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!

Thursday, April 27, 2017

2017 starts off well

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How symbolic that  the last post was about the Marlins game in 2015 and here it is 2017 and I just woke up to writing again after going to our second game of the year- a Marlins game. Both games won, both nights warm   enough, both night  a breather from the challenges in my life.


Image may contain: 1 person, smilingThat is how I started writing about the Phillies-in 2010 when I was recovering from another challenge=my hand  accident. There I was, hand bandaged, in pain and on pain meds, but determined to go to my first ever baseball game with Melvin and Peter A seated in the 11th row of the 100 section.  It was a glorious day of screaming and learning about the game with an expert. I had no idea who the players were-the World Series team of Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, Ryan Howard, Jason Werth, Cole Hamels, Roy Halladay. I came to know them and love them and the Phanatic. And then Cliff Lee came back.

Image may contain: 1 person, smilingImage may contain: 1 personNow Peter H, Joe, and I buy our tickets in 400 level, enjoying our perch over home plate, a wide view of the city and the jumbotron score board and the whole field. The team is completely new-Chase left at the end of 2015, Cole near the end of 2016 and Chooch and Ryan last year. Now it is time to fall in love again. Herrera, Hernadez, Gavis, Nola. there will be others, but for now they are not distinct enough for me.

This year, April 8, 2017 opening night was one of glee and total outrageousness when we were all stunned by the 12 run first inning, a record for the club. And that wasn't even the end of it. There were 5 more runs, two of them homers. This against the Nationals, the best team in the east. It was just me and Peter laughing all the way.

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/18118924_1403632446326640_5264921774081963838_n.jpg?oh=d003660a290e492ebe3152fcfab83ef3&oe=597440ACTonight was full of  slow cooking excitement as the pitchers were more evenly matched. The Phillies were behind 2-0 until the third inning when first there was one hit, then another, then the bases loaded. Odubel Herrera comes to the plate and with a 1-2 count hits the ball into the stands at  374 foot. When we all realized that it had gone out of the park, everyone was on our feet- and I was screaming at a grand slam. It has been a long long time since I've seen one of those.

This looks to be a good year.