As many of you may know, from reading my personal posts to 'Facebook,' after living in Atlanta for 15 years, I have become a huge fan of the Atlanta Braves. Although, we only live within a 35 minute drive to Turner Field, the home of the Braves, I really don't get to see as many games as I might wish. However, this past weekend, my son and I got to see the Braves play an inter-league match-up with the Detroit Tigers.
We were sort of excited about the match-up, since the Braves were coming home after losing a 3 game set with the Chicago White Sox. The Braves have been strong contenders all season on their home diamond, plus we remember all the years that Jim Leyland managed the Pittsburgh Pirates while we still lived in West Virginia. Funny that our son, Chris commented, "Hey Dad, I can remember the days when Leyland smoked like a freight train in the dugout." Those days are certainly history. So, we were looking forward to seeing the 'old skipper' again, as well as hoping that the Braves could get back on the winning side of the ledger.
With temperature forecasts looming to be in the mid 90's for the Saturday, 4:00 o-clock start, Chris had hoped to be able to find tickets in a shaded area, but most people attending the game, obviously all had the same idea. Long story short, we had two tickets to be picked up at the 'Will Call' window, but not exactly sure how much sun we would have to catch out in the Left Field Terrace.
As things would have it, Chris was running late in arriving to Newnan on Friday evening, so we had made arrangements to meet for dinner. I arrived a few minutes prior to him and ran into very good friends, they too dining out for the evening. Soon, our conversation led to Saturday's activities, and Michael asked me if we would like to go to the Braves Game on Saturday. They had two extra tickets and were quite certain that their seats were probably in a shaded area in the Terrace Level, not far behind Home Plate.
Finally, Chris arrived, we all discussed the various ticket venues and immediately decided to join them in their shaded seats. We were just going to take our chances on possibly selling our tickets prior to the game.
Chris and I decided to head to the stadium earlier than normal, with hope that we might sell the tickets before heading to our seats for pre-game activities. Most folks seemed to have tickets in hand, and the only real interest was from 'ticket brokers.' As game time grew closer, we finally sold them to a broker for about half price, but whatever, two tickets sold, two better tickets in hand, we headed to meet our friends in the stadium.
Arriving at Section 206, we not only ran into our friends, Michael and Denise, we found that our seats were just 5 rows down from the mezzanine, in an all shaded area and only a few steps from the restrooms. So, soon to be 'game-on,' we all settled into our seats and anxiously await the 1st pitch.
Scheduled to pitch for the Atlanta Braves was Kenshin Kawakami. With a season record of 0-9, we all felt that sooner or later, the odds were going to turn for this guy and he would finally get his first win of the season.
Throughout most of the game, the two pitchers were matched in a pitching duel that left the Tigers leading 1-0 going to the bottom of the 7th inning. After two consecutive walks by Detroit's relief pitcher, it brought Chipper Jones to the plate. This set the stage for the future 'Hall of Famer' to turn on a 100 mph fastball and deposit it in the right center field seats for a 3-1 lead and his 200th career home run. Not only a milestone in Chipper's career at Turner Field, it also tied him with the great, Cal Ripkin, Jr. for 431 career home runs.
It is at this point in the game, that "a funny thing happened on the way to 3rd base."
Now at the top of the 8th inning, and the Braves leading the game 3-1, what would be the time that the Braves teammates take their places on the field for the next inning of play, Chipper hustles to his position at 3rd base, only to turn around and find that he is the only player on the field. For a brief period of possibly 30 seconds, the stadium began to fill with applause as the home town faithful fans erupted into a standing ovation. Chipper actually seemed embarrassed by the event, but soon tipped his cap to the crowd as the balance of his team mates came back onto the playing surface.
On this early, heated summer afternoon at the 'Ted.' not only did the Braves continue their home winning streak and Chipper hit his 200th Home Run within the confines of Turner Field, but it also allowed the loyal fans of the Atlanta Braves the opportunity to pay a special tribute to a player that has been as steadfast to the Braves as the old remaining Blue Wall of Fulton County Stadium.
By the way, the Braves relief staff did everything they could do to possibly blow the game. In the Top of the 9th inning, the score 3-2 and the bases loaded, it took what appeared to be an obvious 'bad call' by the home plate umpire, to get the Braves out of the inning and finally give
Kenshin Kawakami his first win of the season.
