A Night at the Ballpark

[Unkotare]

A lot of attention-span-of-a-hummingbird young people like to criticize the game as being "too slow" and whatnot, but I'll tell you what, there is something unique about spending a warm summer evening at the nation's most beloved ballpark relaxing and watching the game unfold at its own pace. Total strangers share a sudden camaraderie for a few hours; helping the older folks clamor over ancient wooden seats, catching a bag of peanuts from a vendor ten rows away, chanting "Yankees suck!" at random moments despite not playing the Yankees, and singing Sweet Caroline without shame. Buying your son an absurdly overpriced hotdog and soda, and talking stats and playoff prospects between moments of thrilling significance during the game is an ineffable American experience even today. When I was a kid I was the world's worst Little League player, and I have always tended toward more personally combative sports for my own participation, but the game retains a certain American magic that is hard to compare.


Btw, the Red Sox beat the Rangers 6-0.

 

[tyroneweaver]

I watch Reds baseball every night on 661.
But I see more people at my church on sunday than Great American Ballpark

 

[Winco]

I watch Reds baseball every night on 661.
But I see more people at my church on sunday than Great American Ballpark

Your church holds 20,000?

hyperbole is for the weak and unimaginative

 

[Unkotare]

I watch Reds baseball every night on 661.
But I see more people at my church on sunday than Great American Ballpark

You must go to a large church.

 

[Unkotare]

Your church holds 20,000?

hyperbole is for the weak and unimaginative

To be fair, some churches are pretty big, and a lot of ballparks don't sell out these days.

 

[Winco]

To be fair, some churches are pretty big, and a lot of ballparks don't sell out these days.

To be more fair, hyperbole was used, and MOST MLB ballpark don't sell out daily, for decades.

 

[Unkotare]

To be more fair, hyperbole was used, and MOST MLB ballpark don't sell out daily, for decades.

Before the virus, Fenway sold out almost every night.

 

[Winco]

Before the virus, Fenway sold out almost every night.

I understand that.
I was going to add that these Iconic Stadiums have desire to attend. And I LOVE it.
Still hoping to visit Fenway some day. Maybe next summer (2022).

I went to Wrigley, great time, great game, as both Sosa and Piazza hit HR's, and we were on the 1st Base line, and it was a party.
Stayed at the Drake Hotel, and so did the players.
This was 2002 I think.

 

[Unkotare]

....

I went to Wrigley, great time, great game, as both Sosa and Piazza hit HR's,....

Could you smell the cork from Sosa's bat?

 

[Winco]

Could you smell the cork from Sosa's bat?

I was too far away.
But it was a great game.

I went down the elevator and into the lobby, and Piazza and teammates were sitting there.
I respected them and just waved. At the Drake Hotel.

 

[22lcidw]

Could you smell the cork from Sosa's bat?

I went to a game at Disney's Wide World of Sports when the Rays played a series or two there for a game. I forget who Sosa was playing for but he hit a Home Run. You could see how built up he was with the allegations of steroids.

 

[Unkotare]

When attention spans come back into fashion, baseball attendance and viewership will rebound. There is something uniquely meaningful about taking in a game for those who understand it.

 

[Mac-7]

As long as baseball sticks to the game instead of lib social issues I will remain interested

 

[odanny]

A lot of attention-span-of-a-hummingbird young people like to criticize the game as being "too slow" and whatnot, but I'll tell you what, there is something unique about spending a warm summer evening at the nation's most beloved ballpark relaxing and watching the game unfold at its own pace. Total strangers share a sudden camaraderie for a few hours; helping the older folks clamor over ancient wooden seats, catching a bag of peanuts from a vendor ten rows away, chanting "Yankees suck!" at random moments despite not playing the Yankees, and singing Sweet Caroline without shame. Buying your son an absurdly overpriced hotdog and soda, and talking stats and playoff prospects between moments of thrilling significance during the game is an ineffable American experience even today. When I was a kid I was the world's worst Little League player, and I have always tended toward more personally combative sports for my own participation, but the game retains a certain American magic that is hard to compare.


Btw, the Red Sox beat the Rangers 6-0.

That's all true, but when I caught the Dodgers/Cardinals series at Busch Stadium, every second between innings, and every second between pitching changes, was spent blasting advertising at the crowd, I felt like a hostage for three hours to these blaring advertisements. Is that the way it is at Fenway? I'm guessing it's like that in about every ballpark.

 

[Unkotare]

That's all true, but when I caught the Dodgers/Cardinals series at Busch Stadium, every second between innings, and every second between pitching changes, was spent blasting advertising at the crowd, I felt like a hostage for three hours to these blaring advertisements. Is that the way it is at Fenway? I'm guessing it's like that in about every ballpark.

No, it wasn't so much like that. During down times (the seconds counting down on the jumbo) between innings or when a reliever was warming up music would play and the jumbo's camera would scan the crowd. It's funny how anyone - no matter how old - goes apeshit crazy when they realize they are on the 'tron. I noticed how the camera came back again and again to those young ladies with rather prominent 'enthusiasm' who invariably started gyrating like they were trying to shake their mammaries clean off their torsos. I was willing to put up with that, somehow.

 

[Unkotare]

As long as baseball sticks to the game instead of lib social issues I will remain interested

I didn't see one kneeler, and every fan I could see was on their feet hand over heart for the anthem. Some service men and women were honored before the game and received enormous ovations. A couple of Blackhawks did a fly over before the game as well. My oldest boy really got a kick out of that.

 

[Mac-7]

I didn't see one kneeler, and every fan I could see was on their feet hand over heart for the anthem.

Good, I’m happy to hear that

America needs a national sport

 

[Mr. Friscus]

Good, I’m happy to hear that

America needs a national sport

It has one.. football has clearly taken what Baseball used to be.

 

[AzogtheDefiler]

A lot of attention-span-of-a-hummingbird young people like to criticize the game as being "too slow" and whatnot, but I'll tell you what, there is something unique about spending a warm summer evening at the nation's most beloved ballpark relaxing and watching the game unfold at its own pace. Total strangers share a sudden camaraderie for a few hours; helping the older folks clamor over ancient wooden seats, catching a bag of peanuts from a vendor ten rows away, chanting "Yankees suck!" at random moments despite not playing the Yankees, and singing Sweet Caroline without shame. Buying your son an absurdly overpriced hotdog and soda, and talking stats and playoff prospects between moments of thrilling significance during the game is an ineffable American experience even today. When I was a kid I was the world's worst Little League player, and I have always tended toward more personally combative sports for my own participation, but the game retains a certain American magic that is hard to compare.


Btw, the Red Sox beat the Rangers 6-0.

Go Red Sox!

 

[Mac-7]

It has one.. football has clearly taken what Baseball used to be.

Pro football has lost a large share of its market to wokism

but many will switch their interest to college football which is just as exciting

though in time Black Lies Matter will try to ruin that experience also