The Fisher Cats certainly have a lot on tap for the holiday weekend.  There are still some tickets left for the July 4 game vs. the Portland Sea Dogs, so if you want to go, get over to nhfishercats.com and order before they sell out.  For your convenience, the site lets you print your tickets at home, so you don’t have to stand in long lines at the Will Call window.  Game time is at 7:05 PM.

In addition to the Atlas Fireworks show after the game, there will also be a hot dog eating contest before the game.  Honestly, I’m sorta glad we were unable to find suitable aisle seats for this one, because I kinda get gagged out by the sight of competitive eating contests.  The sight of seeing anyone rapidly shoving food into their mouth is just gross to me.  But many people do enjoy it, so if you do, and have tickets for this game, enjoy!

But a 4th of July tradition that I do enjoy is when the Fisher Cats suit up, this one day of the year, as the New Hampshire Primaries.  As you may know, when the team formerly known as the New Haven Ravens was bought and to be moved to ManchVegas, it was originally to be called the New Hampshire Primaries.  The logo was to be an elephant and a donkey…here it is…

However, a lot of people (myself included) thought it was a dumb name, so they put it up for a vote to the people of New Hampshire.  Since I live in Massachusetts, I was not eligible to vote.  But the name “Fisher Cats” won, and the rest is history.

But the fact that I thought that the original name was a dumb one didn’t stop me from buying logo T-shirts for Mike and me, that were left over from when they really planned to name the team the “Primaries”.  We wore them when we did get to go to games when the ‘Cats became the Primaries for the night.
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Since we have the Sunday Funday mini-plan, we already have tickets for Sunday’s game, which will also have an Atlas Fireworks spectacular afterwards.  So we’ll be seeing a live fireworks show a day late…but so what?  Also, no competitive eating contests, but we’ll be treated to something much better.

At 2:45 PM, prior to the regularly scheduled Fisher Cats/Sea Dogs game, college ballplayers take the field, as Team USA takes on the New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Stars.  We’ve been to a few NECBL games (Sanford Mainers, North Shore Navigators), and these kids really are the cream of the crop from their schools.  It’s excellent quality baseball, so if you have tickets to the Sunday Fisher Cats game, come on out a few hours early to see these guys play!

After that game, the Fisher Cats/Sea Dogs game will start at around 6:35 PM, that is, provided that the college game doesn’t go into extra innings or something.  But hey, it’s gonna be a gorgeous day out, and what better way to spend it than at a beautiful ballpark?

Yeah, I know that there are all sorts of 4th of July sales at the stores, where everything from area rugs to appliances to cars are being offered for great prices.  But I’ll be skipping the malls on Sunday and hitting MerchantsAuto.com Stadium for a day filled with sunshine and baseball!

As for Saturday, the Sox come on at 1PM, as a night game would interfere too much with the Esplanade fireworks letting out.  So, since we don’t have cable, we’ll probably go to our local TGI Friday’s to watch that game, as I have an $8.00 off coupon that will expire soon if I don’t use it.  And then we’ll go home and watch the Pops show and the fireworks thingy on TV.  So we’ll be all rested up for the big day in New Hampshire on Sunday!

However you choose to celebrate the 4th, make it safe and sane!

After the big rainout that I talked about in my last post, we did go back to MerchantsAuto.com Stadium on Monday night.  The Sunday night game that had be suspended due to rain was scheduled to be made up on Monday, as part of a single admission double-header, to begin at 5:35 PM.  I had traded in the tickets for Monday’s game, and we drove up there after my doctor’s appointment.  We knew that by the time we got there, it would be past 3:35 PM, and that the Same Adams Bar & Grill would be open, it opens about an hour before the rest of the Fisher Cats ballpark does.

Also, they were giving out Johnny Pesky bobbleheads, and I wanted.  Another reason to get there as early as possible!

The weather at the time was gorgeous…would we finally get a break from all of the rain?

The Sunday night game was suspended after only one inning was played, so they picked it up in the second.  They managed to get almost the whole game in, before the skies opned up, never to close again.  The thunder and lightening made more noise than a sportscar with souped-up Ferrari parts.   But it was an official game by this time, and the Portland Sea Dogs won it.

