Off-Topic Forum

I've been to many Fenway games but none that have any real historical significance. I know I've at least seen Pedro Martinez pitch once or twice (a tough ticket at the time), got to watch a Sox/Yanks game from the Monster seats for their first season available, and got to see Rickey Henderson steal a base when he was with the Sox. I was very excited to see that one at the time, I recall.

Too many to put down here. My favourite game was one that we left early from and Kelly Gruber hit the first cycle in Blue Jays history at the old Exhibition Stadium.

I went to another game with my Uncle and he caught me a foul ball off the bat of Kelly Gruber. In 2019, my brother-in-law would catch a foul ball of the bat of Vladdy, Jr.

I really enjoyed going to sit in my father's friend's seats as they were Level 500 front row at the SkyDone on the third base side.

I am not sure how many games I have been to but the number per year has shrunk to a couple per year at the moment.  
 

My favorites were Robin Younts 3000 hit game with my dad and a more recent game in which Robin Yount was at the game for his lemonade charitable organization.  He couldn't have been nicer meeting with all the fans and taking pictures with everyone. 

For those with goals of seeing games in all the stadiums - anyone else do the mlb passport book?  I still have the goal but have a ways to go in filling the passport - especially since I didn't get the book until after I had been to a number of stadiums.    It's kind of a neat program I think - similar to the national Parks one. 

https://mlbballparkpassport.com/

I'm a little jealous of some of you. NC is kind of stranded from MLB parks. But I've still managed to make it to 2 games and not even at the closest parks. Oddly, both games I attended ended with a score of 4-3. In 2005, I went to Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field) in Cleveland. They were facing the Tigers. I got to watch my then-favorite catcher warming up in front of me with the starting pitcher in right field. Ivan Rodriquez later hit a tie-breaking (and eventually game-winning) 2-run HR in the 8th inning. Cleveland scored 1 run in the 9th but couldn't score more to tie or win the game. I did get a giveaway beach towel at that game. The rest of my souvenirs were bought or are the memories in my head. That game was actually postponed from the previous evening due to the remnants of Hurricane Katrina coming though. I was rooting for the Indians and I'll explain why later.

My 2nd MLB game was a dream come true! I got to go to a game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis in 2013. Even better is that it was a playoff race battle against the Pirates. And I do mean battle. The game lasted 14 innings and just over 5 hours!!! MLB Network ranked it the 8th best game of the 2013 season. The Cardinals won on a walk-off single from pitcher Seth Maness that drove in outfielder Jon Jay. No giveaways at that game, but I still have all the goodies I bought from the team store. I still wear that same Cardinals hat during the baseball season (switch to a Panthers hat during football season).

I've been to dozens of MiLB games though. The last one was a Greensboro Grasshoppers (formerly the Bats) game. All the rest of them were Burlington Indians games, hence the reason I was rooting for Cleveland in 2005. I also worked for the Burlington team in 2003 and attended nearly every home game that season. I wasn't scheduled to work every game because I had another job. I just worked for the team because I thought it would be fun. It was certainly fun when I got to be an usher. After about the 2nd inning, I had nothing to do but watch the game and keep an eye on the crowd for bad behavior. I'd been to many games there before working for them going back to at least 1990, when I got to see Jim Thome play there. I also saw Manny Ramirez play there the next year. I didn't get to see Alan Embree or CC Sabathia play there when they were on the team though. Those are the most well-known players to start in Burlington. I did get to see the very first game for the Indians' 2003 1st round draft pick when I worked for them. I'm forgetting his name right now, but he did make it to MLB. I think he spent most of his MLB career as a relief pitcher, but he was the starter in his first game with Burlington. If I recall correctly, they did win that game. Aaron Flaherty... I think that was his name. It just came to me, but I hope I'm correct. I have several momentos from games at Burlington Memorial Stadium, including a well-worn hat that I bought in the mid-90's and wore to the game in Cleveland. Unsurprisingly, almost nobody up there knew what my hat was about. Several thought it was a weird Braves hat. The Burlington logo was a red B with Chief Wahoo in the middle. Funny how the Cleveland crowd only saw the B and not the Chief right in the middle. It was amusing to me. I do hope to get to another MLB game in the future, but as you can tell, I don't travel a lot. The closest stadiums to me are a 6-hour drive away (ATL and DC).

Many, many Twins games from the mid-eighties to now. 

This year was the topper for me though, lucky enough to attend my first World Series game this year. Game 4 in Atlanta!! $1800 for the seat but WORTH EVERY PENNY!!

