More July Fourth Fireworks Show Pictures

A few waiting for the fireworks pictures.  Skylar and Bronnie were running around as Tony chased them, and Bronnie enjoyed Miranda's back.  While waiting for the traffic to clear, Jeremy lit a couple sparklers.

Life in Manteca: Why Manteca Fireworks Were Cut Short?

Where we were sitting, we saw a firework which appeared to explode on the ground.  Immediately the emergency lights approached the area where this happened.  We thought maybe something had happened.  Manteca Bulletin verified this.  A launch accident sent a man detonating the fireworks to the hospital with second degree burns on his leg.  This cut off the display after a third of the fireworks had been exploded.  The injured man was an employee of J&M Displays.  He was treated for the burns at DOctor's Hospital.  The article says one of the mortars had been lit but became stuck and exploded while still on the ground.  "Firefighters on scene quickly got the situation under control.  Given the nature of the incident and potential damage to launch equipment Manteca fire officials shut down the aerial display that had started 10 ten minutes earlier."  The article further explains that the 10,000 people in the area started dispersing within about another ten minutes.  It also points at the J&M displays will give a refund to the Manteca City, which had to pay upfront, for the unexploded fireworks.  

Life in Manteca 18: Big League Dreams

http://manteca.bigleaguedreams.com/park-information
I knew I was getting home before everyone else, as they had gone to the beech, so I took advantage and visited Big League Dreams.  There is a lot happening there.  There are six fields, and all were busy with softball games.  Some were coed and others were more competitive.  It seemed most of the games had lopsided scores, except for a couple.  In the short time I watched and saw a couple great snags of line drives, one at third base, and the other by the pitcher.  I also noted that the rules for softball had changed, particularly with regards to pitching.  There was a big box he had to be within, but no longer had to be in contact with the rubber, no longer had to make a step forward.  It was interesting. 

There is also indoor soccer.  Young women were playing, and I must admit the games were more intense and exciting.  The game I watched, I caught just before halftime with a goal being scored and putting the yellow team up 3-1.  However the second half, the blue team, with more team skill, mounted a comeback.  I was sitting by the keeper for the yellow team, and it was fascinating to see them work together.  They finally tied the game5-5 on a breakaway, which seemed to come out of no where.  The yellow team mounted an attack, and scored a goal, just one second after the end of game buzzer sounded.  Final score 5-5.  It was entertaining.

I visited all the ball diamonds.  If you are going to play someplace, it might as well be on a replica field as any other.  The replicas are: Fenway, Wrigley, Angel, Polo Grounds, Yankee and Tiger.  One thing I did notice was the fields had artificial surface, the dirt part as well as the grass.  The fences seemed way back, and nobody hit one over the fence home run.  However one person hit the fence, and made an inside-the-park home run.

Admission is $3, and includes a $1 token that can be used at the snack shack (there are two, each surrounded by three diamonds.)  They are a bit pricey.  Not major league prices, but definitely at least minor league prices.  I had to try the fries, in my efforts to find the best fries in town.  They were natural cut fries, and with my token, the price was bearable.  I would rate them about with Wendy's.  They had a ketchup dispenser, and you could get all the ketchup you wanted, not little packets.

I had a fun evening, and since I like ball, I will probably be back.  I was left with the question, is their an old fart league for players not very good, but who want a shot at that in-door soccer field.