So the second game has now been postponed until sometime in August.  I can still exchange my tickets, but I may or may not bother.  The way I see it, we saw almost one whole game, which is what we originally paid for, AND we got the bobbleheads.
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I wanted to spend a little time talking more about the Sam Adams Bar & Grill.  This first opened last year, to great success.  The ala carte menu includes burgers, sandwiches, salads, New England clam chowder, chili, and a few appetizers.

This year, they have introduced something new…an All You Can Eat Buffet (this is a .pdf file).  It’s different for each day of the week,   Neitther of us had tried it until Sunday…Mike took one look at the Carving Station (which they have every Sunday), and he wanted it.

Prices vary depsning on the buffet…the Carving Station is the most expensive one at $16 per person.  I wasn’t hungry enough to justify it, but Mike got it, and had several helpings.  They had roast beef, roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and veggies.  Mike enjoyed it a lot, and says he would get this again.  Since we go to most of our Fisher Cats games on Sundays, it’ll be the Carving Station next time.

The buffet opens two hours before game time and closes half an hours after the game starts.  I mean, they can’t afford to have people grazing at the thing all day!  2 1/2 hours is more than enough time to fill up, and then walk out to your seats to watch the game.

$16 is probably less than what Mike would spend on his usual trips to the food concessions in the ballpark (not including beer).  So this is indeed an excellent value.  He was so full from the buffet that he didn’t get hungry again for many. many hours.

You can either order tickets for the buffet online, at the same time you’re ordering game tickets.  However, if you are undecided, fear not, you can decide when you get there, and they’ll sell you a special bracelet to identify you as someone who paid for the buffet.

Maybe I will give the Carving Station a try at our next game, that’s this coming Sunday.  Let’s just hope the weather will be nice, as advertised!

The tarp on the field is NOT something I like to see.  But at Sunday night’s Fisher Cats game, we saw said tarp, as shown above.  They played exactly one inning before the tarp went down, for a rain delay.

I was confused at first, I thought that they were calling the game.  But when I got up to take a leak, I saw that they were still selling food and beer,  I had heard that we could exchange the tickets for a future game.

After I took my leak, which I’d been holding in and was more powerful than the best Delta fauctes, I went to find out what was going on.  I went to the souvenir store, where they also sold tickets, and asked the guy there what was the deal.  He said that they were trying to get the game in, but no matter what happened, fans could exchange their tickets for any future game this season.

So I handed him our tickets and got seats for Monday night’s game.  Which will be a doubleheader starting at 5:30 PM, because the Sunday game never did get played.

I have a doctor’s appointment in Burlington, MA at 1PM.  But after that, we’ll be heading straight to Manchester, to beat the traffic, get a good parking space, and most important of all, score one of the Johnny Pesky bobbleheads that will be given away that night.  That will more than make up for not getting the stadium replica thingy on Friday.

Even if Monday gets rained out, as long as I get my hot little hands on a Johnny Pesky bobblehead, all is well with the world!

Obviously, I did not croak from a heart attack or anything else, because I am here to tell the tale.  But I was annoyed because I was made to stay in the hospital for almost too long…mostly because this other dickwad hospital I was in refused to fax over my records of previous cardiac tests, which were due to my thinking I was having a heart attack then.  Yah, this has been going on for a while.  I was on meds, but had to stop taking them due to having lousy insurance and all.  Plus, they did go away for a time, anyway.

The AM ER doc said that if only the other place had faxed over my old records, a cardiac stress test would not have been needed.  But they didn’t, so I had to stay overnight and have the thing done the next day.

Only they were going to let me rot there in that little cube in the ER until at least 3:45PM!  We had tickets to the Fisher Cats game that night (Friday), and I was determined to be there.  The previous ER  doctor had told me that the stress test wasn’t needed, that everything else looked fine, and I’d be getting out in the AM.

