First baseball memories!

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Posted By: Russ Bright

On Sunday I got to take my son to his first baseball game! He is ten months old and just an absolute Joy - even if he WAS up from 4-6AM today (lol)

Seattle Mariners vs the Texas Rangers. The Mariners won 14-6 - with Ichiro going 4-5 with his first Home run of the season!

In addition; it was Kids day, Jackie Robinson Day (60th anniversary) and J.J. Putz Shirt day. We got to the park a little early because I always try to get autographs. As it turned out, J.J was signing autographs right by our seats. So I grabbed the shirt and My son, with butterflies in my stomach and headed over there. We got J.J's autograph and I joked about my son flirting with the female usher. Afterwards, I was approached by a photographer from the local paper asking our names, which I told him.

J.J. ended up pitching in the 9th and we have a great souvenir with the shirt. On monday, I did some research and found the e-mail address to the photographer and got him to e-mail me a copy of the photo!

While Phil may not remember the game, we have tickets, autographs and a great picture of him meeting his first Baseball player!

I think his mom and I were more excited than he was, but it was a great day for everyone, and I just wanted to share with the board... it's the little things that make this sport special...

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Posted By: Paul

Russ, what an awesome picture. That is very special indeed

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Posted By: peter chao

Russ,

My first baseball memory was of going to a Giants game with my Dad. Great picture, I'm sure your boy will cherish the memory forever.

Peter

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Great Picture Russ. Thanks for sharing it. I took my kid to his first game when he was three - The Huskers v Cal Poly. still have the ticket stubs but I didn't take a camera.

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Posted By: Steve f

Russ, you guys need to send that to the Mariners PR folk. That priceless picture made me smile. -Not easy to do.

My first game, The '67 Red Sox vs the O's. I'll never forget trudging up that dreary gray, pee-smelly ramp and seeing the giant, bright green obelisk looming over Lansdowne Street.

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Posted By: Cobby33

Braving the elements at Candlestick circa. 1980.

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Posted By: Chris Counts

In the spring of '70, my dad took me to see the Angels host the Royals. Dick Drago beat the Angels, but Jay Johnstone hit the first home run I ever saw. It was his first at-bat of the year, so when he came to the plate later in the game he had a 1.000 batting average. My dad had just got done explaining batting averages to me, so the 1.000 mark seemed quite impressive. Almost immediately after the game, I started buying 1970 Topps cards. I haven't recovered yet ...

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Posted By: Dan

The picture is priceless and thank you for sharing it with us.

My first memory of baseball games sadly enough were all those horrible Cleveland Indian teams in the 70's/80's, we just stunk. We used to go up and see the Tribe for a few bucks because they were having trouble filling the seats. I had moved away when the 90's teams started making runs and winning with a near miss in the World Series. All in all, a great experience and I still love my Indians the sorry bunch of ragmuffin's.

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Posted By: MVSNYC

...i think my earliest baseball memories were games at Shea Stadium in the late 70's, early 80's...i was probably 5-7 years old...i rememebr being up high in the upper deck, and feeling like i was going to fall out of my seat & onto the field! hot dogs, candy, soda...foul balls, the crowd screaming, the crack of the bat, the smell of the grass (the thrill of the grass )warm summer days...

what i great break from my busy day, to daydream about those memories...

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Posted By: Andy

My first game was when I was maybe 4 or 5 at the old Tiger Stadium. I lived in Saginaw at the time and my Godparents lived in Detroit. Their sons took my brother and I to a game. I don't remember anything about the game that day. I DO remember: the stadium was the biggest place I'd ever seen, the blue pillars holding up the upper deck and blocking the view of the field if you had a bad seat, we walked down an aisle behind the left field fence and you could stand there and look over the fence at the grass, and the little black mini bats that my brother and I got that day.

We then moved to Jersey and Dad took us to the Vet to see Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose, Von Hayes and Juan Samuel. We paid 7 bucks for nose bleeds and we could bring in a cooler full of cooked hotdogs, chips, sodas and they didn't care. Can't imagine any park letting you bring your own picnic these days.

Thanks,

Andy

Edited to Add: Great pic of your little guy at his first game. And he got to meet a base ball player!! Priceless.

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Posted By: Frank Evanov

My Dad took me to Yankee Stadium in 1959. Yanks vs the Baltimore Orioles. Got to meet Gus Triandos, catcher for the O's,who knew a friend of my Dad. Got to see Mickey up close.

Thanks Dad!

Frank

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Posted By: Dave Hornish

My first baseball memory is coming home from school the day of Game 5 of the 1969 World Series and watching Cleon Jones clutch the fly out that gave the series to the Mets. I remember my Mom sitting on the piano bench in our living room, shaking her head and saying, "I just can't believe it" a couple of times. I vaguely grasped what had occured but by 1970 I was all over the Mets and the fact they were World Champs.

I was all of 7 years old at the time and had bought my first pack of Topps cards that year as well, the contents of which I immediately lost flipping and good ol' Mom had to go get my cards back as I was hysterical, not realizing what had happened (can't imagine where the old cardboard obsession comes from Dr. Melfi.....). Anyway, the Cleon Jones play is the first time I remember seeing the Mets on TV. The next year my Dad brought me to Shea for the first time, and it was the start of a streak that lasted about ten games where Tom Seaver was the starter every time we went.

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Posted By: leon

Great pic...thanks for sharing....

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Posted By: Kevin

What a great picture - Thanks for sharing!

My first game was at the age of 6 at old Cleveland Stadium in 1967. I don't remember a whole lot but I do recall the Tribe got hammered by the Senators and the game included a home run by Frank Howard.

