“Stubby” McHale,
The South Side Sentinel
“Printed for the Hands that Build St. Louis”
The pop of a baseball hitting a glove, the sound of summer is upon us. Your St. Louis Beavers are already busy at work at Riverlands Field, and ready to battle those damned cross-town Reds. While the players have been busy, the new GM, Ethan Kelly, has been equally as busy. Working with team owner Basil Brockhurst, they have sought to enhance the fan experience at the park to attract larger crowds.
When you go through the turnstiles at a ballpark, you are greeted with the fresh smell of the grass, the smiling faces of the gate attendants, and most importantly, the aroma of the food being fried, salted, and grilled. The food at a ballpark plays an important role in drawing fans into the park, that is why the first order of business for new GM Ethan Kelly was to introduce new menu items to excite the fans. The Beavers teamed up with local St. Louis fish-fry legend Jack Dohack to create a dish they’re calling Mississippi Mud Dabs. They are bite-sized pieces of freshly caught catfish, soaked in buttermilk and coated in cornmeal flour, then fried in lard, creating the perfect crispy-tender snack for the high-hat industrialist fans in the cedar boxes behind home plate. The item is served with a yellow mustard-and-horseradish-based remoulade and a wedge of lemon. While snacking on the newly created delicacy, you’ll need something cool to wash it down. The Beavers are also debuting a golden ginger ale that pairs perfectly with the saltiness of the catfish. The Vess Soda Company is the brainchild behind the drink they’re calling “Current-Kick”, which features a strong spicy “Kick” of ginger that balances the heat from the remoulade. This drink is currently exclusive to Riverlands Field and is being offered as a combo with the Mississippi Mud Dabs. You can get yourself the tasty snack and refreshing ginger beverage for 50¢, and you get a nickel back when you return the bottle.
The ‘Riverfront Rowdies’ in the bleachers have not been forgotten. With the help of the R.E. Funsten Nut Company, the Beavers have created a snack they are calling ‘Beaver Nuts’. It is a trio of nuts, including peanuts, pecans, and Ozark black walnuts, dusted in an exclusive seasoning mix they call ‘Sawdust Spice’. A fiery mix of spices that includes salt, white pepper, dried mustard, and cayenne. The mix is served in a waxed paper bag that reflects the pale orangish color of the nuts and is made locally by the working class for the working class. To simmer the heat of the mix, a signature drink has been developed for the bleacherites. Vess Soda Company is also introducing Timber-Top birch beer, a minty, refreshing soda that tames the heat of the Beaver Nuts. Brewed from the oil of Missouri Black Birch tree bark, the color of the drink is reminiscent of the Mighty Mississippi at midnight with a thick, creamy head of foam on top. Fans can grab the combo, which they are labeling the ‘Dam Builders Duo’ for just 15¢, and also get a nickel back for returning the bottle. We realize the fine folks across town might find our ‘Sawdust Spice’ and remoulades a bit too harsh for their refined palates, but here at Riverlands Field, we play a brand of ball that requires a bit of grit, something the Reds avoid as much as a muddy uniform.
Additionally, the Beavers have secured the South Side Silver Cornet Band to provide the stadium’s heartbeat between innings on weekends and holidays. The band is mostly made up of 2nd-generation German-Americans who work at the Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. and the Vess Soda Co. bottling facility down the street. The band is led by 52-year-old trumpet player Alois “High-Pressure” Zwickel, who works as the master carbonator at the Vess Soda Bottling Facility. The band promises to provide a brassy thunder that shakes the South side and gets the ‘Riverfront Rowdies’ jumping as they cheer our boys on. “We’re bringing a brassy, bottom-end rumble that matches the rhythm of the Mississippi and the hum of the factories. We want every fan at Riverlands to feel the music in their chest. It’s the heartbeat of the Beavers, and it’s a sound the Reds just aren’t built to handle”, Zwickel states.
Fans of the Beavers have much to be excited about this season. While they’re watching Nolan Barcroft swing a sizzling bat and Jennings Page dazzle on the mound, they can enjoy the new concessions the stadium has to offer. From the fresh catfish to the ‘Sawdust Spice’ Beaver Nuts to the local band that plays their hearts out, there is something for everyone at Riverlands. “We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at the park this summer, and we welcome any fans that want to truly embrace the team that represents the real St. Louis,” says GM Ethan Kelly. So grab your family, grab your friends, heck, grab your coworkers, and come support the Beavers and as always, BEAT THE REDS!