This blog began as a way to record my musings about preparations and travels to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada February 16-27, 2010. From that amazing experience came this ongoing story of becoming a sports fan. You can follow my tales of awe, agony, and all the emotions in between as well as view pics from seasons of Phillies baseball. Along the way is a little Eagles football thrown in for fun, and even some astronomy and weather related tales. I feel lucky to have witnessed some historic games, some heartbreaking losses, but all wonderful when told from this new fan's point of view.

Blog Archives postings:
Dec 2009-Feb 2010
Olympics
March 2010-Dec 2011
Baseball and more
2011 The Phillies do again, winning the Eastern Championship for the 5th straight year.
April 2012-Sept 27 2012 Not the best season for the Phillies
2013-We wait and see!

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Reasons to go to a baseball game

Just a few reasons to go to a baseball game.
  1. Your team is playing. No matter how dismal the season, you go support them. 
  2. Your team is playing. BECAUSE of the great season, you want to be part of the magic. 
  3. Your team is playing another team that you think might end up in the post season, so you go to see a potential champion.
  4. Your team is IN the post season and you decide to lay out the bucks to see a game
  5. There are individual players who create excitement on the field and in the stands
  6. It is a champion's last season
  7. A player has just been brought up from the minors, so checking him out
  8. A player has been injured and is returning from the DL.
  9. The weather is great, the setting is extraordinary, the view tremendous
  10. Some one or some group is being honored
  11. It's permission to scream and cheer with 30,000 of your closest friends
  12. You can enjoy time with a few of your closest friends
  13. You get to sing
  14. For a chance to be surprised 
  15. To learn more about the game
  16. To introduce others to the game
  17. To witness the elegance of athletes in motion
  18. To have stories to tell at work 
  19. To reflect and write
  20. It's part of the routine of your spring, summer, early fall life
Perhaps there are more , but these are the reasons that I have experienced in the past 4 years.

Derek Jeter send off

Reason #6 for going to a baseball game: To watch a champion in the last season

 In 2010, the first season when I started my  journey to become a Phillies Phan,I went with my friend Robert, who is a Yankees FFB (Fan from Birth) to a stormy rain delay game at the new Yankee stadium.  The game had resumed, but the rain was still evident and a definite obstacle to play.  The Mariner batter hit a high pop up to the infield that must have been hard to judge, but this player positioned himself under it, waited it out and caught it securely in his glove. And then-oh my-he flashed a smile that could be seen all the way up to the high level stands where we were sitting. "Who is that?" I exclaim innocently. I never forgot that catch, that smile and the name: Derek Jeter  #2.

And so now 4 years later in 2014, this 20 year champion is taking his last run around the bases, and it seems that all are joining him in the celebration. Buying tickets even in a lackluster season is difficult especially when I try my choice to go to a Yankees- Orioles game. With the Orioles in 1st place, there are no tickets to be found for a reasonable price.

Good to know that Robert, still wants to go (see reason # 1) and that we can find a date that we are both available. Yes, it's against the Red Sox, whose fortunes have plummeted after lasts year's World Series Championship. Yet, I can't find any seats on the Yankees ticket site, so need to search on StubHub to find suitable tickets.

The risk in any game is that a championship team or player may not play at that level when you see them on any given night  and visa versa (i.e. the most recent last place Phillies series sweep against the 1st place Nationals). Nor is it clear even that the player you want to watch will be in the lineup!

But no matter the circumstances, on this beautiful rain free evening in my customary seats way up high but behind home plate, we find ourselves seated early enough to enjoy the view of the Bronx and settle in for this night of baseball. I am expecting some type of ceremony, entertainment,throwing out of the first pitch,but there is only one of these. A Little League team is being honored, and some employees of the month are identified and given awards. Where is the first pitch? isn't there a  mascot of some kind? I realize that the Philly Phanatic is relatively unique and his antics on the field are not the norm for all games.

But there are some fun traditions-the workers who come out in the middle of the game with the wide rakes dance to the song YMCA. The 7th inning stretch that  includes God Bless America. All else is familiar: The silly onscreen games when a new pitcher is warming up, prizes, birthday greetings, cheers when someone catches a foul ball. And of course, the game itself.

Ah-the game. It is not a stellar outing for the Yankees starting pitcher , who allows 2 runs in the first inning. Despite some amazing Yankees catches in the outfield, the Red Sox keep piling on the runs.
In the 6th inning some excitement builds when the Red Sox pitcher walks runners and loads the bases. One batter hits it to the outfield, when a player with speed can usually run for a double. But when the runners ahead of him are contained on 2nd and 3rd, he ends up stuck between the bases and is easily  picked off in the middle.
 From this rally only 2 runs are scored, and the Red Sox continue to dominate.

The most exciting Jeter play is when he outruns the ball thrown to first base. Originally called an out, the play is reviewed and overturned, bringing in one of the 4 runs scored during the game.

The entire game was, as they say, 'not pretty'. Final score  Red Sox 9 Yankees 4

I've been watching people in my life enter retirement and asking questions about how they managed that last month or so. I am charmed, puzzled, intrigued by the many ways that people end their last days of work. I think Derek Jeter is one model to think about.
Here is someone who is still doing what he loves to do until the very end, with so many people from near and far cheering him on with love and gratitude. He is allowing all of us to celebrate with him, to root for  him and wish him well even if the last season is not the best.

Thanks Derek. Glad I got to see you play.