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Baseball fans in this part of the state were awarded two tickets to paradise with the luxury of prestigious All Star Games on back-to-back nights

“The whole experience is like one big, long party” Curve managing partner Chuck Greenberg said
“The major league All Star events over the weekend were a lot of fun, and it’s continuing with a great party here and our All Star Game”

The phenomenon of the MLB All Star Game being in Pittsburgh the day before the Eastern League contest comes to Altoona may never happen again
The one-in-a-million coincidence has been soaked up by local fans able to enjoy being so close to both events

“Most people don’t even comprehend how difficult it is for that to come together” Curve and Pirates fan Leo Walter said Tuesday night during Altoona’s All Star Gala at Blair County Ballpark

“It’s tremendous” Blair County Commissioner Barry Wright said
“I would love to see it happen again, but it’s probably never going to again in my lifetime”

While most of the baseball universe focused on Pittsburgh’s gem, PNC Park, Tuesday night, the Curve held a party for the top Eastern League players and team executives at their own beautiful ballpark in Lakemont
About 500 people turned out for the EL All Star Gala, highlighted by a concert by Eddie Money
The 1980's-famed rocker opened the show with his hit “Two Tickets to Paradise” and repeatedly drew cheers from dancing women near the stage whom he dubbed his “ladies from the ‘80's”

“I guess you guys know how lucky you are to have such a beautiful ballpark” Money said at the start of his 80-minute show
“This is amazing”

The atmosphere for tonight also should be amazing as the Curve host their first EL All Star Game
The contest is sold out, but standing-room only tickets remain for $7.00
The Curve don’t know what type of walk-up crowd they’ll get, but if the rain stays away, the franchise may break the BCB attendance record of 9,255

“It will be pretty exciting” Walter said
“Most people, I don’t think they’ll be here for the game itself
I think they’ll be here because it’s a happening in the local area, and they’re happy there’s a lot of players from the Curve involved
That’s what they want to see”

The Curve will have six players in the All-Star Game, more than any other team, and there will be a large Altoona flavor in the starting lineup
Curve manager Tim Leiper and his staff will guide over the Southern Division All-Stars, and Leiper has tabbed four of his own players as starters
Lefty Shane Youman will open the game on the mound, while Simon Pond will be at first base, Brett Roneberg in left field and Vic Buttler in center

“I feel they deserve to be in there, but so does everybody else in this game” Leiper said
“I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a homer
But again, those are easy decisions to make if you look at the years those guys are having”

Buttler, the EL’s second-leading hitter, understands how exciting this time must be for local baseball fans
“It’s definitely a great setup” he said of the two All Star Games
“It affects a lot of fans in Altoona, as far as the game in Pittsburgh, and it’s something the fans should take advantage of”

Greenberg, as big a Pirates fan as there is, gave up a chance to attend Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game to be at the Curve’s All Star Gala
“It adds to the aura, it adds to the feeling of excitement, and we’re just thrilled to be a part of it” Greenberg said of the double All Star format
“In a lot of other places, even if it would happen, the minor league All Star Game would be completely washed under by the allure of the major league game
But not here
This franchise has such a unique quality and such an identity of its own that it’s not overshadowed by the major league All Star Game, it’s enhanced by it”

The younger EL All Stars on hand for Tuesday night’s Gala may not have been familiar with Eddie Money’s half-dozen or so hit songs, but many others in the crowd could be seen singing along

Curve general manager Todd Parnell spent much of the concert dancing in the left field picnic area, and even Leiper did a little dance as he walked across the infield making a phone call

“We’re having a ball” Greenberg said

Nobody had more fun, though, than Money, an aging but clean-cut rocker whose show is actually suitable for families
That can’t be said about many rock acts these days

Money’s daughter, Jessica, sang the Ronnie Spector lines from the singer’s biggest hit, “Take Me Home Tonight,” which reached No. 4 on the charts in 1986
She also did a solo cover of “Midnight Rider” by The Allman Brothers Band

Also, Money’s young son, Julian, played drums during one song

Money, who has spent the past three days in town, showed he did a little baseball research when he told the crowd of Curve fans - “We’re in second place - we’ll be in first place in two weeks”

The playoff chase is on hold for a couple days, however, as the franchise first will try to put on a memorable show tonight

The fans also plan to do their part to make this evening one of the best in franchise history
“With the support that you’re going to see for this All Star Game” Wright said, “it’s just going to be out of this world”