Monday Memory (123/365)

TIME: 3 May 2012, 7:48 PM
PLACE: Khoury League fields

SUBJECT: Sunset

*~*~*

9 years ago, in late April through June, we spent many evenings and weekend afternoons at these Little League fields.

Now, the Khoury League building and concession stand has been torn down. The fields are deserted. No one plays baseball in this location anymore.  

It makes me sad looking at the abandoned space where MonkeyBoy used to play ball.  It brings home the fact that my children are no longer little.  Times change and things are not what they used to be.

Suite View (153/365)

TIME: 12:50 PM
PLACE: Busch Stadium
SUBJECT: Field

The company I work for sponsored the promotional give-a-away at the Cardinal – Pirates game today.

They also gave my department some tickets to the All-Star Suite as well.

Free food and beer?

Yes please.

Winning the game with Kolton Wong’s walk off home run at the top of the 9th was a bonus.

Rain Delay (182/365)

“We will never be an advanced civilization as long as rain showers can delay the launching of a space rocket”
George Carlin (American stand-up Comedian, Actor and Author. b.1937)

TIME:  7:24 PM
PLACE: 10th St. Baking Co.
SUBJECT:  Rain Delay

This is getting to be the norm around here.
On the plus side?
It’s a good excuse to have another drink.

Baseball (204/365)

TIME:  7:32 to 10:06 PM
PLACE:  Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT:  Sights at the ballgame – Cards vs. Phillies

DramaQueen and I went to the ball game courtesy of tickets she received from school.  We were in Section 344 – Infield Pavilion…high up but an awesome view.



Molina broke his bat and grounded out to the shortstop in the bottom of the 1st.


The setting sun cast a glow over downtown.

A beautiful breeze was blowing all evening here in the upper decks.  It was lovely.

We saw a winner!
Cardinals 4, Phillies 1

Ballpark Issues (166/366)

"Most ball games are lost, not won."

Casey Stengel (American, Major League Baseball outfielder and manager, 1890-1975)

TIME:  7:47 PM
PLACE:  Little League Fields
SUBJECT: Chain link fence

The boys probably felt a lot like this fence after tonight’s game.  They lost 28 to 8.  Ouch.

The Last Hurrah (164/366)

“The most beautiful thing in the world is a ballpark filled with people.”

Bill Veeck (American Baseball Player, 1914-1986)

TIME:  8:28 PM
PLACE:  Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT:  The view from our seats

We had the privilege of using the season tickets owned by Dad’s former place of work tonight for one last time.  As you can see, they are rather close to the field.  I had some nice views of David Freese (#23) all night.  I don’t even care that they lost to the White Sox 6-1.  Did I mention that I had nice views of David Freese all night?  Unfortunately, he didn’t leave the playing field by our seats.

Today’s Work Attire (104/366)

“There is no sports event like Opening Day of baseball, the sense of beating back the forces of darkness and the National Football League.”

George Vecsey (American, non-fiction author and sports columnist for The New York Times, b1939)

TIME:  10:04 PM
PLACE:  Kitchen
SUBJECT:  Me in my Cardinal shirt

Due to the St. Louis Cardinal’s having their home opener at Busch Stadium this afternoon, we were able to wear Redbird attire at work today.  Unfortunately for the home team, the Chicago Cubs beat them in a 9-5 ballgame.  They face each other again tomorrow at 12:05 PM.

Fredbird (156/365)

“Cardinals Rule, Cubs Drool.”

StellaDella – a girl who understands baseball

TIME: 3:30 PM
PLACE:  Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT:  Fredbird & helper

My dad had given me 4 tickets to today’s Cards-Cubs game last week – and it wasn’t something I was going to miss, even with a freshly broken wrist.  The tickets were in the Champions Club (each ticket had a face value of $151.00!) where we fed on an all-you-could-eat buffet, quenched our thirsts with a wide choice of beverages (alcoholic or non), and could watch the game inside the air-conditioned club or in our shaded, ceiling fan-cooled seats.  Now you know why I was going to the game no matter what.  I took my cousin Kathleen, my sister and DramaQueen.  It was a great game – we ended up SWEEPING the Cubs this series with Pujols’ bottom of the tenth inning home run.  Good times. 


The view from our seats.

Pink Helmets (120/365)

“Baseball is a red-blooded sport for red-blooded men. It's no pink tea, and mollycoddles had better stay out. It's a struggle for supremacy, a survival of the fittest.”

Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb (American, nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder, 1886–1961)

TIME:  3:59 PM
PLACE:  Little League Fields
SUBJECT:  T-ball batting equipment
(can you tell it’s a girl’s team?)

StellaDella was finally able to play her first T-ball game of the season this afternoon.  This year, they play a little more organized ball – they play positions and when batting, they can be called “Out” if the other team catches the ball, or makes the tag at the bases.  We played a boy team today and I do believe that the girls outperformed the boys in fielding this time.  We are supposed to make up a rain-out tomorrow afternoon if the rain holds off.

Homemade Baseball Card (110/365)

“I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.”

Bob Uecker “Mr. Baseball”  (American former Major League Baseball player, later a sportscaster, comedian, and actor. b1935)

TIME: 8:36 PM
PLACE:  Home
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

   MB’s new baseball bat
+ book from library on Photoshop techniques
= today’s photo

I’d better not quit my day job.

Red Seats (225/365)

“I have discovered in twenty years of moving around a ball park, that the knowledge of the game is usually in inverse proportion to the price of the seats.” 

Bill Veeck aka "Sport Shirt Bill" (American, native of Chicago, Illinois, franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball, 1914-1986)

TIME:  6:35 PM
PLACE:  Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT:  Ballpark seats

HH and I went to the ballpark tonight to watch the Cardinals-Cubs baseball game.  It was a soupy night at the old stadium ~ very muggy and very hot.  In fact, when we left at 9:45pm the temperature was still 88 degrees.  Good game though…the Cards were victorious over the Cubs 6 to 3.

Pitcher (131/365)

  
“Anybody's best pitch is the one the batters ain't hitting that day.”

Christy Mathewson (American Baseball Player. One of the first five players admitted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 1880-1925)

TIME:  7:47 PM
PLACE: Little League Fields
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

Tonight MB had his second ballgame of the season and since StellaDella did not have practice, I was able to watch him in his pitching debut.  He relieved another pitcher in the top of the 3rd inning with one out and was able to make the last two outs via a grounder hit to third (men on first and second) and a pop fly hit to the first baseman.  Although he did well, we still ended up losing the game 15-3.  I don’t know if I can handle him pitching…I was so stressed while watching.  Taking his picture helped me redirect my focus and prevented me from becoming a complete nervous wreck.

Baseball Basket (122/365)

“Every duty which is bidden to wait returns with seven fresh duties at its back.” 

Charles Kingsley (English clergyman, university professor, historian, and novelist, 1819–1875)

TIME:  7:21 PM
PLACE:  Front porch
SUBJECT:  Basket filled with baseballs

There are so many things that need to be cleaned up around here.  But I’m tired and all I really wanted to do today was nap.  I couldn’t because we had Sunday School, a trip to Costco, painting woodwork in DramaQueen’s room, laundry, StellaDella’s T-ball game and more laundry on the agenda today.  These baseballs have been sitting on my front porch for quite some time now and should be put away properly.  I took a picture of them instead.

StellaDella At Bat (108/365)

“Don't tell me about the world.  Not today.  It's springtime and they're knocking baseball around fields where the grass is damp and green in the morning and the kids are trying to hit the curve ball.” 

Pete Hamill (American, journalist, columnist, novelist, and short story writer. b. 1935)

TIME:  2:40 PM
PLACE:  Little League Fields
SUBJECT:  StellaDella

SD had her first T-ball game of the season this afternoon.  This year, a pitching machine is utilized; the girls have 5 chances to hit the ball pitched by the machine.  If they don’t, then the tee is brought out for them.  SD made contact both times she was up to bat!  I think she surprised herself.

Nice Seats (208/365)

“That’s a winner!”

John Francis "Jack" Buck (American sportscaster, best known for his work announcing Major League Baseball games of the St. Louis Cardinals, 1924–2002)

TIME:  6:03 PM/9:18 PM
PLACE:  Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
SUBJECT:  The view from our seats/The  scoreboard

My dad gave us tickets for the ball game tonight…Section 153 Row 1.  The first section behind the field boxes.  Not too shabby of seats.  HandsomeHusband had a meeting, so it was just me and the kids.  Being the frugal person I am, we parked at my brother’s work and brought in our own water and sodas in a soft-sided cooler.  We spent $20.00 for 3 hotdogs and a pretzel, $6.00 for cotton candy, $6.00 for ice cream and $5.00 for peanuts and sunflower seeds…oh, yeah and I bought myself a beer-$8.75 including tip…so that’s $42.75 for the evening.  Not bad considering!  We were witness to Matt Holliday’s first game as a Cardinal and we ended up beating the Los Angeles Dodgers who have the game’s best record (62-37).  Go Cards!

