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In school, Mike Osborne was the kid who always got in trouble for talking or running
around in class. My high school principal would have described Mike as a “yard
bird”. They were the disruptive but likeable kids that had too much energy for their
own good. The class characters. My high school principal liked yard birds a lot. He
would have described Mike Osborne as a yard bird.
Now Mike has a job where he is paid to do what he used to get in trouble for. Mike
is the on-field announcer for Sacramento’s minor league baseball team, the River
Cats and his on-field handle is “Mike on the Mic ”. At River Cats games, Mike runs
around with a microphone between innings, revving up the crowd. Mike says he’s
eminently qualified for the job because he can talk for 60 seconds without saying
um, like or ya know.
With the River Cats, Mike has his perfect job - he gets to talk continuously and stays
fit by running two or three miles per game, mostly up and down the stairs in Raley
Field.
Mike had this to say about the River Cats major league affiliation: The River Cats are the AAA minor league team for
the Oakland Athletics but their contract expires this year. Their contract is one of ten such minor league contracts
that will be expiring, so it’s quite unknown which major league team the River Cats will be affiliated with next
season.
River Cats players earn $2,000 per month but many of them earn much more money playing winter baseball in
places like the Dominican Republic. Quite a few of the players received a big signing bonus when they began their
baseball careers and, according to Mike, for many of them, it’s the only significant money the will ever receive for
playing baseball.
Mike speaks at about 120 school assemblies per year. His topic is “the three As: attitude, academics and
attendance” and Mike is working on a new anti-bullying speech. One of our guests, James Mann said that he was at
a school where Mike spoke two years ago.
Mike: “How’d I do?
James: “They’re still talking about you.”
Mike’s newest project is Cats Care, a program that makes it easy to participate in community improvement projects.
Fans sign up for a Cats Care Membership at the games and choose the projects they want to volunteer for.
Upcoming projects include a Food Bank food drive, a Stuff the Bus school supplies drive, a blood drive and Discovery
Park beautification. It’s an opportunity to work with River Cats fans, front office, players and partners.
In his spare time, Mike leads field trip tours of Raley Field for groups of about 150 school kids.
A couple of interesting factoids:
Raley Field was probably built so it can be expanded into a major league field.
The River Cats’ mascot, Dinger, loses 8 to 10 pounds per game.
In one game, two foul balls landed in women’s purses and smashed their smart phones.
By Bruce Vincent
Songmeister Pete Schroeder
led the club in “This Land is
Your Land”. (Ed note: Finally,
a tune I can almost carry.)
Beth Wilcoxen is
recognized for becoming a
Paul Harris Fellow for the
6th time.
Loaves and Fishes
Thanksgiving Dinner, 2013
Never one to miss a public speaking opportunity,
Fred Rowe told us all about the Paul Harris
Society while they struggled with Beth’s Paul
Harris Fellow pin.
Geri Beck: Loaves and
Fishes is running out of
bottled water. Please
leave a case of water on
Geri’s porch if you can.
Jeanne Maloney
paid a happy fine
because an unnamed
good Samaritan from
the club helped her
with the landscaping
at her home.
Howard Papworth: If you
have not had a chance to
send a donation in John
Yetto’s name to Rotary
International, it’s not too
late.
Shelly Mathews announced
that Rotary International has
approved our grant request. The
trail project in Phoenix Park is a
go! Let’s hope that the work
parties start after the weather
cools off.
Beth Wilcoxen and Jeanne
Maloney are shown here getting
fined because wine somehow got
spilled on Beth’s dress.
Siri Hiltz failed to draw the
Ace of Spades. More
importantly, she later paid a
happy fine for a great
experience at the library
with 90 kids and maybe no
parents. One of the kids
was a child from Japan with
minimal ability to speak
English. The kids came up
with cell phone app that
translates between
Japanese and English so he
could participate.
Ray Ward got fined for “getting
Cliff Straley, Straelhy, Stralehly,
Straeley, Straehley’s name wrong
three times”. This was a faux pas
because Cliff was Little Genius.
(Ed note: at least you know
someone’s reading what you post
on Facebook.)
During introductions, Warren McWilliams declined to introduce his wife, Janet, because “she’s been grumpy
today”. No one believed it for a second, never, never, never having seen Janet in a bad mood. Now Warren, on
the other hand …….
Warren was just kidding. During happy fines, Warren did a proper introduction, gave a big check to the club
foundation for his 57th wedding anniversary, and donated $150 for the evening’s bar tab. (Ed note: Does that
mean I get a $3 refund for my beer? Or did I forget to pay?)
Ann Browning: The Senior Luau is coming up in September
Ed Note: As is the Chicken Festival
Anne Browning: Please donate books for Safe Halloween. In particular, they need books for the youngest
children, from infancy through 2nd grade.
Maggie Hoy: On August 9, our new inbound RYE student will arrive at the Sacramento Airport at 10:00 AM.
Club members are encouraged to be there to help welcome him to Sacramento Fair Oaks.
Maggie Hoy: About the family campout in August, one cabin is still available and it sleeps ten people. If you
signed up for a cabin, and have not done so, please pay Maggie ASAP.
On the left is Richard Kowaleski from
the Sacramento club. Richard is chairman
of District Speaker’s Bureau. The other
guy is member emeritus Ralph Carhart.
Other Guests
James Mann, Sr
Dawn Abatamarco
Giovanna Perricone
Janet McWilliams
Katie Walter
Ray Tija
Last and definitely least, this is
our new president, Jim Cralle
being, well, presidential. (Ed
note: I put this down here to
see if Jim reads all of the Acorn.
Later, there will be a test to see
if he’s reading any of the
Acorn.)