Cyclones gain a first-time fan

After the last day of school, it was time to introduce my grandson Reilly Dolan to the national pastime. For the 10-year-old from Park Slope, this would be the soccer enthusiast’s first-ever baseball game. After a quick lesson on minor league baseball, it was off to Coney Island to see the Brooklyn Cyclones play the Jersey Shore BlueClaws at Maimonides Park. 

One of Reilly’s first stops before the June 27 game was to the press box, where he met Cyclones radio broadcasters Justin Rocke and Johnny Gadamowitz, posed for photos and admired the vast upper-deck view of the field and the ocean. Additionally, Reilly met Cyclones General Manager Kevin Mahoney Assistant General Manager Billy Harner, and Promotions Associate Abbey Molhoek, who set up Reilly to be the ceremonial manager of the game for the home plate lineup card exchange.

Before the game, Reilly took cell phone photos of the Cyclones’ starting pitcher R. J. Gordon as he warmed up outside the bullpen in the outfield. Just before game time, he brought the lineup card to the umpires at home plate, accompanied by Cyclones coach Eduardo Nunez. Watching his first live game, the new young fan was impressed with Gordon’s pitching, which was good for six innings of one-run baseball along with six strikeouts and resulted in Gordon’s postgame Gatorade shower after the Cyclones’ 6-3 win.  

Master of ceremonies King Henry presented Reilly with his first Cyclones baseball cap, which was autographed by mascots Sandy the Seagull and Pee Wee. After the last out of the game, Reilly joined the other autograph seekers to get the signatures of catcher Ronald Hernandez and infielder Boston Baro as the Friday night fireworks lit up Maimonides Park.

Leaving the park, Reilly wrapped up the night by saying, “What a great night. King Henry gave me a cap, and I got the autographs of two mascots and two players, and the Cyclones won too.”