Who will be attending their home team's home opener this year?

I've got tickets to the Blue Jays season opener against those Damn Yankees! Boo! Hiss! I wonder if David Wells will be autographing copies of his book... wink :mad:

I'll be at the Vet with one of my brothers. We're both playing hooky that afternoon!

I'd go, but I can't afford the airfare to Puerto Rico! :mad:

Won't be in either city, so I'll have to settle for the Cubs or the White Sox.

I saw a picture in one of the Chicago rags yesterday of Manager Dusty Baker's huge hands on Sammy Sosa's broad shoulders. Mmmmm. I think the Cubbies will be doing their usual sinking sound, but I don't really care so long as they don't do it against my Cardinals. What's up with Kerry Wood's inner ear? That poor guy has more problems!

I will be going to see the Yankees play (and hopefully beat) the White Sox at the earliest possible convenience. Has the whiner Frank Thomas gotten his act together yet? Bartolo Colon got shelled the other day by a minor league team...ain't looking too good!

My friends and I could not get tickets to the Cards opener. However, we are headed to the stadium soon after.

Wasn't able to get tickets to the Dodger's first home game--which shall feature the return of Kevin Brown--but will attend at least one game during the first homestand.

~Adam

The final home opener in the history of Veterans Stadium is....sold out!

For the first time since '93 I'm able to get tix to the home opener. Right behind 1st base. Indians' season had been selling out the entire season every December. (Who has money for baseball tickets at Christmas time ?)

As much as I've enjoyed Cleveland being a decent team I've looked forward to this - being able to get decent tix on a whim, and less corporate- coffee-drinking cell-phone- talking band wagon jumpers everywhere at the stadium. Just us diehard Cleveland lovers. Although we have all rookies this year, at least they are prospects and not everyone else's crap like we had from '54 to '93....

Going to the Milwaukee Brewers home opener, club level behind home plate. Okay, so the tickets were not hard to get but I love baseball. I love the sport and I love opening day. Too bad more gay folk dont like sports(sorry for the preaching). Go Brewers!

Yeah, but each one of us will have to take the responsibility to develop the interest.

I agree with you, but it be would the same way for ice fishing, wine/microbrew tasting, or crochet (the next Olympic sport? ).

I think it's great, though, that you love sports deeply and want your fellow LGBTs to experience that love in their own way(s).

[ April 03, 2003, 10:55 AM: Message edited by: bluebird48234 ]

I won't be at either opener, but for anyone who's interested, WXRT has an aired-live party the day of the Cubs opener at Yakzie's (on Clark near Wrigley, therefore near Boystown), starting at 6 a.m. (if you're up to beer for breakfast, and if you're up at all at that hour eek! ). Not particulary gay (unless someone requests "Boys Keep Swinging" wink ) but probably fun.

So, the last home opener at the Vet had all the pregame ceremonies, including Art Garfunkel singing "America the Beautiful." Apparently he's a Phillies fan. Who knew? They introduced players from the 1971 team that opened the Vet, and had a tribute to Tug McGraw that featured two of his sons. Neither of them were Tim. wink

Then the game started with the Phils and Pirates in their 70s-style uniforms. My brother said later, the Phils were wearing their 1971 uniforms and played like the 1971 team. Talk about putting a damper on things...and in the chilly weather, yet. Ugh! A couple of days ago it was 76 degrees, today it was in the 40s! Joe Roa got the first batter, then single, single, walk, RBI single, grand slam by Reggie Sanders. C'mon, Brandon Duckworth, get healthy and get back now!

Jim Thome ripped the first pitch he saw for a triple--it sure seemed like it was gone, but maybe the wind held it in the park. But he finished 1-for-4 and his batting average has plummeted to a pitiful .533. Dammit, why did he have to get off to such a slow start???

Oh well...I'll be back tomorrow hoping for warmer weather and a better result with Kevin Millwood on the mound!

Hey scottie--were you at the game and if so, did you leave after the 8th inning and did you take the subway? I think I saw you going through the turnstiles as my brother and I were walking by on the way to his car.

[ April 04, 2003, 10:50 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

I was also at the frigid Phillies home opener. One of my friends said with the national anthem, God Bless America and America The Beautiful, along with the oversized flag on the field held by uniformed National Guard members, he was reminded of propoganda events we hear about in communist countries. Personally, I was touched.

I heard Larry Bowa was a big fan of Art Garfunkle, which is why he was approached to sing. Didn't recognize Art in his baseball cap (that big hair hidden).

It was a nice touch showing a video of Tug McGraw practicing (in Florida) catching the opening ball from a helicopter. Also nice touch having two of Tug's sons bring out on the field the opening ball.

Near the end of the game, I thought I was at an Eagles game. I saw many drunk attendees, a few fights broken up in the 600/700 level, and one fight where two guys fell down the steps of the 600/700 level as they were fighting.

I normally hate leaving games early, but it was soooo cold. I had my winter jacket and gloves and was still freezing. So Joe, that was me leaving at the end of the 8th inning headed toward the subway.
Big brother is watching!

Back to the Vet on Sunday - may it be warmer and the Phillies play better.

Who knew he was a Phillies fan? After that dismal performance at the Grammys last month, who knew he was still a singer?

What good was it if ur team still got thrashed

OSUFAN, Every team is going to get thrashed at some point in the season whether it's the Yankees or your beloved Indians. It was just great to see Thome get off to a good start for a change.

Well, the Phils did the thrashing today, much worse than the Bucs did yesterday. 16-1 final, even with Kevin Millwood leaving after 3 innings due to a strained right groin.

