Sports Editor, Tipton Conservative
Most summers, the Lyle Hermiston family embarks on what has become a family tradition. Going to a Chicago Cubs game. Hermiston, his wife Tonya, daughter Laken and sons Connor and Carter were in attendance on Monday, July 15 when the Cubs hosted the Cincinnati Reds. That night Tipton senior to be Connor Hermiston snagged a home run ball hit by Chicago Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber, giving this Cubs family another special memory. It was the first time that the Hermiston have sat in the bleachers for a Cubs game, as they usually try to sit near the Cubs dugout if possible.
The Hermiston family is busy in the summer as their kids play ball games. Connor Hermiston started in left field for the Tigers this season and was the fourth leading batter. He finished his junior season with career bests in batting average (.301), hits (22), RBI’s (13), and stolen bases (11). He had an on-base percentage of .338. Defensively, Hermiston had a fielding percentage of .956 with only
two errors this season in the Tigers 19 games this summer. Laken Hermiston was the Tigers starting catcher for softball turning in her best season leading THS in batting average (.348), hits (31), and RBI’s (13). Their youngest, Carter, also had had a busy summer of activity.
Free nights are hard to come by for the family and a spur of the moment decision found them at the Cubs night game on the 15th. The family usually goes to at least one Cubs game a summer and has even been to a couple road games in the past.
“We have been a Cubs family for a while. Even when they weren’t doing so hot. We were still going to games,” said Connor. “Colorado is our furthest road game we have been to. We thought about going to San Diego this year, but we didn’t,” he said. The Cubs travel to San Diego Monday, September 9-Thursday, September 12 a month into the new school year.
Schwarber is one of the family’s favorite Chicago Cubs players. He happens to also play the same position as Connor. Left field. Schwarber is the Cubs starting left fielder and is currently is batting .229 with 22 home runs and 47 RBI’s. He has hit seven of his home runs in the last 30 games.
“There has been some players over others that my family has liked. Schwarber is one of them. I have liked him ever since he went on the run he had in the 2016 World Series,” said Hermiston.
The home run came in the bottom of the third inning with the Cubs trailing 1-0. The play before the home run, Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks grounded into a double play giving the Cubs two outs. Schwarber launched the fourth pitch he saw from Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo into the left center bleachers. The ball hit off part of the concourse and bounced back to Hermiston who like Tiger fans have seen a lot this season, made the play on the ball.
The home run’s distance was officially measured at 426-feet and came on a 2-ball, 1-strike count. The homer tied the game at 1-1. The Cubs would take a 3-1 lead with a two-run fourth, but watch the lead slip away. The Reds scored one run in the sixth and two runs in each of the seventh and eighth
innings to win the game 6-3 behind five unanswered runs. Castillo would be the winning pitcher, picking up his ninth win of the season to improve to 9-3. Swarber would finish 2-for-5 in the game with an RBI and a run scored.
The home run was Swarber’s 20th this season. No one asked for the ball to give to Schwarber, but security personnel did check to make sure he was okay and not hurt.
After catching the ball, Hermiston said that after about 10 minutes he checked his phone which was blowing up with messages on SnapChat and Twitter from friends who had seen them on TV. The game was broadcast on Comcast SportsNet out of Chicago and the Hermiston had a brief cameo of the catch as scenes cut to Swarber rounding the bases.
“My phone blew up. Messages on twitter and snapchat were nuts. There is a buzz in the crowd when something like that happens, but it dies down. The game goes on,” said Hermiston.
“The rest of the game, I was just amazed. I couldn’t believe that I caught a live home run ball,” he said.
The Schwarber home run was technically the second ball Hermiston caught that night. While waiting to get to their bleacher seats they had to wait in line outside the stadium. As with most games, teams have batting practice. While waiting, a ball flew out of the stadium and Hermiston caught it on the bounce. He gave that ball to a young fan also waiting in line.
The home run ball was the eighth ball caught by the family. Most balls come on toss ups. The first ball the family got was in 2006 when then Cubs relief pitcher Scott Eyre tossed one up to Lyle. The Schwarber ball was Connor’s eighth ball he has caught.
“This is my eighth ball overall. I usually get a player to toss one up. As you get older, it’s cool to happen, but when you are younger, it’s like you have to have a ball when you go,” he said.
It’s been some time since he has collected baseball cards, but Connor does have a place for the baseballs he has caught.
“At games, I go on the foul lines to get some toss ups. I have a place for the baseball in my room. I have a shelf. I have a couple of cases with home run balls I have hit as a youth or from travel ball. This one (Schwarber ball) will go in a case,” he said.
The Hermiston family will turn their attention to fall activities soon, but keep one-eye on Schwarber and the Cubs. Connor will begin his senior season on the Tiger football team and school will be back in session soon. They hope to see the Cubs reach the postseason for the fifth straight season and reach another World Series.
