By Norm:
So here is my gift to you the readers of 9 Inning Know it All. My year in review is a little early. First of all, from the bottom of my heart, a big THANK YOU for reading our blog. As I look back on 2013 it was a great year. 9 Inning Know it All grew more than Kelly, Josh, Trevor, or I ever thought it would. It truly has become a labor of love to write and talk about a game I love. Baseball is truly the greatest game on the planet and all of our Know it Alls are the best. So here we go.
2013 saw so much happen. From watching the earliest game ever February 8th at Volcanoes Stadium, Lewis and Clark College vs. Corban University, to watching the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes return to where the belong, in the playoff. All though it was a short appearance (lost to Boise in 2 games) it took me back to 2006-2009 where the Volcanoes were never out of first place during that time. Linfield College of McMinnville, Oregon led by former New York Yankee Scott Brosius won the 2013 NCAA Div. 3 baseball National Championship.
We also witnessed the first season of the Hillsborro Hops. After years of baseball being gone from the Portland landscape, the Hops made a triumphant return of baseball to the baseball starved Portland metro area.
We were along for the ride as the Corvallis Knights behind Blake Drake won the WBL title. Thank you to the Knights front office for the love this season. If you want to see some great baseball in a family atmosphere, we HIGHLY recommend watching the Knights. http://www.corvallisknights.com/index.php?p=home
9 Inning Know it All scored OFFICIAL press passes to Corvallis, Salem-Keizer, Eugene, and the prestigious Arizona Fall League. We also scored the MLB media guide this past season. It was sent to me by a member of the Portland media who reads the blog. It is mind blowing with all the names and info of people we watch and listen to. I even scored a few interviews form it.
Speaking of interviews, I had a blast talking to guys and gals such as Carl Erskine, Brett Butler, Dale Murphy, Niki Volz, Kurtis and Craig Cooper, Chris Haddleland, Ron Cey, Willy Braun (of Reckless Kelly), Scott McCaughey and Steve Wynn (of the Baseball Project), John Rocker, and countless others.
I will continue to get more interviews in 2014. Slated so far, Joe, Sam, and Tommy Paterson, Brett Butler, Tom Gamboa, Dale Murphy, & Jim Campanis.
We also were able to start selling merchandise in 2013. We have shirts, hoodies, and cinch bags for sale. We can do almost any color you would like. We would like to thank Mark Canham from MDM Designs for doing a killer job for us. Be watching for a camo shirt coming out in the Summer.
We are also a sponsor for the HWY 30 Music Fest in Filer, Idaho on June 13-14. We will possibly be announcing the headliners on an upcoming show. A big THANK YOU goes out to Gordy and Meg Schroeder for allowing us to be a part of this epic event. It will be the first time I have been home since 2005. I grew up in Kimberly, Idaho which is like 12 miles from Filer.
From the Dodgers being back in the playoffs to the Red Sox winning it all, it has been one of the best baseball related years ever. I am so excited of being a part of the 9 Inning crew.
Be watching for big things from us in 2014. Somewhere along the line our blog will hit 1 million views. We will have epic giveaways in 2014. Once again, thank you for reading about our passion for the game of baseball. And most of all thank you for being a part of the Know it All family. Merry Christmas and have a great and safe New Year