Hello all, my name is Hunter Lobur Cummins. I am a junior majoring in journalism with a sports broadcasting concentration, as well as communication. I am interning with the Buffalo Bisons baseball club, the AAA level team (highest minor league level) that is affiliated with the MLB’s Toronto Blue Jays. I started in mid August and will be with them for the rest of the fall semester. They play at Sahlen Field, located in downtown Buffalo and a short metro ride away from the Canisius College campus. My responsibilities are to show up to the ballpark on gamedays about 4 hours before whenever first pitch is, check in members of the media who are present for the day’s game by either making sure they have their credentials on them, or by handing them a credential, and then input what transpires throughout the game (whether each pitch is a ball, strike, foul, or hit) into the statistics program on a computer which then appears on the jumbotron for the fans to see. For example, I update the total pitch count for each pitcher after a pitch is thrown which then shows up on the jumbotron, as well as the style of at bat each player has. If a player singles in the first inning, then the next time they are up, the jumbotron will read (Smith, 1st- singled to RF (right field). I do this for the duration of the game. Before the first game that I worked, I was a bit nervous as to the nature of my responsibilities. I of course did not want to mess up inputting stats into the computer and then have the jumbotron be incorrect, all attributing back to me. What helped was being taught on the first day to take things at a pace that allows you to put things in correctly without rushing or falling behind too much. It is better to be a bit slower but accurate than fast but rushed and inaccurate. I feel that I am fitting in well in my position. I can operate the statistics program at a satisfactory level, and I know the protocol for checking in media members. I am looking forward to continuing my time with the Bisons. We have one homestand left (five more home games) and can win our division for the first time in a long while! My goal is to get involved with the broadcasting side of things, but I realize that this may be a bit complicated as my supervisor is actually the team’s play by play broadcaster himself, and is quite busy with that role. I cannot wait to finish out this season with the team, and then enter the offseason and the duties it may present.
The Summer and Beyond at Sahlen Field
