I'm sitting here watching the Colorado Rockies play the Los Angeles Dodgers. I know most people don't enjoy watching baseball, but I do. I've been a baseball fan as long as I can remember, and since I used to live in southern California, I was a big time Dodger fan. I will probably always have a fondness for them even though I've been a Rockies fan since the team was started here in Colorado in 1993.
As I watch the game tonight, I can't stop the flood of memories of time spent at Dodger stadium. Here are a few I thought I should record for purely personal reasons.
=> Garvey, Lopes, Russel & Cey. Those were the golden years.
=> Dodger Dogs. Couldn't leave the stadium without having one.
=> Attending so many games with our two best friends, Don and Craig.
=> We usually sat in the cheaper seats - all the way down at the end of either the first or third base line. But I don't think I ever sat in the outfield.
=> One time we were given seats directly behind home plate in the section that was like a dugout (the stadium is different now). They weren't good seats to watch the game but this area was reserved for VIPs and we felt pretty special sitting down there. You could hear everything said from that area of the field.
=> At one game, we were sitting down the third base line in home run territory. A winning home run was hit a row or two in front of us and a picture in the following day's edition of the local paper showed the section where the ball was hit - and there we are, standing and cheering.
=> There are certain plays and players I can still remember. Fernando Valenzuela, Steve Sax, Tom Niedenfuer, Orel Hershiser, Kirk Gibson, to name just a few.
I love the atmosphere at a ball game. I have this silly dream of some day working at the Rockies' stadium as an usher. You know, one of those people who just stand at the top of an aisle and direct people to their seat. If I had that job, I would be in a place I love and get to watch all the games. The only drawback is that the games are during the summer and it would tie me down and keep me from traveling during the summer. But who knows, maybe some day.
9 comments:
not big on baseball, but I love a good close football game!! ooooooeeeeeee!!
and YES, you're the only one who knew about Bevo!
Bevo is the mascot for the University of Texas. As I went to Baylor (adversaries) a common gametime chant of ours was "Bevo for Breakfast!" :-)
I've only been to one baseball game (Seattle Mariners vs. Kansas City Royals) and that was when I was pregnant with JS. I LOVED it, especially because we got really good seats. Oh! The cheese pizzas there were awesome too. :-D
I like baseball too but football is my true love for a sport! We did go to a couple Rockies games. No matter what sport we go to I LOVE the atmosphere. It's so fun!!
This is something I have never done. Ethan played T-ball when he was little, but beyond that, baseball has not been a part of our lives. David has been to a couple of games (both were KC Royals ... they were playing in Chicago when he was doing a tradeshow, and it was just coincidence they were playing). The 2nd time was at the Royals stadium, and our church went as a fellowship event.
I love your enthusiasm though for wanting to be a part of it. I hope you fulfill your dream someday!
When I think of the Dodgers, I remember that you were born either during or right after the Dodgers were playing in the World Series. I remember watching the games during that time. So, no wonder you have always loved those blues.
Your challenge now is to lock up how they did the year you were born!!!
And - I think of your grandma Opal who dearly loved them too!
Go for your dream, Diana. We have two good friends, husband and wife, who are ushers at the Angels games and have been for several years. They just love it. Not only do they get to see all the games but they also have quite a camaraderie with the people in their sections at the stadium. They even conduct the tours for people who want to see the innards of the stadium, all done while the team is on the road. Oh, and congratulations on the Rockies win tonight!
Claude Osteen, Wes Parker, Willie ('3-Dog') Davis.
I was born and raised in LA. We used to take bus to Chinatown and walk the rest of the way to the stadium. We would buy general admission tickets and then spend the first 3 innings trying to sneak down the stairs. Once you got to the mezzinne level you had the run of the place!
Those were the days.
After the game we would often stay and wait for the visiting team to leave the lockers and head to their bus ... and we would try to get autographs.
Your post brought back a flood of great memories.
Claude Osteen was my favorite Dodger (he was a lefty like me). My other favorite Dodger back then was Bill Buckner. I was sad that his career ended with that play in Boston.
peace, Villager
I've only been to Balti Orioles games, but I guess I'm a Phillies fan (even though I strongly dislike every other Phila sports team!)
I found baseball games so different - I'd get caught up in watching everyone else in the stands and totally miss what was happening on the field, LOL!!!
I've always wanted to work at a ball field too - but I think it would be the most fun to be the mascot!!!
We have a minor league team (Lancaster Barnstormers) and I think it would be fun to be their mascot, Cylo (silo). LOL - great team name, huh?
My Mom was the BIGGEST Dodger fan! I do believe the last thing she "saw" that she could know what she was looking at was a big Dodger beach towel my sister threw over the bed and said "Look Mom, remember the Dodgers?" and she smiled and said "of course". We grew up listening to Vinnie.
But about 9 years ago all of my family converted over to the Angels. My husband did a lot of work for the all of the players on the World Series winning team in '03 and we were there with them so often, for so many years, how could you not convert? We don't know any of the current players; when Garrett left, that was our last connection, but it was fun for the years we knew them. Percival is one of my husband's good, good friends. We knew Glaus, Erstad, Anderson, Spiezio, - golly so many. We totally bleed red now. Love to have a ballgame on while we're eating dinner on the patio. Gotta have a beer, peanuts and a dog when we go to the games. Love it!! (as long as it isn't HOT!) I Like night games. Isn't it fun?
Loved your pictures. (sigh) Just got back from a wonderful trip to the Rockies myself, and took almost 600 pictures! It took me several hours to download them all yesterday, and now I get to go through them all. Very fun!
Have a wonderful, safe 4th of July! Hugs.
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