I went to the Opening Day game between the Seattle Mariners and LA Angels at Angels Stadium of Anaheim, I got a great seat, it was situated between home plate and the first base dugout, 20 rows from the field. The place was packed, the people excited, the pageantry of Opening Day was on full display. This excitement I felt the night before in San Diego, it is a coming together of people, everyone with high hopes of the season. People were spending lots of money to buy team apparel, to show the world who they represent. I was grateful to be at the game to watch and to listen to all that was happening, watching the dad who spent a fortune on a Mike Trout jersey for his 10 year old daughter, along with the “rally monkey” she absolutely had to have. He needs to work some overtime to make up for that out lay of cash, but they have the moment embedded into their memory of being at Opening Day 2014.
The guy next to me talked non stop to the guy behind him about how knowledgeable he was about the Angels and the game of baseball, the guy behind was probably wondering why he got stuck with this “know it all”, since he looked and talked like he knew nothing of the game but got free company tickets and thought he would see what all the fuss was about, I don’t think he will be coming back since he spent as much time on his phone as the wife of the “know it all”. I enjoyed how it all played out, this type of scenario was happening all over the stadium. People discussing the Angels chances this year, Mike Trout signing that huge contract and then not disappointing in his first at bat of the season by hitting a 2 run home run, the fans booing Robinson Cano, I didn’t understand all the boos, until I heard the “know it all” say something about the contract, I wondered why he didn’t boo Mike Trout then… The guy was even trying to explain what Don Baylor did to hurt himself on the cerimorinal first pitch, he was way off, as was I, my guess was that he twisted his ankle, but he broke his femur! I hope he is okay!
I didn’t feel like walking around the stadium, I liked the place but it was one like many I have seen in the past, it is converted multi sport complex that was changed to baseball only, it is surrounded by parking lots, there isn’t a lot of personality to it, but I have to say that I am grateful that they still utilize it. It has some history to it and they have been adding features. Angel Stadium has been the home of the Angels since their move from Los Angeles. In 1964, ground was broken for Anaheim Stadium and in 1966, the then-California Angels moved into their new home after having spent four seasons renting Dodger Stadium (referred to during Angels games as Chavez Ravine Stadium) from the Dodgers. I found a great website call Stadium Journey that I have been utilizing and I have posted a few reviews on their site, I highly recommend that you take a look at it, here is the link to their review of Angels Stadium: http://www.stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/angel-stadium-of-anaheim-s14.
I got to my seat about a half hour before the first pitch, I didn’t leave it until after the game, I wanted to observe, I was feeling tired, I didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Being at the game made me feel secure, I have been traveling so much and not knowing where I going to end up on a day to day basis the one “comfortable” thing in my life is the baseball game that I will be at. If that sounds weird it really isn’t, we are creatures of habit and comfort, why do people stay in bad relationships? Because it is familiar, it is comfortable… I love the journey I am on, I am finding out a lot about who I am as a person, what things I have taken for granted, the people I have also taken for granted, the simple things I miss, the things I don’t miss. I am finding out that as a person I can adjust to things, not get so upset by things, not be so attached to people or places. The biggest thing I am learning is the more I open up and show the world who I am the more I am embraced. Do I recommend this for everyone? Not what I am doing, but I do recommend to get out of your comfort zone more often, be courageous and have NO expectations of people, places or things, you will find some happiness that you never knew existed! Anyway, the Angels got beat by the Mariners 10-3, the fans still had a fun time and I heard on guy yelling, “161-1 we can do it!” Please read the next sentence, I really do need help, not just financial!
If you enjoy this story and you would like to help me complete the “Baseball in America Tour 2014”, which is roughly 265 days, please click on the following link to see how you can help at http://www.baseballbuddha.com/sponsor.html. Please, also ,share this on your Facebook page and Twitter, I appreciate all the help I can get!
hey your writings and pictures are great .now I really see why people get into baseball. from the 7th inning stretch,to home openers.i have forgotten what the game is all about. keep up the dream.