At The Old Ballgame

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out on the town;
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks,
I don't care if I never get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win, it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game

Norwith/Von Tilzer

Here I am at the entrance to Dodgertown wearing Dodger blue.  It felt good to be back.  Of course, it had had some modernizing done since my last visit, but all in all it was still the "ball park" I remember..not some monolith of a stadium as the sign suggests.  Perhaps that's why they're leaving?

It was a perfect day for a ballgame: sunny and warm. We had our hot dogs, peanuts and soda...we were ready! It didn't even matter that our seats ended up being a bit farther down the first base line than what I thought when I bought them.  Here's our view of home plate:

The national anthem played and the game started. There was a quick little "oops" where the Cardinals knocked one out of the park, but before long, the Dodgers' bats got hot.      

They regained the lead and then some.  Then the game settled into the middle innings with not much happening. Kids studied the programs and old timers kept statistics. My Gramp used to keep statistics. Every hit, every error, every run was penciled into a chart and later studied.  I was amused to see someone still doing it.

I took this time to find some seats that had been abandoned right behind the dugout. We were now "in the game", but it might have been bad luck.

In the 8th inning, the wheels came off.  Despite all my rooting, the Dodgers blew their lead and lost. "A shame", as the song says, that the home team lost, but perhaps it was fitting: they lived up to their nickname: "Bums".

Game over. Now it's done. A tradition ended. Time to go home. Time to leave Dodgertown forever.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[sandy kessler]

sad sad sad.What do you think of the new coach? a favorite of mine.I've liked all thier coaches really

[Kerri]

Sounds like so much FUN!!! I LOVE the shots you got too!!!
WOW!!!

[Going Crunchy]

Awesome! We're taking the kids to see our two local minor league teams for the first time this summer. I loved doing that as a kid with my Dad. I can't wait! Shannon

[Chris in Oxford]

Great photos and a great story. My Dad and I used to go to Dodgertown every spring for a while when I was growing up. We stopped doing it as I moved away from Fla and Dad didn't have anyone to go with anymore. I had really hoped to make it to Florida this year before spring training ended and it just ain't going to happen - I hope my Dad goes, I know he really wanted to get there once more. I'm all choked up now...

[Rob]

Right now, I'm listening to yesterday's broadcast of the Dodger / Giants game on mlb.com while I work...and type this.

I think I will have to follow the Dodgers this year for the Joe Torre factor. (I was a closet Yankees fan up until Joe Torre left).

Now for some peanuts and crackerjacks for my deskal space.

[Rob]

Flashback! Your Dodgers just on Game One of the Divisions Series. Good luck to Joe Torre and his Dodger club! My Twins lost in a playoff to the White Sox. Ah well, next year.