A 5.7-magnitude earthquake decided to delay play Monday night in the eighth inning of the San Diego-Toronto baseball game played at San Diego's PETCO Park (you really thought this happened in Toronto?).
A smallish crowd that began as 16,542 yelled in glee as the 45-second temblor did its own version of baseball's once fashionable (we assume) wave throughout the stands.
Some players claimed not to even notice a whole-lotta-shakin'-goin'-on while others like San Diego's Chase Headley were fazed. Headley, raised in Colorado and residing in Tennessee, was at bat when the quake hit and said, "I don't like it. Not being from around here ... it's kind of freaky."
Amen, Brother Headley! As a native Texan the imprint of the earthquake of similar magnitude that struck on the last day of the IAAM Annual Conference two years ago in Anaheim is as fresh as if it just happened.
The interesting thing about that earthquake was that I was riding in a shuttle van to the airport and a fellow passenger was long-time industry veteran and IAAM member Bill Holmes from Biloxi, Mississippi's Coast Coliseum and Convention Center.
Holmes and I chatted and reflected on his venue and region during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Holmes told some hilarious stories about some members of The Weather Channel who were broadcasting live from his facility and also of some of the more somber aspects of the deadly hurricane.
We arrived to the airport and Holmes was in front of me at the curbside check-in when the earthquake hit. The ground started shaking and the baggage handler just yelled "earthquake!" and kind of staggered back a couple of steps as Holmes and I exchanged glances.
That was about the best of my memory of the first and hopefully only time I will be in an earthquake.
But since Holmes and I had already discussed a hurricane and been in an earthquake, I suggested on his flight back to Mississippi he might consider connecting in Dallas where I would see if we could work up a tornado for him. Interestingly, he was connecting through Dallas. Fortunately, no tornados awaited us.