'Toastman' a ballpark icon in West Virginia
Whenever a member of the visiting team strikes out at the West Virginia Power's home of Appalachian Power Park, a fan named Rob Blackstone gets so emotional that he immediately stands up and makes toast.
Literally.
Rod Blackstone is the "Toastman," a West Virginia Power ballpark icon who can be found sitting in a front-row aisle seat in section 107 during each and every game. From this homeplate vantage point, he leads the section in cheers, displays homemade signs made in honor of each position player and, most memorably, throws pieces of toast to the crowd after every visiting batter strikes out.
The toast isn't pre-made, either. Blackstone brings several loaves of bread to the game and toasts them on-site using a toaster set up on a small metal patio table. The electrical outlet he uses was installed by the team, specifically to accommodate his nightly toast-making needs.
I visited the Toastman and his motley crew during Saturday evening's game against the Class A Rome Braves. It was the bottom of the first inning, and he was leading the crowd in a chant of "Strong manly foul! Strong manly foul!" He chants this whenever a member of the home team hits a foul ball of any kind. Visitors, meanwhile, are met with "Weak piddly foul! Weak piddly foul!"
I sat across from Blackstone -- the toaster between us -- and simply observed him in action while waiting for an opportune time to conduct an interview.
"Our Chris Diaz is better than yours!" he shouted at Rome Braves pitcher Chris Diaz, in reference to the fact that, yes, the Power also have a player named Chris Diaz. Then, after Diaz threw a pitch at shoulder level, he shouted. "High! Just like your ERA in the ACC Tournament!"
When center fielder Austin Meadows came to bat, he led the crowd in a call and response "Austin Powers" chant. Why? "Because Austin has the powers!"
Deputy Charleston mayor Rod Blackstone, better known as "The Toastman," throws smoking toast after strikeouts. (Rod Blackstone)
The Toastman is nothing if not prepared, and nothing if not passionate.
Blackstone, a Pittsburgh-area native, is, by day, the deputy mayor of the city of Charleston, West Virginia's capital city and the home of the Power. But night is when his partisan tendencies really become apparent -- he roots for the home team and derides the visitors with fanatical passion and unyielding precision. He traces the origin of his "Toastman" persona to the 1990 season, when, at a friend's recommendation, he began attending Charleston Wheeler games at the team's old home of Watt Powell Park.
"The Wheelers won the South Atlantic League championship that year, and I thought 'Why aren't more people getting into the game?' Because this is a lot of fun," he said. "I just started leading a few chants for some of our players, and maybe a year or so later somebody in our group said 'You are toast!'
"So we started chanting 'You are toast,'" he continued. "Then, in 1992, the guy who owned the team said 'Ya know, you can make toast at the ballpark. You can plug in a toaster at every game and wave it at the bad guys when they strike out.' So that's what we've been doing ever since."
Mocking the visiting team with toast is the most distinctive element of Blackstone's operation, but he supports the home team with equal fervor.
"Everybody on [the Power], when they come up to bat, we greet them," he said. "We try to tell them that, no matter what happens, we're supporting you -- no matter what the score is, no matter what the standings are. You're our team and we're going to cheer for you every time you come up to bat."
Thus, the homemade signs. Each position player on the Power has one.
"'Obi-Wan JaCoby' [for shortstop JaCoby Jones] -- that's my favorite sign this year," said Blackstone. "'Reese McGuire, Bats On Fire' is another fun one. I don't have an exclusive claim to creativity, so what we do when we get the roster, we'll go over it with a bunch of regulars: 'Okay, what should we cheer for this guy? What should we cheer for that guy?' We just have our creative session, we call it 'Cheers and Beers.'"
Blackstone's attention was soon diverted toward the game. Power pitcher Dovydas Neverauskas had recorded two strikes on Rome's Tanner Krietemeier, meaning it was time to prepare for a strikeout.
"When I say 'power up,' you say 'the toaster!'" screamed Blackstone. "Power up!"
"The toaster!" section 107's hardy group of regulars screamed in return.
Krietemeier managed to foul off the next pitch, immediately leading to chants of "Weak piddly foul! Weak piddly foul!"
"Hey Jim, this is Tanner!" yelled Blackstone to one of his section 107 comic foils.
"Tanner, I didn't even know her!" Jim dutifully responded.
Krietemeier struck out on the next pitch.
"Yes, he did. Yes, he did. Yes, he did!" yelled Blackstone, hurling fresh pieces of toast into the crowd. "You are toast! T-O-A-S-T. You are toast, you are toast, you are toooooast!"
This led to a chant of, "Don't eat the toast, you don't know where it's been." Blackstone then asked the crowd "Well, what do we do if we're not gonna eat it?" and this summarily led to chants of, "We save it to wave it!"
And so it goes. Every pitch, every out, every ballgame -- the Toastman never lets up.
"We feed off of each other and do all sorts of silly stuff," said Blackstone. "It adds to our entertainment and I hope it adds to other people's entertainment as well. That's what it's all about, having fun at the ballpark."
Benjamin Hill is a reporter for MiLB.com and writes Ben's Biz Blog. Follow Ben on Twitter @bensbiz.
Minor League Baseball partners with Circle K
Minor League Baseball announced a new national partnership with Circle K, which will see the convenience store giant become the “Official Convenience Store of Minor League Baseball.” During the 2025 season, the Circle K brand will be integrated into the MiLB in-stadium experience through in-game video board assets at most
These 15 moments led to season No. 15 of Minor League road trips
Benjamin Hill travels the nation collecting stories about what makes Minor League Baseball unique. This excerpt from his newsletter is a mere taste of the smorgasbord of delights he offers every week. Read the full newsletter here, and subscribe to his newsletter here.
