Baseball Ray......
I know for many of you, hubby sitting down to watch a baseball game might mean you're off to the den, or the kitchen, or the bedroom, to watch Netflix or similar. (And I know MANY families where it's the 'she' that's more into baseball, so it could be hubby bootscooting away from the MLB TV game.)
You may, "because they want to" go with them to a Major League game, but it ain't the same for you as for junkies like me - who feel, walking into and catching glimpse of, the perfectly green, perfectly manicured specter in front of you - it's simply a slice of heaven.
Inotherwords, this may all bore you, and that's ok, I've bored people here long before now and will continue to do so as long as my hands type and my brain, kinda, works.
I remember, as a kid, trips with my folks thru smalltown USA. Virtually every town we came to - on the outskirts, there was a ballfield. I wanted dad to pullover, grab my glove and bat and try them all. That, of course, would be contrary to over the river and thru the woods to grandmother's house we must go, so we didn't, couldn't. Didn't stop me from loving every single baseball field we came upon.
As a small child, living in Jeff City and points East (Jeff, St. Charles, St, Louis) my first Major League Baseball experience was Busch Stadium. It was pertier than Ann Margaret, sturdier than Tarzan, and I felt more at home than when I was 'with' Andy, Barney and Ope.
A move - (to KC suburb Liberty) across the State. From one of the very best teams in MLB, to one of the very worst, the A's. That's ok, Municipal Stadium was the bomb. Same green as Busch. If dad went with us, we tried to park at Sam's (connected to the stadium, a gravel parking lot, in thinking back, I wonder how many of my fellow rock-chucking lads tossed one thru the windshield of a car as we walked to the game.) If Sam's was full, dad would pick a nearby neighbor's yard, where, for $2, they would promise to make sure no one disturbed the car. If dad was on a sale's trip, mom and I went to/fro the game via bus, WHAT a treat!
Oh my, the greenery. The symmetry. The bunny rabbit who came up out of the ground near home plate to give the ump more baseballs. The bugs on the lamps at night. The names we grew to know so well, Lumpe, Cerv, Siebern, Herzog... The green bats they gave us snotnoses on Bat Day. The amplification of the God-like sounding public address guy.. We were THE very first team in baseball to have our City name stitched across the front of our uni's, backed by an owner who proclaimed "My intentions are to keep the A's permanently in Kansas City and build a winning ball club. I have no intention of ever moving the franchise." I still loved me some Stan the Man, and of course Charlie James.. but the A's were growing on me.
After the 1967 season, that owner moved the team to Oakland. I didn't know hate. Well, I hatred snakes. I never even knew anyone that had been divorced, and I for sure had never heard of pergatory - but there we were. All dressed up, no team to go follow.
1969, Mr. K to save the day. Two more years of Municipal Stadium, then a brand spankin' new Baseball Park, not to mention a stadium for the Chiefs and an airport for all the ooutta towners to fly into to come witness same. It was a time of growth. Kansas City was right up town!
I was admittedly sad the last time I had Bryants BBQ , the last time I was able to park in Sams, or a yard across the street. Last time to see the bunny.
But holy smokes, the new Stadium, we could bbq hot dogs AND play a BIG OLE game of touch football (or wiffle ball) in the parking lot. The fountains. Again, the greenery, perfection, symmetry - truly, a thing of beauty. The crown on the scoreboard, yum. Not long after, I/we thought we was all growed up, beer mighta been involved, we'd by $5 tickets and by the 8th inning, we'd worked our way down to seats reasonably close to home plate. I was probably on TV drinking. Assuredly not a good thing.
That was 53 years ago. Since, 'firsts' taking a son, 'grandkids'. Four World Series. Champions twice. 1985, Game 6 (yes, the Denkinger game) was THE LOUDEST I've ever heard a crowd when Dane Iorg, bottom of the 9th, down 1-0, one out, Iorg singles home Sundberg and Wathan for the walkoff win. I understand the 2014 Wild Card game was louder, wish I woulda been there.
Game 7, 1985 my ex and I had seats right behind home plate. In the very last row of the stadium. I had a blue shirt, took magic marker to it, drew a picture of Missouri, designated KC and STL, adorned with the wording "May the West Team win!" The rest, inka Denk a Denk, is history.
I was OK, after awhile, when we moved to A's Country.
Took a couple years, but I was OK once Mr. K founded the Royals. I was sad, last game at Municipal, would never again be able to see the kids in the upper reaches of the football bleachers at Lincoln High School peeking over into see the A's. But I was ok, eventually, when The K was built.
Victor, whotheheck is Charlie James? After Stan the Man retired, Charlie, played left field, was my very favorite St. Louis Cardinal player in the early 60's for St. Louis. Charlie fell out of favor (not mine) and was eventually traded to make room for some guy named Brock from the Cubs. Somehow, I was OK eventually.
The hell does Petula Clark have to do with all this?
When you're alone and life is making you lonely you can always go, Downtown. When you've got worries all the noise and the hurries, seems to help I know, Downtown.
WHAT? YOU'RE GONNA MOVE US WHERE? John Sherman, new owner of the Royals, announces transparent intent to move the Royals downtown. Lease on present stadium expires in ten years, would like to move before then.
Selfishly, I'm agin' it. I love the ease of getting in my car in Liberty, being in the lot, then in the stadium in my seat in just about 30 minutes.
I've had my time. I made it past James. Made it from Busch, to Municipal, to Kauffman. I'm still here, with t-shirts left in my dresser of The Cardinals, the A's and the Royals.
We knew this was coming. We're old, we don't like change. Dadgummit the coffee filters usedta be in a paper goods ailse, whyintheheck did you move 'em over by the Folgers Coffee? Dear City fathers, it takes a heck of a lot longer now to get from A to B with that dadgum new stoplight you put in.
"They say", it won't cost taxpayers any additional. (Extension of the existing tax must be approved, there are many old folks like me in Jackson County, i worry about that.) "They say" there will be added revenues (hotels, bars, restaurants, businesses, apartments, condos, yada.) "They say" actually MORE tax dollars than present to KC. "They say" we'll figure parking out.
If "They say" holds true - PROMISE to use the extra funds for payroll. We need it, our city deserves it.
I say, selfishly, I don't want it (downtown), but it's in all likelihood what folks 20 to 50 want. I'm ok with that.
I've seen enough, sat through enough, been distraught enough, been jubilated enough, i can sit next to sonny boy and say "Now listen here you little whippersnapper... back in my day........" and tell any one of 2,000 stories. (Including the one from 1980, after we FINALLY beat the gosh darn Yankees.. we happened to be parked RIGHT BY the Yankee team bus. Reggie had struck out in a Big Big at bat. He was watching us. Hamp was the pretend pitcher. Sanford was the pretend lefthanded batting Reggie, I was the pretend umpire. Hamp thru, STRIKE ONE (And we looked up at Reg).. Next toss, STRIKE TWO! (Reg not smiling).. One more, STRIKE THREE! We all did knee slappers whilst staring at the bus. Ah, he, his ego back then, he earned it.
When you're alone and life is making you lonely you can always go, Downtown.
I/we have had our time, it's ok.
Love, Victurd
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