Take Me Out to the Ballgame...

[gnomi]

Today, mabfan and I joined autotruezone and his sons for a trip to see The Worcester Tornadoes at Hanover Insurance Park in Worcester, on the campus of Holy Cross.

Now, I've been avoiding going to major league ballparks for a while, especially since the 1994 players' strike. But this game? This is how baseball is supposed to be. Tickets for $6 for the cheap seats, and the cheap seats still have wonderful views. We sat along the first base line and watched the Brockton Rox warm up, and then the game started.

It wasn't Major League-level play, but it was fun. And they let people randomly bring cameras and take pictures, and the players, if they notice, might even stop and pose briefly:

Yohanny Valera Poses for a Picture

The Brockton Rox Warm Up

Play Ball!

Mike McTamney Pitching for the Rox

Josh Beauregard On First After One of His Hits

The Rox Celebrate Their Win

The Tornadoes lost 3-0 to the Rox (and I got a slight sunburn where either the sunscreen failed or I failed to put it), but an excellent afternoon at the ballgame was had by all.

Comments

[zachkessin.livejournal.com]

Nice, we are going to a game tomorrow night, Petach Tikva "at" Netanya.

I put at in quotes as netanya's home field is actually in Tel Aviv. But Israel now has our own pro ball league. And its the first shomer shabbat league of any sport in israel.

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

I've been to four professional ball games: Blue Jays at Yankees (Yankee Stadium); Red Sox at Atlanta (Turner Field); Charlotte Knights at Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA, McCoy Stadium); and Atlanta at Red Sox (Fenway Park). Yankee Stadium and Turner Field were well-appointed (and huge), but the AAA game was the most overall satisfying one. A more intimate space, steeply lower prices, and many fewer rabid fans. It's good to see the various places once, for the experience, but McCoy is the only place I've seriously considered going back to.

That said, somehow "kid friendly" means "hectic oversaturation of video clips and musical prompts and crowd incitements and just general overproduction because we can't trust anyone to care about the game they, y'know, paid to come see". Unfortunately, that was true of every park I've been to except Fenway (which may not be a valid sample, since the weather was absolutely miserable there).

Anyway. Glad you enjoyed the game and the afternoon. Sounds like it was a lot of fun. If ever you/y'all want to come down to see the PawSox, give me a shout if you want company.

[norda.livejournal.com]

::::nods::::

You've hit it absolutely on the nose.

Baseball is supposed to be an experience where anyone can afford to go to a game. *AND* it's supposed to be fun, not a diva display.

Glad you had a great time!