Let the Festivities Begin Part 1

  To start off my 60th Birthday celebrations, Peter, Peter, Ellen and I  take a road trip to see an afternoon game of the Fightin' Phillies, the AA team in Reading Pennsylvania, an hour and a half from Philadelphia. Today is hot and sunny, a great relief from the soaking rains.

At this stadium, you aren't allowed to bring in your own food, so we find some shade and take  time to picnic before we go in.  (Although no one actually checks our bags when we enter).

We can already hear the middle school chorus singing the Star Spangled Banner as we look for our seats between home and first base. For 12 bucks here you can sit in the 3rd row to eavesdrop on the umpire  as he calls out " Stee-rike" and empathize with the batter who grimaces at the umpire in disagreement at the call. In the summer air, the sharp crack of the bat makes us feel as if we have just hit the ball ourselves.



The 'Fightin Phils are not doing too well today, so we stay entertained by a series of goofy, loveable mascots, games and gags.  This includes the Fightin' Phillies mascots,  the Tooth Fairy,  and a vegetable race around the field. 

Winner of the vegetable race

Tooth Fairy and helper sweeping the bases

My favorite, though, is the man who sings Take Me out to the Ballgame, an older fan, clearly a crowd favorite as well.







For more of the fun, continue on to see an audacious version of the Cha Cha Slide



Let the Festivities Begin Part 2

 The Cha-Cha Slide is a line dance created by Mr. C, also known as Casper, a Chicago DJ. The dance was originally designed as a workout for Bally's Total Fitness. The steps are called out during the song ,so it is really just a series of directions-"Take it to the right" " Take it back now"

At major league games, they play a snipett where the singer says" Everybody clap your hands"      

Personally, I think its a silly dance, so they got it right with this rendition. Check out the scale as the players pass by.

The Reading Phillies have a bit of a rally in the later innings, bringing in 2 runs, but ultimately lose 8-2.

We ended up moving up under an awning to get out of the heat. Even here, behind home plate, we are still only a short distance from the field.

Thanks again to the gang who helped me start off this celebration.

A reflief from the week's events

This week was  significantly sad for many reasons: The Boston bombing, the Texas tragedy, the defeat of the gun violence control bill, attempted Risin attacks. The flags at the ball parks are at half mast, and there is a minute of silence. Surprisingly, this is the first chance I have to be quiet and reflect, bringing me to tears for it all.

Then all attention is on the resonant soaring sound of the Star Spangled Banner and the antics of a large green furry mascot. How sweet to have this time with friends as we focus our energies on a small round ball, a pitcher's stance, a runner making it to first, a steal, a run. The Phillies down two, tied, down one, tied, down one again. They keep it interesting, with a final inning of high expectations, ending alas in disappointment. Still, a happy diversion from it all.

The 2013 Blog Season Begins

On this cold but not unbearable Saturday night  I begin the season with the first night home game.

It's the bottom of the 9th with the Kansas City Royals in the lead 3-1. In the middle of the lineup at bat, this time the Phillies wait out the pitches, one by one forcing the closing Royals pitcher to walk the first 3 batters.  With the bases loaded, the thinned out crowd is starting to rise to our collective feet .
First, Dominic Brown comes up to the plate. Out.  then John Mayberry Jr. Out.
Believe me, No one is sitting now.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. (For spoiler alert, go to the end)

Friday April 5 I I sit in my office, checking in on the Home Opening Day game and see that the Phillies are ahead 4-0. I had wanted to go to that game, but couldn't get out of work. Opening Night? That was always on my mind,  but it isn't  until I but  find a great seat on Stub Hub in the 110 section at the first base line that I succomb. Click, click, the ticket is mine. 

Later in the afternoon, I check the game score and see that it is 9-4. The Phillies end up getting trounced 13-4 on the first game at home, after a less than stellar first week away. I've been to games where the Phillies are ahead and then lose badly. It is not a pretty sight, so I get worried-Yikes, is this going to be a travesty on Saturday night, too?

Still, I have fun getting my bag together in the morning. Into the well travelled pink Olympic 2010 backpack  goes a sweater, my wallet and phone, the ticket, some subway tokens. A Phillies cap comes out of the closet, though the tee shirt will have to wait for warmer weather.