In the AM, a nurse came in and told me about the 3:45 PM stress test.  I was royally pissed, because I needed to get out sooner than that for the game, and that I felt that I was lied to by that doctor.  And why make me sit in that crummy cube in the ER all night and day, when it was needed for other patients?  Why not give me the test ASAP, and as long as they found nothing wrong, get me out of the place ASAP?

I swear, office furniture is more comfy than hospital beds.  My back hurts now due to that horrible bed, and this is still going on after sleeping in my own bed last night.

Anyway, I begged the nurse to PLEASE, if at all possible, schedule the stress test for sooner, so we could still go to the game.  I told her how much this meant to me, that the docs already said that my problem was panic  attacks and not cardiac related, that they wanted to do the stress test to just be sure.  I said that going to baseball games was good for my health, that I never have panic attacks at the games, so could she please help me if at all possible.

They came through, but only because there was a cancellation.  Turned out I passed the test with flying colors…good to know.  Nothing wrong with the old ticker.  But it was still a scary feeling when The Panic Attack From Hell was happening.  The whole thing actually subsided shortly after we got to the hospital.

Even so, by the time someone came around with my discharge papers, it was past 4PM.  Still better than a test that would start at 3:45 PM!

Mike was there, and as soon as I signed the papers, we were out of there.  I was in serious need of a shower (I was too sick on Thursday to take one).  Also, I needed to change my clothes into proper Fisher Cats gear.  When we got home, I was showered, changed, hair done and made up in 35 minutes…a record for me.  We were out the door by 5:35PM.

I knew that by this point, we had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting the stadium replica thingies they were giving away.  The traffic on I-93 North was hellish.  And when we did get there, parking was difficult to find.  We finally did find a spot, which was a bit of a hike from the ballpark, but it was worth it.

But dammit, I made it to the game, just hours after being released from the hospital!  If this isn’t true fan-dom, what is?

Directions – Rather than type them all out, I refer you to this page from the Fisher Cats’ website.

Parking – Once again, this page has most of the info that you need to know.  When they say GET HERE EARLY, they are not kidding, especially for weeknight games, or when there’s something going on at the Verizon Wireless Arena.  It would be a very good idea to click on that link BEFORE you leave home, so you can see if there is anything going on there, so you can plan accordingly.

The best and least expensive parking option is to park on North Commercial Street, away from the ballpark.  This is good for weekend games only, more on this in a bit.  The spaces on South Commercial street that are closer to the ballpark fill up early, mostly with the cars of ballpark staff.  It may seem a bit of a hike, but the good news is that the Fisher Cats, along with Auto City, offer a free shuttle bus from the parking out on North Commercial Street.

Granite Street (where the traffic lights are) is the dividing line between North and South Commercial Streets.

Another important thing you need to know, if you opt to park on the street, is that the City of Manchester is now charging for event parking, even on weekends, when parking on the street used to be free.

Here is some information about municipal (including street parking) for events such as Fisher Cats games.  As you can see, street parking is metered hourly until 8PM, which could be a problem for going to a Friday night game.  For weeknight games, I suggest seeking alternate parking in a lot or a garage, even if it costs more.  Remember, being towed is ALWAYS much more expensive!  For weeknight games, we just go for one of the several $10 lots on South Commercial Street, that are an easy walk to the ballpark.  But space is limited, so remember…GET THERE EARLY!

Metered parking on weekends is different.  This used to be free, but now the City of Manchester is charging $1.00 to park on North Commercial Street and surrounding side streets during Fisher Cats games and events at the Verizon Wireless Arena.  Not bad, but you should know ahead of time that these meters take only coins, or credit/debit cards.  No dollar bills.  I think it’s stupid to put a buck on a credit/debit card, so I make sure to always carry some quarters when I’m planning to park in that area.

For this weekend event parking, you put your money in the meter and it spits out a receipt.  You place the receipt under your front windshield, where it can easily be seen by passing cop cars.  Failure to do this will result in your being towed.

