When the Game Gets Rained Out… I Don’t.

May 27, 2025 – Fluor Field. 

Jersey Shore BlueClaws vs. Greenville Drive. Opening night of a six-game homestand. 5,000 fans ready for hot dogs, home runs, and a whole lot of “Let’s go Drive!”

And then… the clouds said nah.

Right around what would’ve been first pitch, the skies decided to get dramatic. Rain. Tarp on the field. Game postponed. Doubleheader tomorrow. Bummer, right?

But here’s the thing, when it rains at the ballpark, I don’t pack it up. I suit up. Because we might’ve lost the game, but we still had the people. And if I’ve got fans in the stands? That means it’s go time.

The booth radios down: “JDew, bring ‘em something.” Challenge accepted.

It was chilly, the crowd was spread out, but that just made it more fun. I jumped into the stands, you know me, always in the stands with the fans and we turned a soggy night into a good time. Singing Bee? Yep. Trivia? Absolutely. T-shirt tosses? You bet.

And let me tell you, folks showed up with energy.

Two different families came up to me, each with kids attending their very first baseball game ever.

Except… there wasn’t any baseball.

I looked at the parents and said, “Y’all, I’m sorry. This isn’t how we usually do it.”

But they just smiled and said, “Don’t worry. We’re having fun.”

We took photos. I made sure those kids got in the game (okay, the entertainment game). One of them nailed a trivia question and left with a fresh Drive tee. Now that’s a first-game memory.

Then there was my man from Ohio. 75 years old, celebrating his birthday at the Drive game with his wife and family. And even with rain clouds overhead, he was shining. I gave him a little spotlight on the video board, hyped up the crowd, and told him to stand so we could all cheer him on.

He popped up out of his seat so fast I had to check my knees. Still jealous.

Look, nobody likes a rainout. But the Greenville Drive isn’t just about baseball, it’s about community. That’s why we call it the “front porch” of the city. From grand slams to tarp-covered fields, the fans still showed up and I’ll always show up with them.

So yeah, May 27 might’ve been a rainout on paper but not in spirit.

We laughed. We danced. We sang. We celebrated birthdays.

That’s what makes a night at the ballpark unforgettable, even when no one swings a bat. 

See you at the next game (hopefully with clearer skies).