Two of baseball’s most historic and hallowed franchises will be squaring off in a weekend series that I’m sure will draw some attention, not because of the play on the field, but because of who they are. This weekend, the New York Yankees will be traveling to Chicago to take on the Cubs in an Interleague series. While the Yankees are playing solid baseball and contending for the American League East Division title, the Chicago Cubs are once again dying a slow death at the bottom of the Nation League Central Division. However, because the New York Yankees are in fact, the New York Yankees, and the Chicago Cubs fans resent any team that has a championship, this series should bring out the best that baseball enthusiast have to offer. But what caused me to write this pierce was not that the teams are playing each other or how well or bad they are playing, but this weekends' series brings about fond memories of a life-long goal of mine that is still in the process of becoming complete.
As a baseball enthusiast, I made a personal promise to myself that before I die, I would attend one game at each of baseball’s sacred grounds: Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and Old Yankee Stadium. When thinking about the history and tradition that has occurred within those outfield walls leaves me mouth agape. The events and moments that have occurred their makes’ me wonder what it would have been like to live in the olden times. Lou Gehrig’s speech, Babe Ruth calling his shot, Roger Maris hitting 61*, and Yastrzemzski pushing his ball fair are all lasting moments in baseball history. Walking around these stadiums is like a historian going to Gettysburg and walking the battle field (which I haven't done but think is pretty awesome in its own right). For me however, I’m 2/3 of the way there.
My personal promise to myself first started with Old Yankee Stadium. While Wrigley and Fenway are very cool in their own right, for me, Old Yankee Stadium is the Mecca. We all know the history and tradition that comes with the pin stripes so I won’t dwell on it. Not only was I in Old Yankee Stadium and that they are a team I am a fan of, but I was in Old Yankee Stadium for what was going to be the last game ever played there. Now half way converted into a parking lot, walking through the doors of the Old Yankee Stadium brought about a sense of total nostalgia that I will never fully be able to explain. Knowing that it was going to be the last home game ever played there was equally eerie. Babe Ruth pounded homers from the batter’s box, Lou Gehrig stood on the field and proclaimed “I am the luckiest man on Earth,” Mantle and DiMaggio roamed the outfield, Rivera running out from center field to “Enter Sandman,” and Der-ek Je-ter rang through the stadium. We had perfect seats out in the center field bleachers right above Momument Park and the bullpens. Mrs. Loveseat took many of photos of me with a dumbfound look on my face. The whole experience of taking the subway to the game, walking around the stadium, the pre and post game celebrations made this a truly epic event in my sporting life.
Last year, Labor Day weekend, I had to pleasure of attending a game at Wrigley Field. Mrs. Loveseat and I planned a little mini vacation to Chi-town and in our quest to find some decent Cubs tickets, it turned out that her Uncle had a friend with season tickets that he could float us for a game. Wrigley Field is simply awesome. What makes Wrigley Field, Wrigley Field, is the atmosphere surrounding the field. Along with taking the “L” to the game, many people told us that we had to get in the vicinity of the ballpark a few hours early to get the full experience of Wrigley Field and the area known as “Wrigleyville.” There are many bars and restaurants that align the streets of Wrigleyville and street officials even close down streets so that people can “walk freely” to and from bars to ballpark. This is the same field were Ruth called his shot and Bartman caught the most important foul ball in history. Seeing the ivy along the outfield walls and the seats atop the apartment complexes that tower over the field is a sight onto itself.
Remember I said that I was only 2/3's of the way there. The one place I have yet to make my way too, but I’m planning on it in the very near future, is Fenway. I want to see the monster with my own eyes and walk down and touch Pesky’s Pole. I want to see the batter’s box that Williams’ hit .400 in and where Yastrmezsky fans his ball fair. And lastly, I want to sing “Sweet Caroline” at the bottom of the 7th inning during the stretch. I hear tickets are hard to come by, as Red Sox fans are among the most deadhard of them all, and almost ever give up tickets. But I vow to find a way to get into the ballpark and watch a Red Sox game. And of course, I will do whatever I can to make it a Yankees v. Red Sox game, because if you are going to watch one game at Fenway, why not make it a game featuring baseball's greatest rivalry. I'll be sporting my Jeter #2 t-shirt of course. How much beer do you think will get thrown on me?
One of the reasons why we love baseball is because of its long history and tradition that lives on. And with baseball slowing coming to grips with the modern era and the need to build bigger and shinier stadiums, it's pretty cool that some things remain as they were when this beautiful game first in its glory years. When we have an opportunity to live through the past and be a part of history, it’s something that we all should take advantage of. That is the driving force for me in completing baseball's trifecta.
Mr. Armchair Speaking
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