At the Ballpark – Now that we have parking out of the way…MerchantsAuto.com Stadium opens their seating area one hour before game time.  HOWEVER, if you took the advice and GOT THERE EARLY, you can get into the Sam Adams Bar & Grill up to two hours before game time.  This is a great place to have a beer and watch some batting practice, as it offers a great view of the field.  If your are hungry, you can take advantage of their All-You-Can-Eat buffets, there’s a different one each day of the week.  Tickets to the buffet can be purchased in advance, or you can buy a bracelet that entitles you to pig out right there at the restaurant.

Don’t want the buffet?  There are also ala carte menu items at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill, such as burgers, hot dogs, New England clam chowder, and more.

Click the Sam Adams Bar & Grill link for more info about the buffet and other menu items.  NOTE:  You must have a game ticket to be admitted into the restaurant.  All tickets are welcome, even the cheap seats!

Lodgings in Manchester – If you are coming for this whole upcoming weekend series, you probably have a hotel or motel room by now.  The only place in town where I have ever stayed is the Hilton Garden Inn that is right next to the ballpark, but I’d bet the rent that it is fully booked by this time.  You might luck out of someone cancels at the last minute, though.  I can recommend this place not only because it is close to the ballpark, but it’s also a very nice hotel for a reasonble price.

If you’re late to the game and are still looking for lodgings, your best bet is to check out TripAdvisor.com.  You can see what hotels are available, check for any special deals, and book right from there.  Most importantly, you can also read reviews from real people about these places, so you can avoid the ones that suck.

Dining – You will no doubt do most of your eating at the ballpark, be it in your seats of at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill.  But I can suggest a few places in town to go, perhaps for a pre or post-game meal.  NOTE:  This list is limited to places in which I have personally eaten.

• The Wild Rover Pub – A traditional Irish pub type place, and the menu reflects that.  Pub grub includes fish & chips and bangers & mash.  That’s what we had the last time we were in there…I had fish & chips, Mike had the bangers & mash.  Both are excellent, as are the other menu items we’ve tried.  Also, lotsa great beers on tap!  We absolutely love this place.  All ages welcome, but if you are bringing the kiddies, sit on the dining room side.  There has been known to be much swearing and cussing over on the bar side (where we like to hang out).  Visit the Wild Rover Pub’s website for location and more info.  On the weekends, you can park free in the big garage across the street from the place.
• JD’s Tavern -  This is in the Radisson Hotel.  Good food, large portions, although sometimes the service is a bit slow.  Check out the Manchester Radisson’s web page for location and more info.  Easy walk if you are parked on North Commercial Street and got back to your car on the shuttle.  If you are in any of the lots, sorry, you have to move.  But you can then park on the street nearby and walk, once the game is over.
• The Patio – This is the restaurant in the aforementioned Hilton Garden Inn, that faces the ballpark.  You do not have to be a hotel guest to eat there.  They feature an outdoor bar with several good beers on tap.  The food is pretty good, too.  Visit their website for more info.
• Margarita’s – Mexican restaurant on Elm Street, not too far from the ballpark.  It’s good and it’s cheap.  Parking is on-street only, but on weekends you can park in the garage across the street from the Wild Rover, and walk from there.  Visit their website and click on LOCATIONS tofind the address, and for more info.

Other stuff to do while you’re here for the weekend – You mean there is life in Manchester beyond the Fisher Cats?  LOL!  Anyhoo, if you are looking for stuff to do in town when baseball is not being played, the City of Manchester is happy to help.

I hope you enjoy your visit to *ManchVegas*, and have fun at the Fisher Cats’ beautiful ballpark!  If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I will answer it here.

BTW, the Fisher Cats will be visiting Portland in a few weeks to play the Sea Dogs at their ballpark, Hadlock Field.  So check back then for a similar guide to Portland!

Are you in the Manchester, NH area?  Would you like to take your family or friends out to see the future Red Sox play?  And are you looking for a way to save a few bucks?

Well, do I have a deal for you!  The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (class AA Toronto Blue Jays) will be hosting the Portland Sea Dogs (class AA Boston Red Sox) for a four-game series this weekend.  We’ll be there on Friday and Sunday nights.

This special limited time offer is available for the game on Monday, June 29.  From noon tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23, until noon on Wednesday, June 24, you can purchase three tickets to this game, and get a fourth one free.

