Episode 226 - Father's Day Weekend Trip

Johnny and Eric took baseball trips over Father's Day weekend. In Part 1 of this 2 part episode, Johnny tells us about his trip to Cape Girardeau. From the food, to the merch and everything between the foul lines, make sure to listen to this fun episode.

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Transcript

0:17

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of the Earn Fun Average podcast. I'm your host, Eric Prophet, coming to you I'm back now in Wichita, Kansas, and with me as always, I have Johnny Bowlen, late Charles Gumbo Gator super fan. At the time of this recording, I'm leaving in 48 hours or less We'll talk about it i- in the episode, but, But a little vacation. I'm tech- I'm technically Eric Prophet on vacation today, even though I'm still in Calhoun City today. Well, so it is, uh, kind of that time of the year for you and I, so we're gonna, do our annual trips review. And actually, uh, as we're talking pre, uh, recording here, we're both getting ready to leave again and- Uh-huh uh, go on another trip, so we'll probably do another episode to talk about the ins and outs of our, our other trips. But, uh, we both just, uh, got back from trips that we took, so it's our annual Profitpalooza review. And then obviously, this one was not Bowlen's to the Bayou, but it's a, a different place that the Bowlens went to, so we'll definitely talk about that as well. But before we kinda get into that, would you mind sharing your hat today, please? Well, it is This is one of my souvenirs from the, uh, trip. I haven't come up with a clever name to say Father's Day weekend trip. this was the, uh, the hat that the players wore. They did a, uh, tribute to veterans. they had veterans throwing out first pitches and patriotic music. And so this is a cake catfish, according to Eric Prophet, my 76th- Cape Catfish hat in the collection. He claims I own 75 hats, and this would be, uh, 76. Glen told me the first time that they've ever put the Catfish logo in red on a cap. Okay. Cool. And, uh, so it's a, it's a very comfortable, especially for a trucker hat, camo olive green, has the, uh, United States flag on the side. So it looked really cool with the camo jerseys, uh, the players were wearing that night. Yeah, that red really stands out on that color of that hat. So really cool hat, and I can't wait to hear about your Father's Day weekend trip, 'cause, you know, if you go back and listen to the episode with the Rhinestone Cowboy, Mr. Glen Campbell, one of my all-time top probably five episodes. Such an enjoyable guest, and, I'm glad that it worked out for you to get up there, and I can't wait to get out there someday as well. but for myself, so I just came, came back from Profit Palooza 2026. saw a mix of, uh, games there, but, uh, the hat I'm wearing today is from some summer collegiate baseball that we went and saw. It is the Hyannis Harborhawks. Nice. So they are out of the Cape Cod League. Uh, we went and saw the game, and I'll talk about the itinerary here a little bit, but it's a tri-color, which is, you know, one of my favorites. It's got blue in the back, white front panel, orange, like a bright orange bill, and then has the Harborhawk. He's got a big orange beak, and he's wearing a hat with the H on it. And then on the back, our favorite thing, Johnny, has the Cape Cod League logo on the back. Yes. So got the- Love it looks like the state of Massachusetts on it, but it's the Cape Cod logo. And so the Hyannis Harborhawks is what I'm wearing today. Oh, wow. Very cool. Very sharp. That's a, that's a cool logo. Very nice. So what I thought we'd kinda start with on our trips is that I'll let you start first and just do, like, a little overview, the itinerary of, uh, your trip, kind of where you went and, then we'll kinda get into more details. And then after that I'll, I'll share kind of the itinerary of my trip as well. So, uh, Father's Day weekend you said you, uh, went on a trip, see a little baseball. Would you mind sharing everybody a little bit about that? Yeah. The, kinda the background, as you mentioned, having Glen on the podcast, we actually recorded what f- what, November? It was in the fall. Yeah. And it came, first episode of January of this year. and he was so nice and, like you said, great guest. and so it's like, I, you know, I'm- I've been talking since then, "I'd like to go there sometime. You know, it'd be cool to check out a game there." so a few weeks ago, I, you know, was talking to the CEO of Bone Enterprises and talking about Father's Day and I said, "Yeah, I'd, I'd like to get to the Cape sometime." She goes, "You know it's like four hours away?" I'm like, "What?" I'm not very good at math or mapping or geography, I guess. Uh, anything that requires thought. Uh, was publicly educated in Alabama, so I've had that, burden my whole life. and so we, we decided, the Friday night of Father's Day weekend, to head up to Cape Girardeau and check out, those Cape Catfish, and then just came back the next day. So we, we had never done a trip like