 For this first game of the season, I  arrive at the ball park early to take in the sights and smells, settle into my seat, chat with the ballpark staff. Tonight I am lucky to have one of the ushers describe the previous day's opening game extravaganza.  It included, from what I understood, three men parachuting down to the field with the game ball, a flag and a bat; a Mummers string band; a high school band and chorus;
 a military detail displaying the American flag on the field. This all seems goofy, but  the picture she draws for me with her words, her gestures and her own reaction is so moving,  I have to hold back the tears.


As the game progresses, I notice that unlike the 400 section, where we might see beer hawkers, in the 100 section there is an amazing variety of vendors who troll the aisles. Each of them has a unique song as they cry out B-u-d liiiiiiight, or peeeaaaaaaanuts, or Gityur proooooooooooooogram. I am told there is also a 'pistachio girl', but  she never appears.

This is how close I am to the ballplayers.

 The season ticket  fans around  me tell about World Series games and foul balls that have landed in their section. These are regulars, rowdy when it is called for, mostly pleasantly exhuberant and rightfully outraged when the Phillies make some bad plays. (Chase Utley had 2 errors!)

The game is going along rather subdued- 3 up-3 down on both sides, until the 4th or 5th  inning when the Royals score 2 runs. I secretly think that even if they win, as long as its not by more than 2 or 3 runs, that will be better than yesterday. The Phillies get a run, the Royals score again. With the lackluster Phillies offense showing no sign of rescusitating, by the middle of the 7th inning  the park starts to clear out . (I have never understood this phenomonon , since I have witnessed many games where a team turned it around for the last at bat.)

Aha- that brings us to this game's last at bat.

Ryan Howard on his way to first base

Remember, it's the bottom of the ninth, there are 3 men on and 2 outs. No one in the park is sitting down.  Could the Phillies really pull it off? Kevin Frandsen steps up to the plate pinch hitting for the catcher, Humberto Quintero. He swings on the first pitch. A  beautiful soaring hit lands between the right and center fielders that brings in three runs to accomplish a startling surge over the Royals. The park explodes in an ecstatic uproar.  Everywhere I turn,  generous high fives for everyone all around.

A good first game to get me back in bloggin' mood. Stay tuned for more.

Watching the Team for One last Time

As I change into my uniform of red shirt, red cap, pink Olympic backback and a big broad smile, I almost gallup to the subway, on the way stopping for my ritual sandwich at 7-11. The smile is tempered by a touch of sweet sadness in recognition that I am on my way to the last homegame. It is like the last day of the swim club season, which comes as fall is just announcing itself by shortened days and slightly cooler evenings. I look for my 'tribe' as the subways fill up with Phillies phans, tonight being even more special because it is Drexel student night.
At the ballpark, I walk around the whole park taking in the noise and the smells and the anticipation.

Before the game, The Drexel acapella group sings the National anthem,and  the Drexel mascot struts his stuff. A nice addition to this beautiful night, sitting in the 315 section between home plate and 1st. Once again our neighbors are regulars, our view is terrific, the sky clear.

Peter and I each went to about 8 games this year, 4 of them together. As disappointing as the whole season was for the Phillies record, I have some lovely memories that helped me through a difficult summer.

Watching Ryan Howard and Chase Utley returned to the team to lead a new group of young players to several key victories has been one of the main highlights. Each game throughout August we saw players brought up from the minors for a shot at glory. Some gave their all and then returned for more seasoning. Others proved more valuable and continued in the lineup through  September. Pitcher after pitcher stood on the rubber,  hoping to become part of the legendary crew alongside Hamels,Halladay Lee, Papelbon.  I particularly liked Michael Stutes (injured) and Jake Diekman (great to watch his long legged pitching stance).

Jimmy Rollins and Carlos Ruiz were also standouts this summer for their leadership strength and speed. I saw more stolen bases this year than previous years, which are thrilling for their electric surprise.

And then there are the Nationals, tonight's competitors, the best team in baseball who were not to be outdone. For each Nats player who came to the plate Peter whispered "He's a really good hitter". Harper, Morse, Zimmerman, Desmond, Larouche. I now know these players since I've seen them three times. And yes, they are really good hitters. Harper 19, homerun.Morse 2 homeruns. . And the fielder made some elegant catches that we couldn't help but clap for as well.

Unfortunately for us  the  Final score 7-3. But it puts the Nats one step closer to clinching the division. Funny that the SF Giants have already done that-go brother Eric, and the Orioles are battling it out with the Yankees for their title-go  cousin Zaslows.

I love the Phils, but heck, am this year also loving the hunt.