Go to a Zephyrs game tonight — and you could make history.
Singer-songwriter Chubby Checker will celebrate 50 years of the Twist, a dance craze he sparked with his 1960 hit of the same name, by leading the crowd in the dance to break the world record for the most people doing the Twist at the same time. The Guinness Book of World Records currently lists the record at 1,700.
The Zephyrs vs. the Albuquerque Isotopes game starts at 7 p.m.
Checker also will perform a concert Saturday, Aug. 14, at the Sigur Civic Center (8245 W. Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette) to benefit the Tower of Lights Project, which seeks to install lights on the 540-foot Port of St. Bernard Tower as a way to show thanks to the volunteers who have helped St. Bernard Parish’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina and the levee failures.
Tickets are $40 each and are limited to 3,000. Doors open at 6 p.m., the Chalmette High Jazz Band plays at 6:30 p.m. and Checker takes the stage at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at any A-1 Appliance store.
Checker made “The Twist” popular as a song and a dance by touring heavily in support of his recording, starting in 1959. On Sept. 19, 1960, it was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. It took that position again on Jan. 13, 1962 — the first time a single topped the charts in the United States at two separate times. The Fat Boys featuring Chubby Checker re-recorded “The Twist” in 1988, and it reached No. 1 in Germany and No. 2 in the United Kingdom. Rolling Stone has ranked “The Twist” No. 451 on its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
Checker made the song his trademark, but he didn’t write it. It was originally released in 1959 by Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, with Ballard receiving writing credit.

Gambit sports guy Alejandro de los Rios is in Europe, and fashion guru Kara Nelson is on maternity leave, so we have no experts to consult regarding the New Orleans Zephyrs’ new logo, which was unveiled this afternoon at a press conference at the Fox and Hound. What’s news? No more Boudreaux the nutria:

The old logo, of mascot Boudreaux taking a bite out of the “Zephyrs” script, has been replaced by the “Fleur de Z” logo, with a baseball bat as the centerpiece and the new “Zephyrs” script across the middle…

“The fleur de lis is known nationwide as the symbol of New Orleans, and by incorporating it into our logo, we are emphasizing, again, how proud we are to call New Orleans home,” said Jessica De Oro, Zephyrs Director of Promotions and Merchandise. “No matter where we play, people will know that we are from New Orleans.”

Additionally, the Zephyrs have introduced metallic silver into the color scheme for the first time, taking the place of the hunter green that has traditionally been used. Navy blue will remain the Zephyrs’ primary color.

So…all our experts are gone. What think you?

A famous animal-rights group and all-purpose publicity-seeking missile (which shall not be named here) has come out with its list of the “Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly Minor League Ballparks.” (Who knew the Portland Beavers served “Tofurky veggie dogs”?)

Strangely, our own beloved New Orleans Zephyrs are not on the list anywhere.

Is it the “pig nachos”?

Councilmember-at-large Arnie Fielkow will send a lucky child to Chicago to attend a baseball game July 26 between the Chicago Cubs and the Florida Marlins at Wrigley Field.

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by Alejandro de los Rios

On the one hand, you could say, “Look at that intensity, the focus, the steely glare in his eyes. This guy definitely doesn’t want to stay in the minors for long. No sir, he’s eyeing the call up.” On the other you could say, “Umm…what?”

For those who pick the former, I suggest you refresh yourself on the Saints starting lineup. For the latter, it’s best to just remember that it is still the offseason and no, Drew Brees doesn’t have any baseball aspirations…that I know of at least.

Turns out this picture is of Drew Brees taking batting practice and, as the folks at Deadspin have reminded us, Brees played baseball bak in high school (Deadspin also reminds us that Brees has “history of rotator cuff and elbow injuries,” but we’ll ignore that).

The bigger news, it seems, is that it was Ken Oberkfell’s last act as manager of the Zephyrs as he and two coaches were called up to the New York Mets to fill the void of recently fired manager Willie Randolph. Of course we wish nothing but the best to Oberkfell and his crew. Queens is supposed to be beautiful this time of year. That is, if you ignore the boos.

(Photo courtesy of New Orleans Zephyrs)