Ray's Games
I can remember as a child riding home from one of Matthew and Nicholas's T-ball games and thinking "That looked like fun." I enjoyed playing baseball with the two of them for a couple of years, and then I started playing fast pitch softball. I wasn't great or anything, but I did really enjoy it. I loved playing in right field, there's alot of movement there, backing up first and second base, catching popflies or hard hit grounders. I called the balls and strikes out there, and kept up with the outs. I wasn't much of a batter, but I really loved running and trying to steal bases.
Growing up we watched the Cubbies alot, Daddy liked the cubs. I very faintly remember going to a Cubs game when I was small. The only reason I know it's a real memory is because one time I mentioned it to Daddy, and said what stood out most in my mind was the memory of a really big pole out in front of us, and Daddy said that part of the seats were positioned behind a grey concrete support to the deck above us. The boys really followed the Atlanta Braves, and I can remember us all going to see a Braves game and sitting up high way down the third base line. We watched them when Chipper Jones and Maddox played for them, and my favorite player was David Justice because he played right field too. That said, I didn't really care for watching baseball. After all it is kinda boring to watch, not like football with all the action.
However, since marrying Gary who is a big Tampa Bay Rays fan, I have watched more baseball, and we've had the opportunity to see several games now. I still don't really enjoy watching the game on tv, after all you can't watch the entire field and it's not the same view as sitting in the stands. I do though really love going and watching a game. The tickets in the outfield are really reasonable.
The first year after Gary and I got married, the Rays went to the playoffs for the first time, and they even made it to the world series. We didn't have cable at the time, but I can remember us sitting on our bed and watching one of the games with rabbit ears on a really grainy 13 inch tv, and Gary jumping around going crazy. I was pregnant, past the morning sickness and not uncomfortable yet, we had a ball! In these four seasons, the Rays have gone to the playoffs 3 times.
Each year, Mosaic allows Dad to get tickets for the family to go to a game on a Sunday afternoon. Britt has been to three of those games now. Last year Ruth was born on the day before the game, so she's only been once. Britt has always enjoyed the experience, watching people eat boiled peanuts, and getting to eat hot dogs, all the noise and excitement, the many things to see. Ruth is like that now. Britt is now beginning to pay attention to the field. He knows that our pitcher's name is "Shields" and he thinks our catcher's name is "Stop It" (Shoppach). He can tell you the difference between them is that the "pitcher pitches the ball and catcher throws the ball." He always wants to know if it's "our turn to bat" and when Gary is watching baseball he want to go and watch it too... for a little bit anyway.
We have been able to go to three games this season. Gary took me for my birthday, we took the kids with Gary's family back in August, and then we went with the Church a few days after that. And I really enjoyed every minute of those games! I would have loved to go to one of the Rangers - Rays games but those tickets don't just materialize. We aren't going to be able to see them win the world series this year, but there's always next year.
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