TRENTON- Dave Schofield worked for the Thunder before a ball was ever thrown at ARM & HAMMER Park. Now, after over two decades on the photo beat for the three-time Eastern League champions, Schofield has decided to hang up his lenses. Friday will be his last day in the park as an employee, as the long-time Trenton Thunder photographer will step down...
TRENTON- Dave Schofield worked for the Thunder before a ball was ever thrown at ARM & HAMMER Park.
Now, after over two decades on the photo beat for the three-time Eastern League champions, Schofield has decided to hang up his lenses.
Friday will be his last day in the park as an employee, as the long-time Trenton Thunder photographer will step down from his position and into a retirement that will keep him busy. In a ceremony Friday night before the game with the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Thunder General Manager Jeff Hurley announced that Schofield has been inducted into the Trenton Baseball Hall of Fame.
Schofield has been along for the ride with the Thunder for 23 years. In that time, Trenton was an affiliate of Detroit Tigers (1994), then the Boston Red Sox (1995-2002), and finally, as the New York Yankees Double A team (2003-present).
"I was here in 1993, actually, if you count the fact that we were doing stuff here before the team came," Schofield said. "We were getting the place ready. I was shooting staff head shots, and things like that."
"I guess I am a little surprised that I have been here," Schofield said. Generally people don't last that long, but that is because they are moving onto bigger and better things. For me, there are not really bigger or better things. This is perfect."
"I had been working in Reading, but that was a two hour and 15 minute drive there and back," Schofield, who lives in Belmar, said. "But I got a chance to do this, which is a 45-50 minute drive here and back, and it was perfect. I have been in Belmar since 1974."
5 THUNDER PLAYERS MAKE ALL-STAR GAME
With the move to join the Yankees for the 2003 season, the Mercer County fan base, which is split heavily between the Phillies and Yankees, with some Mets fans as well, now had a local team as the face of the franchise.
"It was huge," Schofield said. "Crowds definitely increased. In this area, if you are not going to get the Phillies, you might as well get the Yankees. But you see yourselves, whenever they play games here, the Phillies and Mets are the big draw. Even when they were the Red Sox, it was the same, with the Yankees as well. You have a lot of those fans hanging around."
"That was the thing that everybody thought had to happen at some point, and then it did," Schofield said.
Schofield, who also worked 16 years for the Lakewood Blue Claws, has seen the Thunder become one of the most well run organizations in Minor League Baseball.
"I have enjoyed the continuity, of being able to cover a team right from its inception right through until I have decided to leave," Schofield said. "I have enjoyed everybody I have worked worked with, literally everybody I have worked with. Everybody in this organization, from the owners right through to the ticket tackers and ushers, security, wait staff, cooks, they are all great. They are just great people to be around."
Baseball, unlike other sports where there is action on almost every play, has lulls that can make it tougher to shoot for new photographers. But the key, according to Schofield, is to be ready at all times.
"I think baseball trains you to be alert for other sports as well," Schofield said. "Other sports, you can pay attention some of the time and still get something good. In baseball, you have to be on the whole time. You have to pay attention, because you never know when something will happen."
"I always love saying this," Schofield said. "Every night, when you go to a minor league baseball game, you are going to see something you have never saw before. It might not be anything big, but it is something you have never saw. If you are a photographer, and you want to get that, you have to pay attention. That gets you prepared for other sports, like soccer, where it keeps you zoned in on what is going on all the time."
THUNDER COACHES REMEMBER CWS WINS
Schofield, who is a big fan of the Celtic Football club of Glasgow, Scotland, and of the game in general, will now get a chance to make some trips across the pond to check out more matches.
"We are leaving for Ireland on July 18th," Schofield said. "Possibly, we might get to a Celtic match. They have a friendly in Dublin while we are there, so there is a real good chance I am going to get to that. Some soccer, and some Gaelic Football, and just some traveling around."