PITCHER J.D. SCHOLTEN’S BASEBALL SEASON WITH THE SIOUX CITY EXPLORERS HAS CULMINATED WITH A TRIP TO COOPERSTOWN.
THE 44-YEAR-OLD SCHOLTEN PERSONALLY DELIVERED HIS EXPLORERS JERSEY TO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME THURSDAY:
SCHOLTEN10 OC….EVEN ASKING. :16
THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM SIOUX CITY WAS VOLUNTEERING AT THE SATURDAY IN THE PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL THE JULY4TH WEEKEND WHEN MANAGER STEVE MONTGOMERY CALLED HIM TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY START ON THE MOUND THAT JULY 6TH WITH LESS THAN THREE HOURS NOTICE.
SCHOLTEN HAD PITCHED FOR THE EXPLORERS FROM 2003-07, AND HAD PREVIOUSLY TOLD THEM HE WOULD HELP IF THEY WERE EVER SHORT OF PITCHING:
SCHOLTEN11 OC…….HAVE THE EXPERIENCE. :26
SCHOLTEN PITCHED 6 INNINGS THAT FIRST GAME, THROWING 100 PITCHES GIVING UP JUST TWO RUNS AND EARNING THE WIN IN HIS FIRST QUALITY START WITH THE X’S IN 17 YEARS.
WHEN HE WAS PULLED FROM THE MOUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INNING, THE CROWD GAVE HIM A HUGE OVATION, SOMETHING THAT WOULD CONTINUE IN EVERY HOME START AS HE WENT ON TO TIE FOR THE TEAM LEAD IN WINS WITH SIX :
SCHOLTEN12 OC…… THE CROWD WAS. :28
ORIGINALLY COOPERSTOWN WANTED SCHOLTEN’S CAP FROM HIS FIRST START FOR THE HALL OF FAME.
THAT CHANGED WHEN THE TEAM BUS CAUGHT FIRE ON AN AUGUST 1ST ROAD TRIP TO ILLINOIS, AND THE CAP WAS DAMAGED AND TEMPORARILY LOST:
SCHOLTEN13 OC………DRIVE IT OUT THERE. :22
AS FOR NEXT YEAR’S BASEBALL SEASON, HE HOPES TO CONTINUE PITCHING SOMEWHERE:
SCHOLTEN14 OC………THIS OFF SEASON. :08
WHEN SCHOLTEN RETURNS TO SIOUX CITY, HE WILL RESUME HIS CAMPAIGN TO BE RE-ELECTED TO THE IOWA HOUSE.
