August has proved to be a very busy month for traveling.

 

Baseball game

Early in the month we had the opportunity of joining a group from St. Marks Church in Hudson.  A group of thirty went by mini bus to Tropicana Field to see the Rays play the Jays.  This was quite an experience for us.  I, the sports fan in our house, had not been to a baseball game in probably thirty years.  We have been to the (old) Yankee Stadium and the (old) Shea Stadium.  And, of course, to my favorite—Fenway Park to see my beloved Sox.  Our third or so date (1969 or ’70) had been to Yankee Stadium to see the Sox play against their long=time rivals.  The Yanks won that game.  The Red Sox will forever and always be my FAVORITE (yes, I am shouting!).  But, since we have lived in Florida for more than twenty years, the Rays have been given a special place in my heart.  They are my number two team with Detroit as number three (except when Cal Ripkin was still an active player). When I was very young, the Dodgers used to be my number one team until they moved out of Brooklyn.  I tell everyone that I don’t care where they moved (people always have to tell me when I say this).  But, they disappointed me and moved.  So, I truly don’t care that they are place other than Brooklyn.  Since one cannot be a Brooklyn Dodger and a Yankee fan as well, it was easy to move my allegiance to my Dad’s favorite team…the Red Sox!

We drove down to Hudson and met the bus.  It was not air-conditioned, and it was a rather warm day.  But, I’d rather be hot than cold.  However, the guy behind me complained over and over and over.  And did I mention and over again.  I was really happy to get off that bus just to stop listening to him.

A regular reader of this blog will know that I have a mission to visit all this country’s capitols (fifty states plus the big one in DC).  Well, when I finish that (or maybe here and there in between) I would like to see a baseball game at each of the team’s playing fields.  How many do I have to go?  I guess all but two (I would like to add the new Yankee and Shea Stadiums to my list).

I have never been to a domed stadium before.  We found it quite interesting.  We paid particular attention to the size of the air conditioners.  WOW!  The place was comfortably cool (I hope the guy on the bus was happy).  One is allowed to bring in one liter of water and a soft pack 16x16 cooler with sandwiches and snacks.  The food was extremely expensive. STICKER SHOCK to the max (remember, I have not been to a bb game in thirtyish years).

The game was scheduled to start at 1:00 pm, but for some reason we thought it was two.  We were pleasantly surprised.  We started by singing “Oh, Canada.”  Now, I know the reason why we sang it since the Jays are indeed home based in Canada, but we found it quite weird that there was not one Canadian player on either team.  The birth place of each player is given along with other vital stats the first time he comes to bat.  Not one Canadian.  In my goofiness, I decided that the one person born in Stockton, CA must be THE Canadian.  (Yeah, yeah, I know that really is California, but it seemed close enough for me!).  We continued by singing our own very special National Anthem with the words blazing across a huge screen.

The Jays got the first hit and first run in the first inning.  That was the end of their scoring.  Final 7-1—the Jays!  Kane’s furniture has a neat promotion.  If the Rays strike out ten from the opposing team, ones ticket stub can be brought to the nearest Kanes for a certificate for a free pizza.  At the start of the ninth inning, there had been seven strike outs.  With the score so one sided, therefore, I begun cheering for the pizza.  I had several people in the row in front of me also pulling for the pizza.  But we lost our chance with the first out in the ninth, a pop out.  Too bad!

This was the first time I ever saw a Ground Rule Double.  We thought it was a home run, but the ball hit a railing.  It had to be reviewed.  That was kind of exciting.

I was really impressed with the beauty of an indoor (domed) field.  I think I like the “real” field better, but in the hot climes, this type is much more practical.

The only people we knew were my friends Beverly’s friends Ron and Ruth.  They said that they did not know very many others themselves.  St. Marks is a very big church.  

 

Other comings in the future (I hope):

                OES Multi State (separate blog)

                Trip to New England

Virginia (on the way heading north).  This will be a separate posting under the blog about Forts, etc.

                                Rhode Island

                                Connecticut

Maine—including my twenty-fourth capitol which will be a separate posting.

Rhode Island

Connecticut

                No, I’m not being redundant…this is the way the trip went!