Joe Connor is the kind of a guy who any sports fan would just like to sit down and have a beer with. For the past few years, Connor has traveled to baseball venues around the globe, racking up the kind of experiences that most of us just dream of.

Since March, Connor, 34, of San Diego has been on a mission…to travel to as many ballparks across the country as possible. The final count should be over 250 by October. And he is doing it a unique way, driving a car powered by used vegetable oil. Yep, you got that right…pony up to your neighborhood tavern and see if they have any to spare.

This past Friday the “Veggie Tour” hit Buffalo and Dunn Tire Park, and we got a chance to catch up with Joe and hear more about his odyssey.

“I’m doing this trip to raise awareness of renewable fuels and to celebrate baseball,” said Connor, sitting in the crowded stands at a Bisons’ Fridaynightbash. Connor’s green Mercedes runs on regular diesel fuel and converts over to its dual veggie oil engine with the flip of a switch.

Connor began his journey at Spring Training in Arizona and will conclude on the last day of the season close to home in California. During that time, he will have touched all 48 continental states, three Canadian provinces and more than 200 cities. “Only two rainouts so far, the Gods have been kind to me,” Connors reported. He pretty much follows a routine—enter the ballpark as an average fan, tour every nook and cranny of the venue and take lots of pictures.

His impressions of Dunn Tire Park? “Well the exterior architecture is nice,” Connor replied, while at the same time pointing out the design flaws that come with a 20-year-old ballpark. “I’ve always thought of Buffalo as a great sports town.” Connor was nonetheless critical of the customer service. “Very poor service. The concession lines are ridiculously long and prices are high. But if Buffalo folks stand in line for 45 minutes then the food must be good.”

Connor maintains an elaborate Web site at www.modernerabaseball.com, which chronicles all his ballpark visits over the years. “The game is changing so much, it has gone global and is no longer just an American sport. And shrinking energy supplies will mean huge changes in where we live and how we live. My role here is to combine my two loves, baseball and energy conservation, and turn it into the trip of a lifetime.”

MORE ON BEN FRANCISCO’S HITTING STREAK

From June 15 to July 9, outfielder Ben Francisco compiled a 24-game hitting streak, second best ever in the Bisons modern era.

But will it count?

Back on June 25 the game against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre was suspended after one inning when a freak rainstorm flooded Dunn tire Park. Francisco led off that game and went 0-1 at the plate. The game will be concluded on August 21 at Dunn Tire Park as part of a doubleheader, and the results will be placed into the rotation as if the game had been played in June. So should Francisco still be available to play, he will need to record a hit…for the books his streak will then either go to 25 or will get cut down to 11. Get your tickets now!

FORMER BISON CHRIS COSTE BELTS FIRST MLB HOME RUN

Coste was one of the more productive and popular Bisons when he played here from 2000 to 2002, yet his dream of going to the Bigs remained elusive. Some speculated that Coste would never get a chance, since he was a product of the independent leagues and far removed from “the old boys network.” But this year, he finally earned a spot with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Last Wednesday, the 33-year-old Coste hit his first ever Major League home run at San Diego’s Petco Park. As he crossed home plate, an emotional Coste turned to Padres catcher and former Bisons teammate Josh Bard and said, “Josh, I didn’t think this was ever going to happen.”

But there’s more. In a Wrigleyesque pique, the fan who caught the ball tossed it back onto the field. Bard alertly signaled to yet another former Bisons teammate, Padres left fielder Dave Roberts, who retrieved the ball and tossed it towards the Phillies dugout. Surely that ball will become a cherished memento on the Coste living room mantel.

RICK REED RECEIVES WELL DESERVED ACCOLADES

In 1988, pitcher Rick Reed made a meteoric rise from single-A straight to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Coming through Buffalo, he played here for parts of four seasons, including 1991 where he posted an eye popping 14–4 record and a 2.15 ERA for the Bisons. Reed was inducted as the 74th member into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame this past Sunday, and seemed genuinely happy to be back where his career took hold. “This city looks just the same as when I left it, save for the outfield walls,” quipped Reed (the outfield walls at the ballpark were moved back in 1996). Reed reminisced about his favorite game memories—his Buffalo debut against Maine, the 1991 playoff series in Denver, and promised to visit Buffalo again in the near future.