This Is Now a Tradition

“I could actually get a hot dog tattoo”

In line with the fan-ily getting B’s ink at the third annual Pastime Tattoo Free Tattoo Day

by Joe Horton

SAN LEANDRO, CA—My name's Bobbie.

You're the very first person in line today. When did you get here? 


At 9:30. I want to get the Scrappy face. I love Scrappy. I love the Ballers. 
I have been having a really good time going to the games, and I’d rather wait first than wait to be some random number in line.

Very good. And I see you've got a couple here. How many tattoos do you have right now? 


I think the last time I counted, it was like 15.

You're the second person in line today. You seem to know Bobbie here. Lots of the similar questions for you. Why a tattoo?

My name is Sachi. I always get excited when I see someone wearing the merch or something around the community and whatnot.

And this is kind of permanent merch?

Yes, that's exactly what it is. I just really like the Ballers a lot. I think that they bring a lot of fun community. 
And Oakland needed another baseball team.

And you’re third in line, Lavendar. Why the tattoo? Why today? 


Well, we came out for the first Ballers’ tattoos with Pastime, so this is now a tradition, and we're part of the founding fan members. We live down the street from Raimondi Park, and it's just become part of our culture. 


What number tattoo will this be for you? 


This will be number 30.

Number 30. Okay, so you're also big into tattoos, right? 
So what's the overlap here? You love the team, love the culture, but also the tattoos. Why is this special? 


They came out with new designs this year, which is really awesome. The previous designs, I just got the Ballers’ logo, and this time I'm gonna get Scrappy as the punk, doing the song…I'm collecting urban creatures. I think he’s a great, great icon. So, you know, why not add Scrappy on? He's one of my favorites.

You live down the street from Raimondi. You go to games regularly during the season. 
Do you have an estimated number of games you've been to this year?

Oh, gosh, between the two of us, I think it's probably been, what, about a dozen?

About that, yeah.

And Nick, what about you? Do you know what you're getting today?

It's still a decision between the casket and the girl. 


To me, those are very different ones. Why are those the two finalists?

I like the casket because I like that spooky kind of motif. But I also like the classic style of the pinup girl and the green and gold is really nice. So it's a debate. I haven't decided yet.

What's that overlap for you in terms of the permanence question—tattoos and the team?

We figure the more we can support them and show support in different ways and support things that they're doing throughout the community, it gives more likelihood of them being around for longer. So with us being in the neighborhood, we try to do as much as we can. 
Like, I love that the fact that they're bringing bands to the shows, stuff like that. Some of my favorite bands have actually played Ballers games and it’s been so great seeing them in my backyard. Stay Out, the Hellflowers, Creepy Crawlies played, all three of those are really great. So that's the huge community aspect of it. 


And so as long as they do this, do you feel like you would be back for the fourth annual tattoo day, fifth annual…

Oh yeah. 
Definitely. As long as they do new designs. Just keep going, different placements for different ones. Eventually, we'll be full Ballers’ propaganda.

Stephanie, I see that you've got the designs open here on your phone. As a matter of fact, this is our website, Dispatches from Raimondi. So talk to me about what you're thinking.

I love baseball in general, and I'm kind of new to the fold of the Pioneer League. And I think it's completely amazing and like, bitching. It's true baseball. It's the underdog, the fight; you get that competition between all the teams. And then it's just literally hometown fun. 
I live in Tracy, so I go to the Roadster games. Last night was actually in my first Ballers’ game, and I was like, fuck yeah, we're gonna go do it with a tattoo. And my friend's like, you're gonna go get a tattoo for the Ballers?
I'm like, yeah! And if the Roadsters did one, I’d do one for them too.

Are you a person who would say hi and introduce yourself if you saw another Ballers’ tattoo out there in the world?

Oh, yeah. Hell yeah, like, yes, Ballers! Like in public, or 5,000 people, probably even in a church.

And do you have a message for the Roadsters? You said before that if they did one of these, you'd do it? 


Oh, 100%. I'm gonna need Mr. [JT] Snow to start working something out because I think that'd be really cool. And there's some really good artists in Modesto, so I'm sure someone would be willing to take that on.

Anya, what brings you here?

I work six days a week, so if I get a day off from my owners, like, ‘you can go,’ I'm at a game. So today I was like, ‘I'm taking the day off’ and they're like, ‘what are you doing?’ And I go, ‘I'm gonna go get a free Ballers’ tattoo.’ 
And they're like, ‘okay, where are you gonna put it?’ I go, ‘I'm thinking either my arm or my leg. Is my arm okay?’ They're like, ‘oh, we don't care, put it wherever you want to put it.’ And I was just like, ‘okay, I'm out, bye.’ So I came, but since I've been going through everything, I'm definitely gonna go with this, 'cause I like it.

Jonny, what brings you out for a Ballers’ tattoo today?

Well, I went to the Ballers game on Tuesday, Tattoo Tuesday. It's probably like my fourth or fifth Ballers game. 
I haven't been to a lot, but I'm meaning to get some flash [tattoo art] for a while, and all these designs were sick. So I thought, I'm not doing anything this Saturday. Why not come down? I didn't grow up with baseball, but for me it's been a much more, I would say, desirable, accessible, way into baseball, then going to a Giants game or something. 
It just feels way more community-oriented. It's a vibe. It’s fantastic. It's affordable. 


And you're describing not growing up with baseball, tell us where you're from.

From the UK. So for me, baseball is the great American pastime, you know? 
I'm trying to culturally integrate as an immigrant. Check out baseball. 
This will do it. Also just for the people watching, the vibe. It's fantastic. More so than the sport itself necessarily. Who doesn't want to, like, sit around, drink a beer, eat a hot dog, chat with your friends, see a couple of home runs? It's great.

You know what? You know what made me think about it, actually, why I love it so much? It’s just a specific example. You know, if you're going to a giant sports event, and they're like throwing out t-shirts or hot dogs or something, you basically don't feel like you're involved in that, because the maths of you getting it is basically zero. 
But they were throwing out hot dogs at the Ballers game and I was like, I could actually get a hot dog.

Joe Horton is the editor of Dispatches from Raimondi.