Kane County Cougars 'Take Me Out With the Crowd'

Crowds of people met in Geneva on Sunday to visit with friends and neighbors, eat, drink and spend a summer afternoon out with their families—they also had the option of watching a minor league baseball game.

The Kane County Cougars home games at Elfstrom Stadium feature a festival atmosphere that includes the KidZone interactive play area, two lawn seating sections where spectators can spread out blankets or sit on lawn chairs and opportunities to interact with the minor league baseball players.

Despite the sweltering heat on July 17, the team lined up before the game and signed autographs for fans. Several young boys asked players to sign their T-shirts, while other kids and adults offered up baseball caps, balloons and arms for them to sign.

Four-year-old Jake Grabowski of Naperville patiently made his way down the line of players while each of them signed his baseball.

“All right, buddy! Good work,” said Jake’s father, Brian Grabowski. “You got the whole team to sign it for you.”

It was the second time the Grabowskis attended a Cougars game.

“We enjoy it,” Brian Grabowski said. “It’s a nice little stadium and the concessions are affordably priced. It was fun for him to get the autographs, too.”

At the KidZone, which includes an inflatable obstacle course, moon walk and speed pitch game, children got their faces painted in a variety of designs.

Six-year-old Lauren Brogan of Chicago had a tough time deciding what pattern to choose.

“A butterfly?” she asked her mother, Betsy Brogan. “No, a flower. I will have a...hmm. I will stick with a butterfly.”

She stood in front of the face painter’s chair and within a few minutes, Lauren’s face was covered with a pink, black and sparkly design.

“I got it because I like butterflies,” she said.

“It’s our first time out here,” Betsy Brogan said. “There’s so much to do. It’s a good day—a good, hot day.”

In the first base lawn section, Greg Forrester of Oswego and his sons Bobby, 8, and Billy, 6, shared a blanket covered with baseball gloves, concession stand food and animal-shaped balloons they got from the KidZone.

Bobby and Billy each put on a baseball glove and jumped up when a ball their way.

“We’re gonna catch one,” Bobby said.

“Yeah!” Billy said as he hopped in circles.

A foul ball zoomed toward them, but veered away at the last minute.

“Oh, we’re never gonna catch one,” Bobby said as he dropped his glove, picked up a balloon and poked his brother with it.

“The game just started,” Greg Forrester said. “You have plenty of chances to catch a ball.”

For more information and ticket availability, visit www.kccougars.com or call the Kane County Cougars at 630-232-8811.