Radio Camp 2017: Sights and sounds of the Saints

Radio Camp 2017
Radio Camp participant Jose Galvan (right) and MPR News reporter Euan Kerr report from CHS Field in St. Paul.
Maria Cardona | MPR News

This summer, MPR News and ThreeSixty Journalism (a nonprofit that uses the principles of strong writing and reporting to help diverse Minnesota youth tell the stories of their lives and communities) launched their first-ever radio broadcast summer camp for advanced ThreeSixty students.

The radio camp was created to honor the legacy of Toni Randolph, a longtime MPR journalist and champion of ThreeSixty, who passed away in July 2016.

Radio Camp 2017
Radio Camp 2017 participants and staff
MPR News photo

Over five days, nine students learned the basics of radio reporting from some of the best in the business. They were paired with mentors from across the MPR newsroom as they set out to report, write and produce stories from a game day at the St. Paul Saints' CHS Field.

Their stories, collected below, offer an introduction to the people who make a Saints game day happen.

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The merch-seller

by Marissa Abara

Geoff Deguzman has been working with the Saints for more than a decade. These days, he sells hats, jerseys and other accessories in the team's ballpark gift shop.

The catcher

by Talia Bradley

Maxx Garrett happened in to the Saints' open tryouts two seasons ago, and has been with the team ever since.

The emcee

by Simone Cazares

If you aren't a sports fan, going to a baseball game may not be the most interesting way to spend an evening. But St. Paul Saints games are different. There it's mostly about what's going on off the field. And for the emcee, it's all about the laughs.

The manager

by Zekriah Chaudhry

George Tsamis manages a ballclub whose motto is "fun is good," but for him, it's not about fun — it's about winning.

The mascot

by Jose Galvan

One of the big attractions of going to a St. Paul Saints game is the pig! For 25 years the team has selected a new pig as mascot. And every year the public names it. This year's mascot: Alternative Fats.

The suites host

by Amari Graham

The St. Paul Saints are known for their motto: Fun is good. Christine Western knows this first-hand. She's been running the suites in the Saints' new stadium since it opened in 2015. When she's working the suites, she said people invite her in as though they're old friends. And that's what keeps her coming back. For Western, it's not really about the food — or the game.

The announcer

by Samantha Hoanglong

You may recognize this voice when you listen to the St. Paul Saints playing, on the radio or TV. Sean Aronson has been the Saints' play-by-play announcer for over ten years. But his love for announcing goes back further than that.

The groundskeeper

by Loveisajoy Pha

Nick Baker is in charge of keeping the field green and ready for ball — or a giant game of post-game Twister.

The usher

by Kayla Song

Doug Aiken was a season ticket holder back when the Saints played at Midway Stadium, and in the midst of a particularly hectic game, he found himself pitching in. He's an usher now, and for the last 15 years has made it his job to look after the nun giving massages in his section on game days.