Staying in Bellingham for the summer and have no clue how to entertain yourself while classes aren't in session?

Say no more. You should go to a "Bellingham Bells" baseball game while you have free time. Don't feel bad if you didn't know that Bellingham even had a team to begin with, I didn't either until a few days ago and I also attended my first Bells game.

The Bells are a Minor League team and while that may make them sound as if they are something akin to Little League, they are anything but. Minor League baseball operates below Major League, but that doesn't mean they aren't professional players, and often times, they make their way from Minor League teams to Major League teams.

In fact, go ahead and take a look at the Bells Alumni. You might recognize the name of Ken Griffey Jr. The team had a different name at the time, but he did, in fact, play baseball in Bellingham in the late '80s, before he went on to be considered one of the best baseball players of all time.

Besides the fact that this is a bit of a hidden gem in Bellingham and is an important part of Bellingham history, it is in my opinion, Minor League Baseball that keeps the spirit of American Baseball alive. There are less pressure and less corporate sponsorship, allowing the game to be as silly, fun, but also as intense as it was meant to be.

Not to mention, The Bells are good at what they do. They managed to score eight runs in a single inning on June 11th, against the Cowlitz Black Bears.

The prices are much more affordable than it would be to go see the Seattle Mariners, especially if you go on a $2 Tuesday, where there are all sorts of amazing deals on concessions, tickets, and even alcohol. Tickets for two on a $2 Tuesday were $9.50 total, and I spent only $7.50 on a 32 oz drink, nachos, and a licorice rope. Not bad at all. I would suggest checking out their website for scheduling and ticket information.

This is a local event that isn't supported by Western Washington University, and it's fun to see what goes on in Bellingham right under the nose of the college. Take the opportunity to not only support a local pastime but see some up and coming players as well. You never know what they could turn into.