this. Back 2015 to 2019, we would take, it'd bout- it would be about two and a half hour trip. We would go to Biloxi for Shuckers games, but then never get a room or anything and then just drive back. This was the first let's get a hotel room, take off, you know, and do a trip like this we've ever done, where you, like you said, you, you have the hotel room and, and make a little bit of a little mini vacation almost, a 48-hour kinda, uh, vacation trip. Yeah, what I thought was funny is that obviously you and I are not that close, uh, in proximity to each other. Uh, obviously if, if we were a little bit closer, we'd probably try to meet up more and, record more in person, see baseball games. But when, uh, you're talking about going to Cape Girardeau to see the Cape Catfish, you know, you'd mentioned it's like four hours from you, and I looked for me, it's six, maybe six and a half, seven hours. So you're closer, which is just kind of funny to me because it's in Missouri and I'm, you know, kind of by Missouri. I'm only three hours from Kansas City, but Ca- the Cape is, uh, what? Southeast corner of the state basically, if I'm not mistaken. Right. And so you're actually closer to Cape Girardeau, which I thought was kind of funny. So I was like, "Oh yeah, hopefully that works out." So yeah, I was glad to hear you were able to, uh, get up there over Father's Day weekend for sure. Yeah. We, we had a great time. It was, beyond e- e- any expectations to me. It was just really, really good fun, quick, trip and like I said, something we'd never, ever done, just a one night baseball excursion. It's funny on that trip, Eric, you're in four states. Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri, okay? There's a lot of farmland in all four states on that journey a lot of farmland, you see uh, on the trek, uh, to Cape Girardeau. we had kind of a, uh, Wally World moment. You know, I love college bookstores, not maybe my level of baseball love, but I had seen that, of course, Cape Girardeau is the home of the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, and looked up their bookstore and said they were open till So we get there, that was our first stop- And we get into the s- university center and it's closed. Here's what I didn't realize, this is how dumb I am. It was June 19th Mm. That's a holiday and they were not open. Well, it's also summer. Are they typically open during the summer, just in general? Yeah, you know, I, I just got hours from, you know, the, the school website and- Yeah it said 9:00 to 4:00, you know, something like that. And, and so, thankfully, literally across the road from our hotel, like I need to spend that mu- uh, more money, there was an Academy Sports with a sale and a nice assortment of Redhawk gear. So I did come home with a, uh, a hat and a T-shirt for the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks. So, um, Yeah, but I had that, I had kind of that Wally World moment. We journey there, we get out of the car. I didn't run across the street. Got in the door, a- and the sadness of looking in and seeing, I see two sales racks, 50% off all this merchandise, nobody's there, the lights are off, it's closed. It's, it's a holiday That sounds like when Mr. Larson was here a couple years ago. We went on campus, and they have what's called the Shocker Store, and they were open and had some stuff, but then we tried to go to the actual bookstore on campus and, uh, it was summertime, I'm pretty sure, and it was a weekend, and so the bookstore was shut down, so we didn't get to go in there either. So I've been there before. A- and you're right, it may be a summer thing, it just, I d- I didn't think about that being a national holiday and places- Right might be closed and- Yeah it wasn't even on my radar. I was so zoned in about planning for the trip and, and, and so... But that, that was the only mi- minor, hiccup. It's probably better for my financial status they were closed. Thankfully Academy had a buy one, 50% off college merchandise, and I, I'm a rewards member with my coupon. So, got a good deal with the Academy There you go. Can't beat that, for sure. Redhawk, merch, from the trip. So yeah, that was, that was our only little minor, hiccup. And so the game that night was at, like, 6:30. Okay. So we had plenty of time. Uh, got checked in the hotel and, got over there. They didn't have they were giving away Bud Light slap bracelets. Ooh. Oh, yeah. Come on, now. And little mini American flags. They said it was a veteran tribute to Veterans Night. I tell you, the atmosphere there, it's a city park that they share with SEMO, as I call them, SEMO. They That's the ballpark. So you've got, a primary tenant and then the Catfish play there during the summer. But to see, and I, and I took a bunch of pictures, it's really kind of hard to describe, but the fans sitting, like, on different levels besides the grandstand. People had tents up with the Catfish logo. You saw them out in the outfield. First baseline, there was just people in their chairs. Uh, they had kind of like a little patio area