Page 49 - Allisons Magazine Issue #95

Players and umps
picks it up on the sweet spot, not where love seeing Jake
the pine tar is,” Marchal emphasizes. and petting him,
“People never believe the dog can be
that specific, but it’s true. That’s part of and they often start
the rapport: you train him, and he trusts talking to Marchal
you. It’s all about consistency, always about their own
letting him know he’s doing a good job. dogs. During games,
You have to be patient. As long as you Jake stays in an
put your soul into it and show your inflatable doghouse
dog love, you can convince him that
whatever he does is OK and he will do for protection,
anything for you. It’s all about bonding, and Marchal is his
trust, love, and compassion.” constant companion,
giving him treats,
Their travels have provided countless encouraging him,
interactions for Marchal and Jake over and rubbing his ears
the years. “Jake loves meeting people during fireworks.
and getting affection. And it’s nice to
get a chance to talk to kids and brighten
their day,” Marchal says. “But it really
blows my mind when people who are
few years, however, the team changed twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and Marchal is his constant companion, not fair to my dog. Like all my dogs, he’s
hands and experienced high turnover, come up and ask if I remember them giving him treats, encouraging him, and been a great soulmate, and you’ve got to
so Marchal struck another deal, which from when they were kids because they rubbing his ears during fireworks. “He know when enough is enough.”
included letting him control his own met Jake or got his autograph (a paw trusts me,” says Marchal. “And he loves
travel itinerary, and moved back to his stamp). That happens all the time. It’s being out there on the field. He’s always “That’s the hard part about this business,”
Ohio roots. By 1996, he and his next pretty amazing.” wagging his tail.” he continues. “I enjoy seeing the smiles
baseball dog, Jake, had an agent, and on people’s faces, as well as the fans’
the Jake the Diamond Dog experience Jake has been especially popular in Jake has been popular since his rookie kind gestures to Jake, especially little
was happening at fifty to eighty games Louisville, Kentucky, where he’s even season, but his fame skyrocketed in the kids. But I’ll start over with another
per season at various minor-league been pictured on the scoreboard. How summer of 2017, when his videos went dog. This was this Jake’s last year at the
minor-league team at the time,” Marchal ballparks across the country, mostly popular did Jake get in the Derby City? viral after being on the websites of Inside ballpark. It’s time for him to stay home.
shares. “He wondered what I could do in the Midwest. Marchal says that he’s In 2018, after the Louisville team fired Edition, People, and even the BBC; in He’s earned it.”
with Jericho at a ballpark and invited me logged approximately 400,000 miles on its manager, the Louisville Courier all, they garnered several million views.
over. So I had Jericho take water to the his 2003 truck. Journal wrote a tongue-in-cheek article But, as it turns out, that heyday was the The return of baseball is an annual time
umps, catch balls down the foul lines, suggesting that Jake should be the team’s seventh-inning stretch of the current of comforting tradition. As the dawn
and give flowers to a female fan, all of Since 2009, the fourth iteration of Jake next manager. Jake’s baseball career. breaks on another minor-league season,
which were right up Veeck’s alley. Jericho has entertained fans at ballparks across fans in parks around the Midwest will
was seven at the time, so if anyone says the Midwest. (Homer, the third Jake, Not surprisingly, this overwhelming An important part of the process is once again enjoy the warmth of the sun,
you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, died from lymphoma in 2009, which admiration also happens on the field knowing that every dog has its day— the sound of bat hitting ball, the smell
that’s nonsense.” Marchal calls “really tough.”) He still as well. Players and umps love seeing and knowing when it’s time to hang up of popcorn—and the joy of seeing Jake
delivers water, baseballs, and flowers, Jake and petting him, and they often the leash. “Jake is eleven and a half,” the Diamond Dog romping around on
Jericho eventually earned the moniker and he also continues to collect bats, start talking to Marchal about their Marchal shares. “I turned down a lot of the ball field.
Jake the Diamond Dog and became which requires care—both for the own dogs. During games, Jake stays in work during the 2018 season. I could For more info, visit sroagency.com/jake-diamond-dog
the first unofficial baseball dog. After a players’ property and Jake himself. “He an inflatable doghouse for protection, have been busier than ever, but that’s

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