From the Fisher Cats’ website:

Don’t miss out on this 24-hour ticket special that runs from noon on Tuesday, June 23, until noon on Wednesday, June 24. Click HERE and enter the promo code “buy3get1″.

Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia all played in Manchester on their way to Fenway. Catch the Red Sox of tomorrow in New Hampshire today with this special Buy 3, Get 1 Free 24-hour Ticket Special for the 7:05pm game on Monday, June 29th.

The first 2,000 fans through the gates that night will get a Johnny Pesky Bobblehead, courtesy of Northeast Delta Dental, and it’s the Fisher Cats Kickoff to Summer Luau.

Remember, there’s only 24 hours to take advantage of this special offer. Click HERE anytime beginning noon on Tuesday, June 23, through noon on Wednesday, June 24, and enter the promo code “buy3get1″.

I SO want one of those Johnny Pesky bobbleheads, but Mike might be returning to work that day, and therefore we wouldn’t be able to go.

If you have never been to a New Hampshire Fisher Cats game, you are in for a treat.  They hgave a great ballpark, and everyone always has fun there.  So, if you are so inclined, take advantage of this offer while you can!

The switchover from analog to digital TV took place on Friday, June 12, over a week ago.  Despite all of the heavy advertising about this, millions of people are still unprepared, and therefore are unable to watch TV.  But it is still not to late to remedy this situation.

I’ve blogged about this issue many times, on my various blogs.  Basically, I told people the true facts about the switch, and what is REALLY needed to be prepared.  People needed to do one of three things in order to keep getting a TV signal after June 12:

• Purchase a converter box, which will enable you to continue using your old analog TV after the switchover.  The government was giving our $40 coupons to be used towards the purchase of these.  They ran out of money for a time, but now I think they are offering them again.  Go to DTVAnswers.com for more info.
• Purchase a new TV with a digital tuner.  These used to be pricey, but I’m seeing that the prices are starting to come down.  And if you can find one on sale, all the better.
• Subscribe to cable or satellite TV.

Now, the cable companies will have you believe that THEIR way is the ONLY way, and will try to hide the fact that you can still get free, over-the-air TV without payng for their services.  Comcast is a prime example of this, I have been annoyed over their scare tactics to get people to get cable service that they can’t afford, making them think that if they don’t, they can never watch TV again.

I got a rather official looking mailing from them today, with a big red box on the envelope that says Urgent:  Regarding changes that occurred June 12.  It did not have the Comcast logo anywhere on the envelope, not even in the return address.  However, the return address simply read One Comcast Center, Philadelphia, PA  19103-2838.  Duh!  Not too hard to figure out who sent it!  Unless you are one of those stupid people who have been living under a rock for the past two years!

And this is exactly who Comcast is going after…the stupid.  Inside the envelope was their usual advertisement about free basic cable for a year if you sign up for their phone or internet service, or $10/month for a year if you don’t.  They are leading people to believe that this is the only way to watch TV again.  And yes, the prices go up after a year.

On the other side of the ad, at the bottom of the page, in VERY small print, it says that you can also be prepared by buying a converter box or digital TV and not subscribe to cable.  And it also discloses that there is an additional fee not only for the installation, but for taxes and other crap.  And if you cancel before the year is up, it says in microscopic print, you will be billed at a much higher rate for the time that you did keep the service on.

It pisses me off because they are going after people who are least likely to afford yet another endless monthly payment.  In these difficult economic times, it is NOT a good idea to sign on for ANY contract thingy if it is not 100% necessary.   What if you lose your job and can’t pay the bill?  Well, not only are you back to square one, as in NO TV signal, but you will also be penalized for breaking the contract…at a time when you can least afford it!

That is why I think it is better to either go with the converter box, or a new TV.  You may also need a new antenna, too.  These are all one-time purchases, or at least until they wear out and need to be replaced, but that will be many years from now.  In the meantime, no monthly payments!