The giveaways I got were those plastic inflatable things that you be at together and a tye dye bandana. From the team store at the Mets Braves game I went to it was players weekend and the Mets were wearing the all white uni's and they had an all white hat but i couldn't pull the trigger. I regret that. As for minor league games I have only attended the New York Penn league and the Atlantic league. (But both the teams are now in the Future Collegiate League.) Watching the young guys are fun. Gotten some balls from those games including one that on the first pitch foul came a true FOOT away from my head at 100 miles an hour. Another one was at the New Britain Bees game when they where playing the High Point Rockers, and Frank Viola, (the pitching coach,) gave the ball to someone else, and then I got the ball. Being a twins fan I treasure that one.

I have been to 3 MLB Games, all Braves games. The first one was in 2014. It was at Turner Field and the main thing I remember is that it was HOT! The game lasted 3 1/2 hours (according to Baseball Ref) but it felt longer. I remember that Aaron Harang was pitching and that Freddie Freeman (who has been my favorite player since he came up) didn't do anything.

The second one was in 2016, still at Turner Field. The main thing I remember is that it was the day after Freddie hit for the cycle, and that the game was more interesting since I was getting into Baseball cards (I started collecting in 2015).

The third and most recent one was a night game in 2019 at SunTrust (now Truist) Park. It was an Ozzie Albies Bobblehead night, and so I got a Bobblehead, which is my first and only one. It was close, and it came down to the final at bat, but Josh Donaldson struck out.

I have been to several MiLB games, however. I have been to 2 Greensboro Grasshoppers games, 2 Winston-Salem Dash games, 3 Kannapolis Intimidators games (the only real name for a Kannapolis team, if you ask me), and 1 Kannapolis Cannon Ballers game, earlier this year.

I've been to SO many Angels games I've lost track of how many I've been to. 

Here's what I can remember: One game, it was Mike Trout 2x MVP bobblehead night. Two other times, it was Cal State Fullerton Titans hat give away night. One other time, I caught a Kole Calhoun foul ball. Those were all great experiences. Hope that one day David Fletcher becomes good anough to have a bobblehead made! 

Been to Wrigley Field in which I got a Jason Hayward bobblehead. 

Been to Safeco Field, Coors Field and much more. My latest game I've been to was early 2021 at a Giants vs. Pirates game. I had a blast! I received a Johnny Cueto Figpin, tried some AMAZING garlic fries, and saw Adam Frazier get traded to the Padres mid-game!

Also, everywhere I go I try and collect team souviner cups. Has it not been a success lately due to covid? Yes. Do I have what seems like millions already? Also yes. 

I totally agree about the Kannapolis Intimidators name. There is no reason they should have changed their name. Just like when the Greensboro Bats changed their name to the Grasshoppers. Changing affiliates doesn't require a name change if you aren't named after the MLB affiliate. The Bats switched from the Yankees affiliate to Tampa Bay. NO REASON to change the team name! The Burlington Indians changing to the Burlington Royals was due to a switch from a Cleveland affiliate to a KC affiliate, so I get that. But their new name as an indepedent team is just terrible. I didn't go to ANY Burlington Royals games because I hated the switch. But I will certainly not go to games for a team called the Sockpuppets!!! Really, they couldn't think of anything even more ridiculous than that name?! They should have just gone back to the original name of the Burlington Bees from the 1940's and 50's.  For the record, the W-S Dash also changed their name for no real reason about 20 years ago. Minor league teams really need to stop changing their names if it IS NOT related to the MLB affiliate!!!! Some MiLB teams have had the same moniker for 50 years, while most can't even stick with one for 10 years these days. And I mean BEFORE the MLB dumped a bunch of MiLB teams from the farm system last year.

Multiple games at since demolished Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh (got to see the 1993 Phillies clinch the NL East there while I was a student at the University of Pittsburgh) and the much nicer PNC Park. One game at Jacobs Field (now Progressive, I think) in Cleveland. As for minor league parks, old Ainsworth Field in Erie, PA used to be home to the Erie Cardinals back in the day, saw a few games there. I also got to play in some high school playoff games there which was really cool at the time. Erie is now home to the SeaWolves (AA Tigers) and they have a nice minor league park (Buck Nights on Thursday used to be my favorite - dollar beers and dogs).  Witnessed a game at Myrtle Beach at the Pelicans park, unsure of the name, multiple games at old Ernie Shore field here in Winston-Salem, now the home of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.  The Winston-Salem Dash (High-A Chicago White Sox) play at a gorgeous BB&T Field (maybe Truist now) closer to downtown where I've seen many. I enjoy the minor league atmosphere and the cheaper adult beverages.