But Thome's average has dropped to .500! That slumping bastard! wink And it was still freezing--I think it was even a little colder than yesterday. The Weather Channel promised 62 degrees--not even close!

I happened to look up at the right time and saw those morons tumble down the steps. I couldn't tell how badly if at all they were hurt, but probably due to the alcohol they didn't feel a thing. They seem to get some rowdies every opening day, and from what I've heard a lot of the times it's underage high school and college kids. In one recent home opener that they always seem to talk about, most of the combatants were from a couple of Catholic high schools.

[ April 05, 2003, 05:12 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

Well, I've got my tickets for Opening Day at Yankee Stadium on Monday vs. the Twin(k)s. I just checked the weather forecast - it calls for temps in the mid-thirties and a several inches of snow!! eek! eek!

What?! There's no snowing in baseball. :mad: :mad: frown

[ April 06, 2003, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: pat125 ]

Hi Munson Man. Just heard that tomorrow's game has already been rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Yeeesh, I have meetings Tuesday afternoon and doubt I can sneak get awy in time for first pitch, let alone the Opening Day festivities. :mad:

It brings back memories of the 1996 opener vs. Cleveland. That game WAS played in the snow. In the sixth inning the Yankees announced all fans who had stayed to watch in such terrible conditions could get free tickets to one of several specific games later in the season. We chose a weeknight game in May vs. the White Sox, and wound up seeing Dwight Gooden's no-hitter for free!!

Looks like the Cubs have also postponed their home opener to Tuesday.

Also Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

[ April 07, 2003, 01:43 PM: Message edited by: canmark ]

Dodgers have their home opener today, in lovely mid-70's temperatures. Sadly, I was not able to get tickets (will be there tomorrow, if that counts...) About five seasons back, my sister and I went to opening day & she was asked, by a local TV reporter, "which Dodger has the cutest butt?" She pretty much bit the reporter's head off--would he ask men this sort of question at a women's game, why doesn't he think a woman could be interested in the game itself rather than the players' butts, why wasn't he asking any men that question--and as we walked away, she mumbled to me "It's Eric Karros, but I should have said Nancy B. Heffley" (Heffley used to play the organ at Chavez Ravine.) I would have said Dave Hansen.

~Adam

It's too damn cold to go to the game, so I'm watching it on TV.

So, Joe Mays, who's pitching for the Twins, intentionally walked Bernie Williams to load the bases for...Hideki Matsui, who promptly went deep in the right field bleachers for his first home run of the season. A grannie ain't a bad way to announce yourself at Yankee stadium, right?

What, I wonder, was the logic behind walking Bernie to get to Matsui, who's hit safely in every game so far this season but hadn't had a hit yet in this game? Has a pitcher ever walked a batter to get to Barry Bonds? What were the Twins thinking?

Congrats to the M's for winning 5-0 over the Angels in their opener. I still cant really pay attention to baseball till basketball season is over.

Got there super early for the Cleve opener vs. White Sox Tuesday, watched batting practice up close. Shane Spencer's butt isn't as huge in person as it appears in pics... But very delicious. Same for Mag Ordonez' butt. Paul Konerko is just as hot in person !

p.s. Bartolo Colon ignored us and wouldn't even wave.

...glad to see that Shane Spencer's assets are still making an impression, especially with his new club. When he was with the Yanks, I used to have my own personal nickname for him --"buns". Hey, buns is up to bat again! wink I didn't notice Konerko until last year's home run derby. I was like, "who is this?!?".

The Red Sox are scheduled to open Fenway tomorrow at 2:05 against Baltimore, although the weather looks questionable at this point. I'll be monitoring the game remotely... via TV.

The home opener will also mark the inauguration of a new section of seats atop the Green Monster, already the most coveted ticket in town. There are 270 bar stool type seats ($50), plus standing room for another 100 or so ($20). I'll try to find a pic of the amazing view across left field. Here's what I see of the construction on Lansdowne St as I walk home from the gym... or the rib place. (Photo courtesy SaveFenwayPark.org)

Interesting interview with Janet Marie Smith, the Red Sox organization's on-staff architect, who helped design Camden Yards during an earlier Larry Lucchino gig. "There is no screen (above the wall) as there was in the old days. The seats are actually in the envelope of the screen, so that they are identical in their configuration over Lansdowne St, which means the fans should see a lot of home run balls." Cool or what???

Now, about this "closer by committee" idea... Man, that is a whole 'nother rant.

[ April 10, 2003, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: redsoxbreath ]

Your FIRST PLACE Montreal Expos finally held their (real) home opener tonight. 36,879 fans watched nos amours beat the D-backs 4-zip. Since there's no hockey on tap, tomorrow night's rematch featuring Livan Hernandez making his home debut might draw as many as 3,687. Including me. :cool:

Seph, considering that you keep going back and buying Expos tickets for the Outsports Invasion, they ought to give you some extra special treatment!

Seph: when you and your 3,687 friends gather at Olympic Stadium, spread out--you want a lot of room to maneuver around to catch foul balls (as Miss Piggy once asked: "What made them so foul? Had they been dropped into something offensive?")

Edited to add the following: just heard they had more than 6,000 in attendance for the game in Montreal. Being a first-place team has its rewards!!

~Adam

[ April 23, 2003, 07:21 PM: Message edited by: Adam ]

Well, I came pretty close in my prediction. Only 6,380 showed up tonight, and yes, Adam, we tried to spread out as much as we could, just to make the place look "busy." The Expos stunk out the joint, and no foul balls came my way but, while circling the bases after his homer, I'm pretty sure Luis Gonzalez blew me a kiss, so the night was not a complete loss. Love the Miss Piggy quote, mon cherie. wink