Most summers, the Lyle Hermiston family embarks on what has become a family tradition. Going to a Chicago Cubs game. Hermiston, his wife Tonya, daughter Laken and sons Connor and Carter were in attendance on Monday, July 15 when the Cubs hosted the Cincinnati Reds. That night Tipton senior to be Connor Hermiston snagged a home run ball hit by Chicago Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber, giving this Cubs family another special memory. It was the first time that the Hermiston have sat in the bleachers for a Cubs game, as they usually try to sit near the Cubs dugout if possible.
The Hermiston family is busy in the summer as their kids play ball games. Connor Hermiston started in left field for the Tigers this season and was the fourth leading batter. He finished his junior season with career bests in batting average (.301), hits (22), RBI’s (13), and stolen bases (11). He had an on-base percentage of .338. Defensively, Hermiston had a fielding percentage of .956 with only
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| Tipton junior left fielder Connor Hermiston caught a home run ball by Chicago Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber during a family trip last week. Hermiston and his family attend Cubs games each summer. Photo by Tonya Hermiston. |
Free nights are hard to come by for the family and a spur of the moment decision found them at the Cubs night game on the 15th. The family usually goes to at least one Cubs game a summer and has even been to a couple road games in the past.
“We have been a Cubs family for a while. Even when they weren’t doing so hot. We were still going to games,” said Connor. “Colorado is our furthest road game we have been to. We thought about going to San Diego this year, but we didn’t,” he said. The Cubs travel to San Diego Monday, September 9-Thursday, September 12 a month into the new school year.
Schwarber is one of the family’s favorite Chicago Cubs players. He happens to also play the same position as Connor. Left field. Schwarber is the Cubs starting left fielder and is currently is batting .229 with 22 home runs and 47 RBI’s. He has hit seven of his home runs in the last 30 games.
“There has been some players over others that my family has liked. Schwarber is one of them. I have liked him ever since he went on the run he had in the 2016 World Series,” said Hermiston.
The home run came in the bottom of the third inning with the Cubs trailing 1-0. The play before the home run, Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks grounded into a double play giving the Cubs two outs. Schwarber launched the fourth pitch he saw from Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo into the left center bleachers. The ball hit off part of the concourse and bounced back to Hermiston who like Tiger fans have seen a lot this season, made the play on the ball.
The home run’s distance was officially measured at 426-feet and came on a 2-ball, 1-strike count. The homer tied the game at 1-1. The Cubs would take a 3-1 lead with a two-run fourth, but watch the lead slip away. The Reds scored one run in the sixth and two runs in each of the seventh and eighth
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| Tipton's Connor Hermiston gets ready to drive a pitch during the Tiger's final regular-season game against Lisbon recently. Photo by Toby Hollis. |
The home run was Swarber’s 20th this season. No one asked for the ball to give to Schwarber, but security personnel did check to make sure he was okay and not hurt.
After catching the ball, Hermiston said that after about 10 minutes he checked his phone which was blowing up with messages on SnapChat and Twitter from friends who had seen them on TV. The game was broadcast on Comcast SportsNet out of Chicago and the Hermiston had a brief cameo of the catch as scenes cut to Swarber rounding the bases.
“My phone blew up. Messages on twitter and snapchat were nuts. There is a buzz in the crowd when something like that happens, but it dies down. The game goes on,” said Hermiston.
“The rest of the game, I was just amazed. I couldn’t believe that I caught a live home run ball,” he said.
The Schwarber home run was technically the second ball Hermiston caught that night. While waiting to get to their bleacher seats they had to wait in line outside the stadium. As with most games, teams have batting practice. While waiting, a ball flew out of the stadium and Hermiston caught it on the bounce. He gave that ball to a young fan also waiting in line.
The home run ball was the eighth ball caught by the family. Most balls come on toss ups. The first ball the family got was in 2006 when then Cubs relief pitcher Scott Eyre tossed one up to Lyle. The Schwarber ball was Connor’s eighth ball he has caught.
“This is my eighth ball overall. I usually get a player to toss one up. As you get older, it’s cool to happen, but when you are younger, it’s like you have to have a ball when you go,” he said.
It’s been some time since he has collected baseball cards, but Connor does have a place for the baseballs he has caught.
“At games, I go on the foul lines to get some toss ups. I have a place for the baseball in my room. I have a shelf. I have a couple of cases with home run balls I have hit as a youth or from travel ball. This one (Schwarber ball) will go in a case,” he said.
The Hermiston family will turn their attention to fall activities soon, but keep one-eye on Schwarber and the Cubs. Connor will begin his senior season on the Tiger football team and school will be back in session soon. They hope to see the Cubs reach the postseason for the fifth straight season and reach another World Series.
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