Unique Home Run Features at the Ballpark

   On Sunday afternoon, Omar Infante of the Miami Marlins smashed a J.A. Happ fastball over the left-field fence in the second inning.  Not only was this the first home run ever hit at the new Marlins Park, but it was with that blast that the huge, multi-colored sculpture in the outfield was put into motion for the first time.  As Infante circled the bases, the sculpture in center field was "lit-up" like the J.A. Happ fastball down the middle of the plate.  Marlins leaped, seagulls flew, fountains sprayed water into the air, and lights flashed, all in a manner that would make Dock Ellis proud.  It was an impressive display, and one that the Marlins fans only had to wait until the eighth inning to witness again.
   The home run display brings back memories of the first "exploding" scoreboard that was introduced in 1960 by the Chicago White Sox.  When a White Sox player hit a home run, the scoreboard would light up, pinwheels would spin and the fireworks display would sometimes be more amusing for the fans than the actual home run.  This was the beginning of the home run displays in Major League Baseball and it was all thanks to the ultimate entertainer in the game, Bill Veeck.  In Milwaukee, the Brewers mascot Bernie Brewer would slide down a twisted yellow slide into a huge beer mug to celebrate home runs.  Today, the beer mug has been replaced with a platform in the shape of home plate, but Bernie can still be seen above the bleachers in left field cheering for the hometown Brewers.
   The New York Mets introduced the huge, red apple in 1980 at Shea Stadium.  The apple with the Mets logo in the center would light up and rise out of a magicians hat inscribed with "HOME RUN" in white block letters.  Today, the Mets call Citi Field home but the home run apple is still a part of the Mets' celebrations.  Located in center field, the magicians hat has become part of the history of Shea Stadium, but the apple is much larger and still includes the Mets logo in the center.
   Then there is the home run train in Houston that runs along a track on top of the outside wall in left,  the illuminated Liberty Bell at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and even the "old-fashioned" idea of fireworks that remains a staple for celebrations throughout the league.  From Bill Veeck's original "exploding" scoreboard in Chicago to the Marlins colorful sculpture in Florida, the idea of putting on a show for the fans remains the same.  As stated by Veeck himself:  "We can't always guarantee the ballgame is going to be good, but we can guarantee the fan will have fun."