Hickory Crawdads: Dogzilla

Dogzilla

During my road trips, one of my main goals is to visit the most ballparks that I have never caught a game at. The end game is to see a game in every ballpark associated with professional baseball. But, during my trips I am married to team schedules and geography. I would love to see a game in Kannapolis while I am in the Carolinas, but I can't convince the team to change their schedule to accommodate me. So, I found myself, for the fourth time in my life, at L P Frans Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina for a Crawdads game.

Fortunately, I love this park. It is small, usually has smallish crowds and is a well thought out, no frills ballpark. Not to mention the shows. I was treated to a 19-3 spanking of the Crawdads by the West Virginia Power. It was an offensive display that the Crawdads fans found...well, offensive. I typically root for the home team, but since I grew up in West Virginia, I felt obligated to pull for the Power. And it was just cool enough and threatening rain that I was able to wear my WV jacket.

For such a low maintenance ballpark, the Crawdads offer up something awesome called the Dogzilla. It is two large hot dogs covered in chili and slaw, with a side of fries. I did my best, but the hot dogs are catching up with me and I could only eat about a third of it all. Talk about a spanking.

Had I been at my best, I would have been tempted to take on the CLAWossal Challenge. For $25 you get a footlong hot dog, an order of pub chips, a BBQ sandwich, a Carolina burger, a corn dog and three onion rings. Eat it all in one full inning and you get your $25 back PLUS a CLAWossal tee-shirt. It's been done, but rarely. No takers on the night I was there, but it warrants another trip to L P Frans Stadium when I am at my best. And it the Crawdads have another thumping like they did last night, maybe they will let me pitch a few innings.