up towards the top where the food trucks and everything was at up top. But you really got a sense that the community really supports this. Like, there was a bunch of people there that night. I think Glenn said, like, about 1,000 people. Like, maybe the second big- biggest crowd of the season, was that Friday night. Uh, always cool when you can see a World War II vet throw, throw the heat for the op- one of the opening pitches. Great. That's a great tribute they did to the veterans. it's just a classic old ballpark. You know, you've got, plen- I like that you have plenty of leg room, wood, metal. But then they had that great grandstand with ceiling fans, you know? Mm. So you can have a sit in the sun, you can sit behind home plate. Love seeing the fans wear the merch. It also shows you how popular the team is, just seeing the fans. There was a, probably a college guy on the other side of Melinda, and I've never told this story because it, it never has worked. E- every so often if I'm at a game and the team we're playing, if there's a fly ball, I'll yell out, "I got it," to try to con- So this college kid on the other side of Melinda, he I did it twice, he did it twice, and then he gave me that grin like, Thank you for teaching me that, uh, Rab- uh, Rabbi." Like, "I've learned something from this old man here," you know? he was like I said, he and I were, "I got it," real loud and, so that, that was kinda fun, that I've ins- influenced someone in a negative way the rest of their life going to ballgames, and may get them thrown out one day. But I, he learned, yeah, I guess he learned that from me trying to distract an outfielder, uh, by yelling, "I got it." the merch, oh So let me give the listeners a visual here. So I'm on, I'm looking up the stairs, and it's in the, near the top section where they had the patio and they had several food trucks. And actually it, it was, it was a, it was an event, right, to be at this game. And Melinda said, "Hey, there's the, the merch tent. you wanna go around?" I climbed those steps like Rocky Balboa going to the Museum of Art in Philadelphia. I was up those stairs. I just had to have the proper motivation to get up those stairs, you know? And they had a great assortment of, of merchandise, as you and I have talked, and I will share this with our listeners, history was made. That is the most money that's been spent on merch in the history of the life of John Andrew Boland, Esquire. I've never in my life joyfully spent so much money at, with a team. Kate Gerardo, you are now numero uno I spent so much I ran out of money. I had to ask Melinda for a 20 so I could have enough money to pay for that. Hey, hey, Melinda, like hey, hey, Melinda. Hey, hey, You know, the nod, you know. I could've whipped out the debit card for that last 16 bucks, but, got some great merchandise. Like I said, it was, she, uh, you know, it was Father's Day, so this was really kind of, quote, my gifts, you know, for Father's Day. she did pick out the m- majority of the stuff that I got, which was great. the only thing I haven't worn yet is the hoodie. It's, uh, heat index over 100 here today, so the hoodie is safely in the closet. I got, you know, stuff for cool weather, co- uh, hot weather, you know, and, and this, this being the hat purchase. you know, one of the things that So as you, as you, you know well know with your travels, there's stuff they only sell at the ballpark. They have an online store, and they have a good online store, the Catfish do, but everything that she picked out is not online. And of course the hat, like I said, was the hat they were wearing that night, and they had like two left, and so I, I scooped it up, you know, uh, as they were disappearing, you know. And so it was the stuff you love when you ha- have the opportunity to travel is the stuff you can only get there, and that's what y- as a, as, as a collector of baseball junk, that's what you love, right? You, only can get it there. If you, if it's not, if you're not there, you're not, you're not looking at it, you're not purchasing it. And so I had a great time with that. toward, uh, I guess it was the And I'd been texting Glenn, the Rhinestone Cowboy, Glenn Campbell- and so we ha- we got to meet up, I guess it was the eighth inning, and, uh, it was a blowout loss unfortunately. I don- I don't know what I do, Eric, to these teams. I get there and they and they end up have now won the South Division Championship of the Prospect League. But, uh, we were blown out 15 to four by those Thrillville Thrillbillies. Wow, okay. Yeah. And we had a family in front of us. Their son, uh, is a pitcher for the Thrillbillies, and he didn't get to pitch, and they had driven from Mississippi. Ooh. South, suburb of Memphis, so they didn't have quite the four-hour drive. But, they were heading back to Mississippi that night after the game. And so really was fun to get to talk, and meet Glenn in person. We just sat down and talked at the end of the game and, just really was fun to, to get to, like I said, to get to meet him in person and, and so it