The Bengal Roars, My Love Soars!!
dd June 20th, 2007
I love baseball. My love affair started when I was a little kid in Detroit and my dad used to take me to Tiger Stadium to watch Al Kaline and the gang. We loved going on Sundays and seeing Charlie “Paw Paw” Maxwell hit his Sunday home runs. He was famous for hitting on Sunday. The love affair sort of cooled off when I moved to D.C. 37 years ago especially with no baseball team in D.C for so long. But, I always followed the Tigers in the good years and the lean years. Lately, the team has been awesome.
Last year, my good friend Gene and I went to see the Tigers in their new Comerica Park stadium when I was in Detroit visiting my mom. The Tigers got crushed by the White Sox that day even though that was the first live Tigers game I had seen in many years. How could they? Oh well, they went on to vanquish all AL foes and ended up in the world series.
Rightfielder Magglio Ordonez congratulates Carlos Guillen on his home run.
Tonight, my wife and I and Bill and Kris went to see the Tigers play the Washington Nationals at RFK. It was the Tigers first visit to DC in over 35 years! Tonight’s game was the final one of a 3 game series and the Tigers had won the first 2 by scores of 9-8 and 15-1. They had crushed the Nats last night. So, I was worried that maybe they would be a little flat tonight. Not to worry. On a gorgeous night in the nation’s capital, the mighty bengals lambasted the woeful Nats again 8 -4. I think there were as many Tiger fans as Nats fans, especially when the Nats fans started heading toward the exits after the 8th inning. Come on, you don’t leave a game before it’s over. How would they have felt if the Nats (remote chance but you never know) had come back and rallied in the bottom of the 9th? What a hoot to hear thousands of the olde English D hatted fans yelling “Let’s Go Tigers!”
But, Todd Jones shut them down in the 9th and the Tigers behind great hitting from Maglio and Carlos did it again. “Hold that Tiger, hold that Tiger….”. I’m in love again!
If I had realized it was their first visit here in 35 years, I would have paid better attention to every play! As it was, I saw a lot of the action and I learned about the “ground rule double”. It was a perfect evening for baseball, with the ceremonial Hebrew National dog piled high with catsup, mustard and pickle relish. Take me out to the ball game!
I saw the game on Monday and the Nats DID rally in the 9th, but not quite enough to win. I have to say, the Detroit fans were obnoxious but you have to admire their enthusiasm. I never, ever leave a game before it ends. I just can’t!
Knowing you’re a fan makes the losses slightly easier to take.
Barbara - glad to know you were paying such close attention. Next time, I may ask you to keep score
Jamy - I agree - the Detroit fans were slightly obnoxious in their enthusiasm. But, Detroiters love their sports teams. In fact, most sports journalists think Detroit’s main claim to fame is that it is the best sports city in America.
Go Tigers!
Go Nats!
…. whatevah! I don’t get sports and if it were up to me, I’d leave the game by the third inning.
Playing sports is fun. Sitting around watching them? Never understood the thrill, but hey, GO Tigers!!
Yeah, the old Tiger Stadium, with its ivy walls located right in the middle of the slums! i remember being there for ‘Bat Day inh the Championship years of 67 & 68 and everyone ponding their Sluggers into the stands flooring in unison …and I would think that surely this old building was comin’ down!
And then the crowd would start chanting ‘Who needs money, we want Cash!” (norm) and then it would be tied up in the bottom of the Ninth, and I would tell Dad ‘I have to go to the Bathroom” and no sooner would we be in the loo, than there would be the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd and Dad would look wistfully out the door and mutter under his breath….”Golly”…
Yep, I remember Tiger Stadium.
Do you remember the Al Kaline Potato Chips?
Steve - I wish I was there for the ‘68 playoffs and World Series. That must have been great. I sadly was in grad school in W.Lafayette, Ind. But, I recall the game we beat the Cardinals with Bob Gibson pitching, who had been invincible up until then. I’m pretty sure Jim Northrup hit a line drive over Curt Flood’s head that was the turning point.
But, I do not remember Al Kaline Potato Chips. Maybe I had left home already??
where’s one of my favorite bloggers ?? i hope you are preparing yourself for camp ……
charging up those lightening bolt batteries and all…..smile.
hi red,
Thanks for asking. I’ve just been taking a break from blogging - really busy lately. you can find out what’s new by reading Barbara’s - well, at least her pov. We just arrived at Chautauqua, aka Lake Wobegon - aka “camp” tonight. I’m taking a “writing the short short story” course in addition to one on photography. So, you might see some new material posted as stories - unless I flunk out. Stay tuned. I’m “stealing” the Carey cottage wifi signal to do a little webbing.
Hope things are going ok with you.
Ah
Glad to hear the reason… I’ve been worrying a bit, over your absence
I can’t comment on the post… I know nothing of baseball, but i’m missing the thoughts of the poster.
Hope the lake is good to you, and gives you a wealth of stories.
Ok Dave. This ‘break’ is beginning to look suspiciously like a suspension. How was camp? the writing class? Hoping life slows a bit for you, and we see (read) you soon back on this excellent but neglected blog.
Are those dust bunnies I see hiding under that Bengal post ?
affectionately,
red
Merry Holidays, Dave!
xxx
red
There’s nothing like the crack of the bat on a July evening… Guess I’ll have to go get some Giant’s tickets and find a sweater!