Fans mingle with Miners at team pancake breakfast

PALMER — The Mat-Su Miners held their second pancake breakfast of the month in the second year of this event Saturday morning at the Palmer Moose Lodge. Members of the community came and enjoyed a plate of flapjacks over breakfast conversation of baseball as the Miners continue to flourish in the community they serve.

The pancake breakfast was just one of the many places the 2012 team have been seen throughout the community. The Alaska Baseball League team marched in the Colony Days and Fourth of July parades. The Miners also put on a baseball camp for kids.

Most of the players were present to greet, serve and eat pancakes with fans. Those who attended also had the chance to hear good things about the players’ time in Alaska, as well as a fair share of weather complaints.

A handful of kids were in the Palmer Moose Lodge banquet room, including 11-year-old bat boy Lucas Adams, who said he looks up to the Miners, regardless of how many pranks they play on him.

Wins cannot be guaranteed every year, although general manager Pete Christopher has brought in his fair share of winning teams. Regardless of where the Miners currently sit in the ABL standings, a quality group of players were thankful for the receptive members of the community who attended Saturday.

Right-handed pitcher Peter Kaplan of Harvard University taught a pair of men named Ed Church about the every day pitching regiment of a reliever. The younger Ed Church, 49, replied with some teaching of his own.

“When a fan of the team you’re on asks you if you’re going to win the next game, you reply with a yes,” Church chuckled.

Then 71-year-old Ed Church chimed in.

“This is small town America, people need something to do,” he said. “They’re doing a good job, they draw big crowds.”

Players sang the praises of the Christopher family, who put in countless hours to make the team go and bring the players into a strong community atmosphere.

“It’s not an obligation, but it’s something we want to do,” second basemen Nash Knight said. “When they support us it makes it fun. Even without fans we’d still love it because we love baseball, but this gives it an extra push. We enjoy getting to meet people.”

Miners board president Sabrena Combs sees the positive effect the Miners have on youth.

“They learn from so much and these guys and are so willing to stop and talk after the game. My kid alone is starting watching these games. The community loves it,” Combs said.

The Miners next game is today at 5 p.m. at Loretta French against the Chugiak Chinooks.

Contact Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com or 352-2252. Follow @trockeynews.