MiLB podcast crew makes Opening Day predictions
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Everything you need to know for Triple-A Opening Day
First, there was big league Opening Day. Now it's Triple-A's turn to take the spotlight. The Minor League season opens Friday when the Triple-A International League and Pacific Coast League seasons get underway for the first of MiLB’s two Opening Days. And right out of the gates, several of baseball's
Top prospects to watch at Triple-A -- one for each organization
It’s Triple-A’s turn up to bat on Friday. The regular season begins for the Minor Leagues’ highest level one day after the action starts on the Major League side. Fun fact: it’ll be the earliest start to a Minor League season since 1951 (March 27). Double-A, High-A and Single-A will
Here's where every Top 100 prospect is expected to start the season
The 2025 Opening Day prospect roster announcements began last week when the Cubs informed Matt Shaw (MLB No. 19) he was making the trip overseas to compete in the Tokyo Series. Roki Sasaki (No. 1) also received the good news, but his assignment was much less of a surprise. Now
Nationals prospect King joins MiLB podcast
Check out the latest episodes of The Show Before the Show, MiLB.com's official podcast. A segment rundown is listed below, in case you want to skip to a particular section. Like the podcast? Subscribe, rate and review on Apple Podcasts. The podcast is also available via Spotify, Megaphone and other
Here are the 2025 All-Spring Breakout Teams
Fifteen games, several jersey swaps and countless highlights later, the second edition of Spring Breakout has officially concluded – and it lived up to its billing. Of the 16 contests sprinkled across four days, only one game (Dodgers vs. Cubs) was rained out. Coincidentally, the Cubs were one of two
Rox young sluggers aim to bring pop back to Coors Field
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Coors Field may provide the best run-scoring environment in Major League Baseball, but the Rockies haven’t taken advantage of it in recent years. Even without adjusting for Coors, they have fielded offenses worse than the league average the past three seasons, and they scored the fewest runs
Astros brass sees potential in consistently 'underranked' farm system
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The last time the Astros landed in the top 10 of MLB Pipeline’s farm system rankings was before the 2019 season. Since those rankings expanded to all 30 teams ahead of the 2020 season -- 11 lists in total -- they’ve never ranked higher than
Complete results and highlights from Spring Breakout
The second edition of MLB Spring Breakout is complete, and there was no shortage of highlights from the future stars of Major League Baseball over the four-day showcase. Here's a complete breakdown of the 16-game exhibition:
Southpaw Spring Breakout: White Sox future on display with Schultz, Smith
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If all goes as planned for the White Sox, left-handers Hagen Smith and Noah Schultz won’t spend much time following each other to the mound in a single game. Schultz, the No. 1 White Sox prospect and No. 16 overall, per MLB Pipeline, and Smith, who is
In first pro game, Rainer offers pop, promise to Tigers fans
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- Bryce Rainer’s pro career consisted of workouts and batting practice until Sunday.
'Me and Brady on the dirt again': House, King reunite at Spring Breakout
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The 2025 Spring Breakout was a flashback for Brady House and Seaver King. Over 10 years ago, the infielders were travel ball teammates in Georgia who shared the dream of making it to the Major Leagues. Now, they are top prospects in the same organization,
Lambert -- 'an adrenaline guy' -- hoping to be next Mets bullpen gem
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Ryan Lambert loves throwing hard. He relishes the idea of getting to two strikes and blowing hitters away. “Get me in a game,” Lambert said, “cool things will happen.”
Stewart embraces Spring Breakout: 'What's not to love?'
PHOENIX -- Sal Stewart was one fired-up Reds prospect. On Sunday in the first inning during the organization's 9-7 Spring Breakout win over Brewers prospects, Stewart lifted a 2-2 pitch that sailed over the center fielder's head to the wall. Already not known as a speedster, he stumbled running between
Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
Brecht -- in 1st outing since '24 Draft -- wows at Spring Breakout
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Sunday's Spring Breakout showcase was the perfect unveiling for Rockies No. 5 prospect Brody Brecht. A right-handed pitcher from the University of Iowa whom the Rockies selected 38th overall last summer, Brecht had a nice collegiate resume, an interesting backstory as a former wide receiver for the
Braves prospects show promise in Spring Breakout
NORTH PORT, Fla. -- As Terry Pendleton prepared to serve as the manager of the Braves prospect team that played the Tigers prospect team in a Spring Breakout game on Sunday afternoon, he said fans should be patient with John Gil and Luis Guanipa, a pair of teenagers who have
Yanks' Lagrange flashes triple-digit heat in Spring Breakout
SARASOTA, Fla. -- There was an audible “Ooh” from the crowd at Ed Smith Stadium, and Carlos Lagrange quickly glanced beyond the right-field wall, checking the velocity of the pitch he’d just thrown in Saturday’s 5-4 Spring Breakout loss to the Orioles. It had registered in the triple digits, and
Bradfield dedicates Spring Breakout performance to late friend
SARASOTA, Fla. -- It was about more than playing in the national spotlight. More than the dinner bet placed with an old college teammate earlier in the month. More than a game. As Enrique Bradfield Jr. slid home to score a run during the first inning of Saturday night’s Spring