Health & Fitness
Play Ball, Boys
For those that wait patiently for an autograph at a baseball game, you might just strike it big at some point.
The Land of Glory - The all-American ballpark (and No. 16 of 30 on our quest to see all of the MLB parks). We're here! We have waited a year to come see you.
We are at the Tampa Bay Rays game vs. the Cincinnati Reds. We needed to be here early to get tickets and to get autographs signed (hopefully). No problem with getting the tickets as the top level where we will be hanging out is fairly empty. $48 later, we are good to go to our seats for the 12:10 p.m. game (6/29/11).
Oh, wait, it's time to stand down at the dugouts waiting (ever so patiently) for the hopeful autograph. For those of you who have not had "the experience" of trying to get an autograph, you are not in the park for the home team's warm up - just the visitor's session.
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So when Bronson Arroyo stopped at the dug out, we were hoping our Boston shirts (yes, we were decked out in Red Sox and Bruins shirts - get the humor with Tampa & the Bruins??) would bring back such fond memories. But he stopped to sign two balls and off he went - and so we were still without a "prize".
Jeff, who is my impatient 10-year-old baseball fan, opted to go to the home teams side with the hopes that there was someone left to run by. Great, I feel a disappointment coming on. Before I could get over to him, he came running back with a signed ball by Jim Hickey the pitching coach. Great! It will be a happy hotel room tonight.
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Now, it's time to go to those high rise seats I purchased. Oh wait, who is that? No, it can't be! He's on the home team and he hardly ever stops to sign, but here he is. EVAN LONGORIA - and it is ME, not Jack or Jeff that gets the ball signed. Mom has won "THE" prize this time. We did not meet David Price, James Shields, BJ Upton, or Johnny Damon (whom we met last summer in Chicago when he was still a Tiger). But we did see Johnny tie Ted Williams for the 71st position on the all-time hit list.
So, finally, it's up to those seats we go. Play ball boys. We have waited a year! Thanks for not disappointing us. (Final score - Reds 3, Tampa Bay 2).
