LITTLE ROCK — The applause began quietly, with a just a few people standing and cheering behind the Arkansas Travelers dugout as the Tulsa Drillers took the field in the bottom of the first inning.
Then it spread, as small groups began to rise and join in until almost everyone was on his feet at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock, cheering the Drillers for simply having the will to play a baseball game Thursday night.
The Travelers and Drillers met for the first time since Tulsa hitting coach Mike Coolbaughwas struck and killed by a foul ball off the bat of designated hitter Tino Sanchez while Coolbaugh was coaching first at Dickey-Stephens on Sunday.
From the American flag at half mast to the ribbons in Tulsa team colors on the Travelers' caps, tributes to Coolbaugh were everywhere.
For more information see today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
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