So, on a day when "a funny thing happened on the way to 3rd base," Chris and I, our friends, Michael and Denise and a crowd of thousands, shared in a great game, a win, a bad call and a 'tip of the cap.'
Nice job Chipper . . . see you in the "Hall."
We were sort of excited about the match-up, since the Braves were coming home after losing a 3 game set with the Chicago White Sox. The Braves have been strong contenders all season on their home diamond, plus we remember all the years that Jim Leyland managed the Pittsburgh Pirates while we still lived in West Virginia. Funny that our son, Chris commented, "Hey Dad, I can remember the days when Leyland smoked like a freight train in the dugout." Those days are certainly history. So, we were looking forward to seeing the 'old skipper' again, as well as hoping that the Braves could get back on the winning side of the ledger.
With temperature forecasts looming to be in the mid 90's for the Saturday, 4:00 o-clock start, Chris had hoped to be able to find tickets in a shaded area, but most people attending the game, obviously all had the same idea. Long story short, we had two tickets to be picked up at the 'Will Call' window, but not exactly sure how much sun we would have to catch out in the Left Field Terrace.
As things would have it, Chris was running late in arriving to Newnan on Friday evening, so we had made arrangements to meet for dinner. I arrived a few minutes prior to him and ran into very good friends, they too dining out for the evening. Soon, our conversation led to Saturday's activities, and Michael asked me if we would like to go to the Braves Game on Saturday. They had two extra tickets and were quite certain that their seats were probably in a shaded area in the Terrace Level, not far behind Home Plate.
Finally, Chris arrived, we all discussed the various ticket venues and immediately decided to join them in their shaded seats. We were just going to take our chances on possibly selling our tickets prior to the game.
Chris and I decided to head to the stadium earlier than normal, with hope that we might sell the tickets before heading to our seats for pre-game activities. Most folks seemed to have tickets in hand, and the only real interest was from 'ticket brokers.' As game time grew closer, we finally sold them to a broker for about half price, but whatever, two tickets sold, two better tickets in hand, we headed to meet our friends in the stadium.
Arriving at Section 206, we not only ran into our friends, Michael and Denise, we found that our seats were just 5 rows down from the mezzanine, in an all shaded area and only a few steps from the restrooms. So, soon to be 'game-on,' we all settled into our seats and anxiously await the 1st pitch.
Scheduled to pitch for the Atlanta Braves was Kenshin Kawakami. With a season record of 0-9, we all felt that sooner or later, the odds were going to turn for this guy and he would finally get his first win of the season.
Throughout most of the game, the two pitchers were matched in a pitching duel that left the Tigers leading 1-0 going to the bottom of the 7th inning. After two consecutive walks by Detroit's relief pitcher, it brought Chipper Jones to the plate. This set the stage for the future 'Hall of Famer' to turn on a 100 mph fastball and deposit it in the right center field seats for a 3-1 lead and his 200th career home run. Not only a milestone in Chipper's career at Turner Field, it also tied him with the great, Cal Ripkin, Jr. for 431 career home runs.
It is at this point in the game, that "a funny thing happened on the way to 3rd base."
Now at the top of the 8th inning, and the Braves leading the game 3-1, what would be the time that the Braves teammates take their places on the field for the next inning of play, Chipper hustles to his position at 3rd base, only to turn around and find that he is the only player on the field. For a brief period of possibly 30 seconds, the stadium began to fill with applause as the home town faithful fans erupted into a standing ovation. Chipper actually seemed embarrassed by the event, but soon tipped his cap to the crowd as the balance of his team mates came back onto the playing surface.
On this early, heated summer afternoon at the 'Ted.' not only did the Braves continue their home winning streak and Chipper hit his 200th Home Run within the confines of Turner Field, but it also allowed the loyal fans of the Atlanta Braves the opportunity to pay a special tribute to a player that has been as steadfast to the Braves as the old remaining Blue Wall of Fulton County Stadium.
By the way, the Braves relief staff did everything they could do to possibly blow the game. In the Top of the 9th inning, the score 3-2 and the bases loaded, it took what appeared to be an obvious 'bad call' by the home plate umpire, to get the Braves out of the inning and finally give
Kenshin Kawakami his first win of the season.
So, on a day when "a funny thing happened on the way to 3rd base," Chris and I, our friends, Michael and Denise and a crowd of thousands, shared in a great game, a win, a bad call and a 'tip of the cap.'
Nice job Chipper . . . see you in the "Hall."
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