If your old TV is dying, and you are in the market for a new one, this is an excellent time to go shopping for one.  I found a Samsung 24″ LCD HDTV (pictured above) for under $300.  It can also be used as a computer monitor.  It’s gotten some good rathings from users, and looks to be an excellent value.  If I were in the market for a new TV right now, I’d pick this one up from Buy.com…espcially since they also offer FREE SHIPPING!

Just about all free broadcast stations here in the Boston area are broadcasting in HD now, so forget about this nonsense that says you can only watch HDTV with cable or satellite.  If you don’t have cable now, but choose to get it in the future (when things are more stable financially for you), so you can watch the Sox on NESN, you’ll be all set to enjoy their HD broadcasts with this TV.

If you are watching over the air TV, though, be aware that another necessary, one-time purchase may be a DTV antenna.  The old rabbit ears just don’t work well with the new digital signals.  I have the Audiovox TERK TV5 Low-Profile Indoor Amplified Television Antenna, have had it since before all of this talk about analog-to-digital transitioning, and it works great.  It may not work for everyone, so you should check out AntennaWeb to help determine which model is best for your needs.  And then, be sure to come back to Buy.com to get it at a rock-bottom price, complete with FREE shipping!

Don’t get ripped off!  Consider all of your options, and decide what is best for you, and what you feel you can comfortably afford!

But I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that perhaps the Sox paid too much for this guy?  I dunno, maybe he’ll make a comeback, but it’s still way too much money for a guy who just hasn’t produced this year.  Hell, even Big Papi has come out of his slump.
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We went to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats game today.  I was so sure that it would end up being called due to rain, but they played it through, all ten innings of it.  Maybe it might have been better is the big downpour came right after five innings, when the Fisher Cats were still winning, 4-0.  But no, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, when the Erie SeaWolves tied it in the 9th, and then scored five more runs in the 10th.

Ugh.
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Also, this is for the bimbo sitting in front of us, in Section 107, row R, seat 2. Thanks for being a bimbo, putting your head on your husband’s shoulder, and letting your long hair almost dip into my beer, which was in the cup holder attached to the back of your seat. Luckily, I salvaged it just in time before your hair got into my $5.75 Sam Summer Ale.  But still…you see cup holders in front of you, you and your husband were using them.  So doesn’t it stand to reason that there are also cup holders BEHIND you?
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I also got a laugh over this very annoying woman, who was in our section as a part of a large family group, who went in search of a beer in the 8th inning.  As she left on her quest, I almost told her that beer sales ended after the middle of the 7th inning, but held my tongue.  She was loud and annoying, so I figured I’d get an inning or two of peace as she stopped at every concession stand in the ballpark in search of a non-existent beer.

I was right.  She came back and complained that no one would sell her a beer, anywhere in the entire ballpark.  I guess she was too dumb to go into the Sam Adams Bar & Grill, which sells beer through the entire game and beyond…the only thing is that you have to consume it in the restaurant, you can’t take it out.

But hey, an inning and a half of not hearing her loud mouth…priceless!
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Due to field conditions (it rained on and off all day), the Fisher Cats had to cancel the “kids run the bases” thing.  I need to check the team’s Facebook page and see if some dumb-assed parents wrote on their wall to complain about this, about how disappointed the kids were over not being able to run the bases.  Hell, some parents wrote whiny stuff on the wall of the Brockton Rox Facebook page when a game that their kids were supposed to go to got rained out, they acted as it the team was supposed to *do something* for these kids.  Yeah, as if these teams can control the weather!
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I do hope the weather improves this week, though. The Fisher Cats go on a brief road trip this week, returning on Friday for a four-game series vs. the Portland Sea Dogs.  We already have tickets for the Sunday game, via our season mini-plan.  But on Friday, they are giving away little replicas of MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, and I WANT!  I got us tickets, and we will be getting there wicked early.  We have to, on a weekday, because the traffic coming out of Boston on I-93 is pure hell.  We’ll get there early, hang out, go to the Sam Adams bar when it opens at 5PM, and then be among the first to get the freebies when the actual stadium opens at 6PM.

It shall be mine!

