The Single-A Midwest League Dayton Dragons, a franchise that "some believed would never make it" in the city, Saturday set a new "professional sports record for consecutive sellouts," according to Sean McClelland of the DAYTON DAILY NEWS. The team's 815th consecutive sellout broke a tie with the Trail Blazers, who sold out 814 consecutive games from '77-95. Once the sellout was official at the end of the fifth inning, the Dragons unveiled a "permanent '815' logo on the outfield wall to the left of center field between the Welcome to Fifth Third Field sign and the 381-foot marker." The team also played a video "complete with congratulatory messages from Reds manager Dusty Baker, Dragons part owners Magic Johnson and Archie Griffin and several politicians." Dragons players and coaches "assembled in front of their dugout" and applauded. The Dragons came to Dayton in '00, and team President Bob Murphy, Exec VP Eric Deutsch and Exec VP & GM Gary Mayse "all have been with the Dragons from the beginning, so the night was extra special for them." McClelland noted Mayse "had tears in his eyes" Saturday. Mandalay Baseball Properties CEO Art Matin, whose company "founded the team and continues to operate it," also was in attendance at Saturday's game. He said of the streak, "We hope it goes on forever." Matin: "I think 1,000 is a nice round number. ... I can't imagine Dayton not being a sold-out situation" (DAYTON DAILY NEWS, 7/10).
