Behind The Scenes With The Woodbats

Columbus, GA - Fans come to Golden Park to mainly watch baseball. Except on Friday nights they come for another reason…it’s $1 beer night. But lots goes into a baseball production and back this summer are some familiar faces doing the work behind the scenes.

For announcer Steve Thiele he heard some guys doing PA, and thought he good do that. The Long Island native began announcing games at Golden Park in 1989.

“One thing I remember is when Andruw Jones, who was with the Macon Braves at the time, came here and hit the furtherst homerun ever at this park, twice,“ Thiele said.

Thiele is also ‘The Voice Of Fort Benning,‘ and also spent his Saturdays at American Little League doing the PA for those games. “I used to coach Little League, but the parents got to be too much. So I thought if i sat behind them instead of out on the field I was better off,“ he said.

His job depends a lot on the crowd. And over the last few years, Thiele contends some days has been tough with low attendance, but thinks things are on the rise. “It’s hard when you can hear a pin drop in here, but you have to keep the same motivation. I just let the play on the field and music make them cheer,“ he said. But he will do the talking.

Across the press box is the Gierer family. Kathy is the official scorer for the Woodbats and her daughter Lindsey runs the scoreboard. Which has a new addition where you have the player name, number, position, and what college they attend.  Kathy has been at Golden Park since 1979, so Lindsey grew up at the park.

“My husband would bring her and her brother to the game, get in for free, spend $20 in food and drink, visit mama and then go home,“ Gierer said.

Most mother-daughter relationships are built on shopping trips and boyfriend troubles, the Gierer’s is about stealing second and the double switch.  “We do shopping, and go out to eat as well, but it’s good to be able to spend so much time together,“ Gierer said.

The only thing they argue about in the press box, if it’s a hit or not.