Dear Readers: In honor of Father’s Day, we thought you would enjoy these instructions on how to diaper a baby from baseball great Jimmy Piersall:

“Spread the diaper in the position of the diamond with you at bat. Then fold second base down to home and set the baby on the pitcher’s mound. Put first base and third together, bring up home plate and pin the three together. Of course, in case of rain, you gotta call the game and start all over again.”

Yes, this dates back to when everybody used cloth diapers, there were no Pampers or Huggies and such back then.

And let’s hope that the Fisher Cats game on Father’s Day is not called off due to rain…and not the kind that comes from a baby…LOL!  We have tickets and are looking forward to going.  Plus, free Fisher Cats caps for all of the dads, including Catdaddies!  LOL!

Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads who actually do or have changed their children’s diapers!

We were at a New Hampshire Fisher Cats game on Wednesday night, actually, it was a double-header.  During the second game, a foul ball was hit into the stands, and a young woman caught it.  She wasn’t there with any kids, she was just there with a girlfriend.

Anyhoo, this kid a couple of rows behind her started crying and screaming bloody murder about how HE WANTED THAT BALL.  The correct answer to this is to quote the great Mick Jagger…”You don’t always get what you want”.

But what did the woman do, but go back, and give the ball to the little screamer.  Delightful.  Now that brat is going to learn that if he screams and cries for something, he gets it.  Unless it’s something he’s already learned, from his own parents.

Maybe the woman didn’t want the ball, and gave it to the kid because she wanted the screaming to stop.  Or did she feel some sort of moral obligation to *give it to a kid*, because, after all, baseball is just for kids, even those who aren’t old enough to have a clue as to what is happening on the field?

Sorry, but if that ball came my way, I would have kept it.  First of all, I’d want to keep it, if I caught it, it’s mine, too bad.  Second, by denying it to a screaming brat, I am helping to do the world a favor by showing one little kid that you can’t always get what you want.  Just like Mick Jagger sings.
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I think there are some people who get it, though. Several years ago, we were at a Portland Sea Dogs game.  We were sitting in the first base line, the second row directly behind the Sea Dogs’ dugout.  The row in front of us consisted of this rather obnoxious family…the most annoying one being a boy of about 7 or 8 who constantly nagged the Sea Dogs first base coach with “CANIHAVEABALL?  CANIHAVEABALL?”

He did not give this kid a ball, and I suspected that this kid was annoying him as much as he was annoying me.  Anyhoo, the whole fam damily got up to go to the bathroom, get food, whatever.  When the first base coach saw this, he went into the dugout, came out with a ball, caught my eye, and rolled it over the roof of the dugout in my direction.  I went and got it and said thank you.

I still have that ball…a genuine, official Eastern League ball, game-used.  I wish I could remember the name of the guy who gave it to me, though.  For a while, I was thinking that it was Ron Johnson, who managed the Sea Dogs at the time, and now manages the PawSox.  But don’t managers in the minors act as third base coaches, rather than at first?  I think so.  But I don’t remember who was the first base coach back then, it was eons ago, back when the team was still affiliated with the Florida Marlins.  I need to look for the old programs from that period and see who it might have been.  I probably looked it up in the program at the time, but then forgot.

Anyhoo, I thought that this was cool, that someone actually thinks adults at games should get a used ball or something once in a while. I think he felt bad for us, having to listen to that annoying kid nonstop, and since we weren’t being annoying, we’d get what the kid was demanding.  I also thought it was cool that he did not reward the kid for being annoying.  I wish more people were like that.  Then we’d have fewer annoying kids and more respectful ones.

The annoying kid in front of us did come back with his family.  His dad had bought him a ball in the pro shop (way to go, Dad, for encouraging your kid to be a brat by buying stuff for him on demand).  But the kid STILL wanted a game-used ball, and started up with the “CANIHAVEABALL?” stuff again.

Oh, and finally…in case you don’t know…THE BAT/BALL BOY/GIRL IS NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE BALLS TO PEOPLE IN THE STANDS.  So quit asking them for it when they retrieve one.  Only the players and the coaches are allowed to toss balls to fans, not the bat-people.  Okay?