Baseball Camp (202/365)

 
Tripper: And even if we win, if we win, HAH! Even if we win! Even if we play so far above our heads that our noses bleed for a week to ten days; even if God in Heaven above comes down and points his hand at our side of the field; even if every man woman and child held hands together and prayed for us to win, it just wouldn't matter because all the really good looking girls would still go out with the guys from Mohawk because they've got all the money! It just doesn't matter if we win or we lose. IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!
Rest of group: IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER...

Meatballs (Bill Murray, written by Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg [as Dan Goldberg], Janis Allen and Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman-director, 1979)

TIME:  11:43 AM
PLACE:  GCS Ballpark
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

Although his baseball season is over, we signed MonkeyBoy up for a 2-day, baseball camp at the GCS Ballpark.  The ballpark is the home of the Gateway Grizzlies, a minor league baseball team which is part of the Frontier League.  HandsomeHusband took him yesterday, and the girls and I went with him today.  It was cool and overcast, but the rain held off until after 12 o’clock when the camp ended.  If you *click* and make the picture bigger, you can see the green ball MB hit just above the black screen that is in front of Brandon Peters, the Grizzly player at this station. 

Guarding The Fence (197/365)

 
“One should guard against preaching to young people success in the customary form as the main aim in life. The most important motive for work in school and in life is pleasure in work, pleasure in its result and the knowledge of the value of the result to the community.”

Albert Einstein (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955)

TIME:  7:34 PM
PLACE:  Madison Ball Fields
SUBJECT:  Baseball fence guard

MonkeyBoy was finally able to play baseball tonight.  We had rainouts on Saturday, Sunday and last night.  We traveled to Madison, IL to play a team from our hometown.  *shakes head*  We ended up winning by a mere 2 runs.  Our infield had issues overthrowing the ball to each other, allowing more runs than they should.  But, they won, and now we have a game Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon.  It’s supposed to be beautiful out – highs in the mid to low 70’s and sunny.  Great weather for a ballgame!

My Ballplayer (182/365)

 
"Baseball gives a growing boy self poise and self reliance."

Albert Spalding (American, professional baseball player, manager and co-founder of A.G. Spalding sporting goods company, 1850-1915)

TIME:  8:21 PM
PLACE:  Bantam Diamond - Little League Fields
SUBJECT:  MonkeyBoy

Tonight was the last game of the regular season.  The Tigers won and ended the season with 10 wins and 3 losses.  Woot!  Woot!  Playoffs begin a week from Saturday, so they have a practice next Wednesday evening at 6pm.  I really like this picture of my boy - especially the Gatorade mustache he is sporting!

All Sins Cast Long Shadows (156/365)

 
“Baseball is a slow, sluggish game, with frequent and trivial interruptions, offering the spectator many opportunities to reflect at leisure upon the situation on the field: This is what a fan loves most about the game”

Edward Abbey (American Writer whose works, set primarily in the southwestern United States, reflect an uncompromising environmentalist philosophy. 1927-1989)

TIME: 7:36 PM
PLACE:  Little League park, Bantam field
SUBJECT:  Shadows of HandsomeHusband, me and DramaQueen

Monkeyboy had one of his make-up games scheduled this evening.  He was batting clean-up tonight.  At his first at bat, he smacked one way out in center field.  He is a fast runner and it should have been a triple, but he misunderstood the third base coach, who was yelling "Round (the bag) and hold!"...MB thought he said "Run for home!" so he did.  Luckily the throw at the plate went over the catcher's head; MB slid into home plate; and he was safe.  He was pretty proud of himself.  After the inning was over, the coach took him to the side and had a little talk about what he actually said and how he needs to listen while base running.  He was lucky this time.  I'm still proud of him though!   

To a "T" (129/365)

 
“I wish I had a kryptonite cross, because then you could keep both Dracula and Superman away”

Jack Handy (American Writer and cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1991-2003. Famous for his Deep Thoughts comedy sketches.)

TIME: 4:08 PM
PLACE:  Little League Fields - Monroe Street
SUBJECT: Ballfield lights

I took many photos at StellaDella's T-ball game this afternoon.  The clouds were white and puffy, the sky a nice blue, but I just couldn't capture what I wanted for some reason.  *shrugs* What are you going to do?  It was bound to happen sooner or later.

I am going out with the girls tonight.  The group I ran around with after graduating from college is meeting up and hitting the town.  I'm looking forward to it...and It should prove to be an interesting evening!