My earliest memory as a fan is from early in the 1974 season in watching the games on TV when Hank Aaron broke and Babe Ruth's record. Recall my father (who grew up watching Ruth) saying that Aaron was not nearly the ball player that Ruth. Funny thing is that I feel the same way about Hank Aaron now - I don't think that Barry Bonds is nearly the player that Aaron was. Some things never change I guess.

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Posted By: DMcD

Neat picture, Russ. My Dad alleged that I took in a game or two at Wrigley as an infant but it apparently left no impression. Junior will be glad you brought along your camera. First game I saw for real was at the Polo Grounds in 1956. I was six. Main thing I remember was how big and how green that ballfield was and I have been trying to recapture that intense vision ever since. Was very bummed when the Giants left town. Picked up the slack at Yankee Stadium (from where you could still see the old abandoned ballyard across the river, a sad, haunting sight). Saw a lot of terrific Yankees baseball. Used to always sit out in the lower right-field grandstand, a dollar-fortynine to sit in Bauer's and then Maris' back-pocket. Went to a couple of the Old Timers games. Saw Dizzy Dean pitch. Home Run Baker was trotted out for a tip of the hat. Even saw Herbert Frigging Hoover, whom Ruth had a better year than, throw out the the first ball. Great memories. Great national pastime. Great hobby.

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Posted By: joe brennan

My first memories were going to the ball park to see the Buffalo Triple A team. My father got 2 balls signed by our catcher. He said, "Hang on to those, he's gonna be something great soon. " Well, I must have took those ball out and played with them cause they are long gone. Great memory with my Dad. Oh yea, the player's name? Errr somebody named Johnny Bench.

edited for terrible spelling

In Rememberance of James W. Brennan Sr. 1924-1982. Dad, thanks for everything you did for me.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Dad took me to St. Louis in 1963, to see Mr. Musial play. He'd been a Cardinals fan all his life, as was his father.

Thank you, Dad and Granddad.

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Posted By: Bill Stone

Nice picture! I remember my dad taking me to see the Hollywood Stars play at Gilmore Field in 1953. We went at least 3 times every season from 1953-1957. I remember the boys hanging out outside the park to catch foul balls that came back over the backstop at home base. Dale Long became my favorite player and once he came to visit our little league team . We corresponded late in his life and he sent me some nice items from his playing days --great guy !! Thanks for bringing up nice memories.

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Posted By: Max Weder

Baseball memories? Hmmmm....

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Posted By: Joann

Watching the Tigers on local TV and listening to George Kell - don't know how old I was when I started, but it was very very young. I'd give a lot to be able to buy an audio or video of any game he called. Truly the voice of summer to me.

J

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Posted By: RC

Great picture, one to cherish.

My first MLB game, 1967 at old Crosley Field in Cincy. Reds vs Mets, a rookie by the name of Tom Seaver was pitching for the Mets. Reds won the game behind the arm of Mel Queen, an outfielder turned pitcher who went 14-8 that year.

Great memory of riding a YMCA broken down bus with my mom, aunt, and cousins for what seemed an eternity but I can truly still remember being in awe when I first saw the field. I still have my scorecard of the game.

Thanks for the topic.

RC

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Posted By: john/z28jd

The first game i ever went to was Old Timer's Day at Yankee stadium back in 1982. We had tickets in the left field upper deck but my grandfather was able to get 4 tickets right behind the Yankees dugout because he had been going there thru his job for the previous 30 years.Two years ago i went to the Yogi Berra Museum and saw a picture from that day hanging up on the wall and they happened to have it for sale at the museum so eventhough i didnt bring a camera that day i have a great picture

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Posted By: Ken W.

My first MLB game was when my Dad took my brother and me to St. Louis to see Bob Gibson pitch in 1968 - his immortal 1.12 ERA season. I don't remember the opponent, but I have a super-clear memory of Lou Brock making a running catch of a line drive and then throwing a laser beam from left field all the way to first to double up someone. I was 7 and it's like it happened yesterday! The cards won their 2nd straight pennant that year, but got beat by the great Detroit pitchers in the series. A little different story last year.

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Posted By: Ken McMillan

August 23 1969 Cubs vs Astros at Wrigley Santo and Hickman hitting back to back home runs and the Cubs won. It was my 9th birthday and my parents told me we were going to the Field Museum. Been a Cub fan every since and now live in enemy territory near St. Louis. I have actually met many of the 69 Cubs and have had them as my coaches at the Hundley fantasy camps I have attended.

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Posted By: CN

I VIVIDLY REMEMEMBER THE 1971 W.S. BECAUSE OF ROBERTO CLEMENTE. I ALSO REMEMBER WHAT WAS PROBABLY MY FIRST GAME ALSO IN 1970 OR 1971 AT SHEA WITH THE METS AGAINST THE BRAVES FEAUTURING HANK AARON. HE WAS A BIG DEAL DEAL EVEN THOUGH HE WAS SEVERAL YEARS AWAY FROM THE RECORD. CN

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Posted By: Jerry

My grandfather took me to many Houston Buff games in the 50's. I remember the 1957 Dixie series against the Atlanta Crackers and all the wonderful site and smells at the old ballpark. The ballpark site is now a furniture store, they do have a small museum inside dedicated to Houston Minor league baseball.

Thanks Pa-Pa

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Posted By: S Gross

First MLB game:

1969, Shibe Park, Philadelphia: Jim Bunning was then with LA and going for his 200th win. It was one of those situations were nearly all were rooting against the home team. But Phils won and kept him at 199. It was the '69 Phils (99 losses) and we were able to sit a few rows from first.

The 2 things I remember best:
1 -- The giant left field bleachers, like a massive black vacant endless wall to no where.
2 -- The players were NOT these giants you saw on TV. They were just average looking guys.