was, it was a great experience besides the, the factor. But, uh, there's two things you can't control, the score and the weather, right? When you go to a ballgame, you know? And they, and then the next night I think they beat Thrillville there. That's what? Marion, Illinois. They beat them by 14, 15 runs there. So it's kind of a payback, and they have a trophy they, that they play for between the, between the two teams. So just a overall great experience. Next day went to the greatest antique store I've ever been to in my life. It caused my wife almost to have a medical moment in the store, seeing me look at all the bobbleheads and baseballs and all the merch and the pennants and the If you were a, earlier, if you were a Cardinals fan- Just load up the basket. I did leave with a Rowdy the RedHawk bobblehead football. He's doing the stiff arm- Okay down in my office. So I got a little Rowdy, red bird, uh, RedHawk, excuse me, uh, that I found on that trip. And so, on Saturday, we went to the infamous Lambert's Cafe, sir, where they throw the rolls at you. in full disclosure, the waiter threw one across the room. I had my hands up, it slipped through my hands, hit the catfish on my chest and fell to the floor. Oh, no. he got a little closer for roll number two, and he kinda did a lateral. I saw it, and it went literally right through my hands, so. Mm. Uh, had a great meal there, I got home, I guess, about 6:00 that night, you know. So, I said, just a really wonderful experience, getting to see a part of the country, I had never, uh, never been to. Melinda said, you fell in love with that place. I, I, I love hard, Air Prophet. You know I love hard. I... That's me, right? And I, every bit of it was, like I said, just we had some great barbecue, Friday afternoon. Now, this is the name of the restaurant. Maybe they'll be our sponsor. We've been wanting a sponsor for four years. The name of the place, because I had texted Glenn, "So what's some good places to eat?" You know? It's called Mary Jane's Bourbon Smokehouse. And that's probably not a T-shirt I could get by wearing that says Mary Jane's on it, but- Right clever. And we had a, we had a outstanding meal, enjoying some barbecue I was, uh, on the way home I said, "You know, I love M-I-S-S-O-U-R-I." That's funny. Well, that sounds like a, a really fun time. Like I said, I can't wait. Hopefully I'll get out there as well. I'm glad you got to meet Glenn, 'cause, you know, just to have him on the podcast, but then get to meet him in person, so I'm glad you got that opportunity to, to meet him. And you'd mentioned Lambert, so on a trip I'm getting ready to leave on here in a couple days, we're going to Springfield, and they have one- just south, uh, in Ozarks, and so we're gonna try to hopefully stop there for lunch if it works out this weekend. 'Cause I've, I've had it once and it was really, really good, so hope, hoping to get back there again. And I'll see if I can, uh, make up for you and I'll try to catch the roll Yeah, Lambert's is the only restaurant in the history of my life I can't eat all the food. Yeah, I can- Like, without the, the pass arounds. Mm-hmm. Eat, eat just what the plate is, what you order, a meat and two vegetables. Yeah. I, I can't It's so much of that, and then they bring the, the other stuff. I, I, I ate the equivalent of a roll. We split, she caught one, I caught one, we split them, right? So it was a, just one roll in total. One thing that's dangerous about Lambert's that we, we paid notice of, they have, like, cinnamon rolls and stuff you can carry home with you. Mm-hmm. And, cause you know they're gonna be fire, 'cause the bread's so good, right? Yeah. The source the so good, you know a cinnamon roll's gonna be And they had fried pies I saw. They had all kinda goodies, at, at the restaurant. Went into the, of course, the little store and, uh, bought a jar of apple butter, you know, uh, a magnet for our refrigerator, you know, for a, a Christmas ornament. We try to get an ornament anywhere that we, that we go, so we did get a Lambert's, uh, Christmas ornament. And so I've been to two of the three. I've been to Foley, Alabama, and this one in Sikeston. I think Sikeston is the, the OG, uh, of their restaurants. And, it's always, you're right, it's, it's really good food. It's a great atmosphere. It's fun. We got there 45 minutes after it opened and had a 45-minute wait. Mm-hmm. So it was jamming. Uh, it was jamming on a Saturday morning, for sure So over the last two years, your teams are what, 0 and 4? Uh, y- uh, Bones to the Bayou, the Gators went 0 and 3, at, uh, Foboscher. lost that night, and then the two at home. and now my Cake Catfish, owner of 76 Catfish Hats, according to Eric Prophet, they lost that night. So you're right, 0 and, 0 and 4 with, with the Bowens in attendance. so, uh, and I, I don't know what that says. That was the worst loss they think they'd had all season. And, uh, I think broke a winning streak. I mean, it's, it, you just keep piling it on, right? So it's, the more you talk about it, the worse it sounds, right?