Rule #37 – Everything is better with friends and family
The date was Friday, April 10. The place was Oriole
Park at Camden Yards. The scene is
set for a cold, dreary day with plenty of opportunity for the rain gods to
hammer the local area. The weather guessers had the audacity to say it would be
70 degrees and sunny by game time. Temperature was 50 degrees at best. The only
thing missing was steam breath from all participants.
Enter… me – through the newly installed security system at Gate
E, to the awaiting ticket scanner.
Yes, I did say that to the ticket taker. She smiled and
yelled, “Welcome back!” And, yes, I felt like I came home.
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| Home opener - Orioles hosted the Blue Jays |
There’s something about baseball that signals hope. I felt
it at Spring Training in Florida.
So many people made the pilgrimage south to get away from an uncommonly snowy
and cold winter. Just thawing out for that week made me wonder if a perch of my
own in the Sunshine State
might be in order. Must think hard on this one and consult Taxman.
Yes, we all were hoping for warmer weather. We are all were hoping
for dryer days. We are all hoping arthritis and allergy triggers go away.
So there I was, back at the Yard, just soaking up the
atmosphere. It was time to do some walking and picture taking. I headed to Hall
of Fame Statue Park, behind the bullpens. Here, Oriole legends are immortalized
for all to see. Guess I need to revisit Cooperstown and
soon.
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| Hall of Fame statue of Cal Ripken, Jr... |
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| ...Jim Palmer... |
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| ...Frank Robinson... |
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| ...Earl Weaver... |
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| ...Eddie Murray... |
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| ...Brooks Robinson |
It amazed me how many fans believed the weather guessers. So
many fans showed up in tee shirts, shorts and flip flops, all in the hope that
the 70 degree prediction would come true. It also amazed me how many of those
fans were in Toronto blue and
white! Well, a 50 degree day may feel like summer to someone from Ontario
Canada.
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| Party to the strains of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" |
While sitting on Eutaw Street,
at Boog’s, eating a pit beef sandwich, I had a bird’s eye view of some of the
fan outfits. Many fans seemed to confuse Opening Day with Halloween. There were
people dressed in bird costumes, Mardi Gras costumes, and one in an orange body
stocking, ala Blue Man Group. You can’t beat a ballpark for serious people
watching.
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| American League East champs last year - can they do it again? |
I found the banner celebrating the 2014 American League East
championship. I got to see the Orioles Hall of Fame wall. I found many a marker
of Oriole home runs that jettisoned out of the park and on to Eutaw
Street. Strolling past the Team Store, and the
long line to get into Dempsey’s, I really believed that all was becoming right
with my world.
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| Orioles team Hall of Fame wall |
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| Now Atlanta Brave Nick Markakis and his dinger mark on Eutaw St. |
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| One of two dinger marks for Luke Scott |
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| Coach Brady Anderson made his mark on the street... |
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| ...and so did a Hall of Fame player named Eddie |
I continued with my therapeutic lap of the ballpark
concourse, right passed many a TV reporter. All of the local stations had
remotes throughout the Yard, as if Opening Day was an undeclared holiday. Well…
it is. I wonder how many people who stepped before the cameras had to explain
their “sick day” to their boss on Monday.
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| Cooperstown crew banners on the main concourse of Oriole Park |
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| Cue Springsteen and his "Glory Days" |
Now to find my seat – it wasn’t my regular seat for the
season. I made my way up to Section 368, and found my seat. My poor feet were
in a puddle from the last rainstorm. It was windy and the wind had a March-like
bite to it. I was grateful for my common sense, which told me to layer up and
dress warmly. But, oh, did I miss my regular seat. I missed the people that sit
with me. I missed my great view of the game. I missed the ability to warm up
inside the Club Level.
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| Orange carpet ready for the ceremonies |
Pre-game ceremonies began with player introductions on both
sides, an In Memoriam segment (where a church friend was listed), and the Gold
Glove award presentations to J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones. Then an honor
presentation for Hall of Fame pitcher/broadcaster Jim Palmer on the 50th
anniversary of his start in baseball – he threw the first pitch to Rick
Dempsey. Time to play ball!
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| Player introductions for both teams |
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| Jim Palmer throws the first pitch to Rick Dempsey - ah, the days of old... |
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| Local children help the Oriole Bird bring this year's squad down the carpet |
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| And here they come, our 2015 Baltimore Orioles |
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| J.J. Hardy and Adam Jones receiving their Gold Glove awards for 2014 |
I got a chance to catch up with my regular seat mates on
Sunday, April 12. Now that was a homecoming. We got a chance to compare winter
notes. I met the little guy who was born over the winter. I looked around and
saw familiar faces all over. My regular usher was back too. Normal
has returned to my life.
Oh, and the Orioles lost both games. They lost a Sunday
game. Like I said, normal is back. My status as a “cooler” is still in tact.
But at this writing, my orange Birds are playing 500 ball. And it’s still early
in the season. This weekend was proof that anything can happen in baseball.
That’s why they play the game. Another day, another team, another hero, and
another outcome. Or a trip to the minors... no job is safe, no lead is safe for Buck's boys.
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| Love Buck Showalter's revolving door policy - play well or back to the minors till you get it right. |
It’s only the beginning. Yes, here’s to baseball – and
normal!
All photos are the property of Marge McGugan. No reuse without permission.
"Lucy" clip via YouTube.com is public domain
