Andy stated.
Along with all of that, he and the other batboy are down on the field with the team during batting practice. During batting practice, Andy stands in center field where all the hit balls are thrown to him. He places the balls in a bucket. Once the bucket is full, he takes them to the pitcher on the mound. The other batboy?s job is to stay in the dugout to make sure everything is set out for the game. If any of the players need anything it?s his responsibility to make sure it?s there for the player.
Once everything is prepared, Andy changes into his game uniform and the fun begins.
Being the batboy, Andy has the best seat in the house. ?Your thirty-feet from home plate, it?s unreal. You hear everything, see everything that happens,? Andy commented about one of the perks of the job.
During the game, his main job is to make sure the umpire has enough balls, but that?s not his only duty. Andy also takes care of the bats, pine tar, rosin, and batting donuts. ?Basically anything a player wants or needs I take care of during a game,? Andy said. He enjoys the work because he has the opportunity to watch the game he loves.
After the game, it?s back to more hard work, which includes cleaning the dugout, bullpen, and bathrooms. Along with cleaning shoes and putting the clubhouse back to its pre-game conditions, the batboys have to wash and clean all the uniforms. Depending on how dirty the uniform is, it can take many washes to make them clean again. Some player?s uniforms seem to end up dirtier than others, especially Doug Mientkiewicz. ?Even with this special spray we have it still takes a few times to get everything all out because of the pine-tar and dirt that?s always on his jersey,? Andy said. It usually takes the batboys around two hours to complete their work for each game. ?A long home stand nine or ten games it gets to you, because you?re there for ten hours and you don?t get home until real late. It?s all fun,? Andy said about the unorthodox hours.
Not only do the batboys work game nights but they also put in a few hours the night the team arrives back home after a road series. The batboys unpack all of the equipment the team took on the road, which can be quite a lot if the Pirates are coming back from a long West Coast tour.
Andy?s job doesn?t vary much, but the atmosphere at PNC Park changes when certain teams come to town. Like recently when the famed New York Yankees made their first stop in the ?Burgh since losing to the Pirates in the World Series sixty years ago. The first game of the series was played in front of the third largest crowd in the history of PNC Park. The fans sure saw a show with the Buccos pulling a 12-5 upset. Andy described the atmosphere as, ?Electric, it was unreal! It compared to the All-Star Game and I don?t know how any regular season game could compare with an All-Star Game but it did. It felt like if we were in the playoffs that?s what it would fell like. It was just awesome!?
A team Andy likes when they come to town is the St. Louis Cardinals because of the players on the team. He is especially fond of All-Star first baseman Albert Pujols. At the All-Star game, which was played at PNC Park in 2006, Andy had the opportunity to become close with Pujols when he sat with him and his son during the festivities. When Pujols would have to play Andy became the baby-sitter for Pujols? five-year son. Now when the Cardinals come to town he has the opportunity to catch up with his buddy.
?I don?t think I can have a better job. Even though we aren?t paid a lot that part doesn?t matter. I just love baseball,? Andy declared.
Along with being a Pirate batboy, Andy is a student at Point Park University majoring in Sports Art and Entertainment. He?s thinking about becoming an agent or anything in baseball. ?I just want to stay in baseball.?
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