Okay, let’s give away another brand-new “1975 World Series Collector’s Edition” seven-DVD set:
Here’s the contest, somewhat ripped off from other sites. I want to hear some good baseball stories. By that, I mean tell us the best stories that you have from Reds games you’ve attended in the past. They don’t have to be funny, but funny stories will be appreciated.
Let us know what memories you’ve made at Reds games in the past, GAB, Riverfront, Crosley, wherever. Heck, let’s open this up to any games you’ve been to, not just Reds games. What fun stuff has happened to you at the old ball yard?
This will be entirely subjective, but the editors will award one of the DVD sets to the story that we like the best. Heck, I hope our editors will all chime in with their best stories, too.
As always, you have to have a valid email address to be eligible to win. We’ll hold this open until early next week.
If you’re lucky, and your stories are good enough, I might grace you with the story of the four drunk guys singing the Canadian national anthem at a game I once attended at Riverfront.
1990. Weekend before July 4. Dodgers in town, Reds in 1st place.
My sister had a (very hot) college friend whose dad had box seats. A week before the game, she (the very hot friend) calls and asks if I want the tickets – Dad can’t go, she doesn’t like baseball, and she thought of me. Oh, and since they’re Dad’s company’s seats, they’re free.
I was living in Detroit at the time. I line up 3 friends from home to go. I get home, and 2 of the guys drop out. But I take the tickets anyway.
So we get there, and park across the street from the stadium. We were running late, and were going to get in after the National Anthem. Walking over the footbridge with 50,000 of my closest friends (the game’s a sell-out), a guy is standing there with his wife who appears about 13 months pregnant. He’s holding a sign which says “I need 2 ticketsâ€Â. Hey, I’ve got 2 tickets!
“How much?â€Â
Little devil on right shoulder: “They’re box seats, the place is sold out. Ask for the moon.â€Â
Little angel on the left shoulder: “Carol gave you the tickets. Give them to this guy.â€Â
“Eh, face value is $10. I’ll take that.†The guy couldn’t take his wallet out fast enough.
So we get in the game, and the guy won’t let my buddy or I spend a dime. Hot dogs, all the beer we can drink, popcorn, whatever, all day long.
“So, buddy, where you from?†“Ft. Wayne.†(for those of you who don’t know, 3 – 3 ½ hours away)
“What made you come to the game?†“Well, I got up this morning, saw the forecast (it was beautiful), saw they were playing the Dodgers and told Mrs. Buddy we were going to the game. She said we’d never get tickets, the game had to be sold out. I, of course, knew better, and told her there’s always tickets available. You saved my life.â€Â
And Bill and I left the game drunk, sunburned, full, and $20 richer.
Well this is not a Reds story but I lived in Seattle for a few years, actually the year I moved out there is the year they traded Griff to the Reds but that is another story entirely. I decided to go to a M’s game with my future father in law. We were going to go and get the cheap bleacher tickets but the gate agent told us that they were sold out. We were going to just leave but then we decided that since we made the 45 minute trek up there that we would splurge and buy expensive tickets. We were about 10 rows back from the M’s dugout, which at that time was the closest I had ever been to the field. Well, no one sat in the seats in front of us for the first sew innings and then, you guessed it…Shaun Alexander came and sat in front of us. It was the year he was drafted and he was there looking for houses. If that wasn’t enough though, I got him to call my best friend back here in KY who knows him. It was awesome. It did take Shaun a while to convince him that it was Shaun. It was fun for me.
I don’t have any particularly funny stories, but I love going to Reds games (although I haven’t been in a while now since it’s about 7 hours to GAB). My best memories are all from Riverfront. I will always cherish the memories from when I was a kid of going to games with my Grandpa and brother.
Going to games with Grandpa was always different than going with my dad. My dad always seemed to be in a hurry to get home. As soon as the final out was made it was a mad dash to the car for my dad. With Grandpa it a more leisurely stroll, no matter how late it was.
I always liked going when they gave out the miniature bats. I’ve got two or three of them. On the outside of Riverfront I always enjoyed stepping on the soft rubber that your feet kind of sank into. The best part before the game actually started was when you first walked in and could see that terrible Astroturf. And no matter if you were sitting behind the Jumbotron you still had your glove and we’re praying for a ball.
One game we went to my Grandpa missed most of the game – he locked his keys in the car. Another game he took us to was interrupted by an incredible thunderstorm. I remember riding in the car on 75N after the game. The lightning was amazing. It was the most impressive lightning display I’ve ever seen.
Another game I went to my dad had got some free tickets from Marathon. At least I think they were free. He gave them to a friend of his and he took his granddaughter, my brother, and me. We were in left-center field, a good way up in the red seats, not too far from the Jumbotron. Fortunately we had binoculars, but the granddaughter didn’t know squat about baseball and asked question after question. Not something this 11 or 12 year old wanted to put up with.
That game was about the time when Saturn cars first came out and that is what we were riding in. Going to the game we were stuck in traffic on 75. We were in the far left lane when a lady pulled up next to us, also in a Saturn. Well, my dad’s friend honks and starts waving. The lady did not have a clue as to what he was doing. I was slightly embarrassed. Looking back I should have waved like crazy and told her I loved her car. Maybe next time.
My wife (girlfriend at the time) and I went to a Thursday afternoon game and got absolutely roasted by the sun. It was mostly our legs, but we might as well have put them under the broiler. That was stupid. Riverfront still had the Astroturf, and the Reds wanted to put in grass, but the Bengals (Mike Brown) didn’t want to. A guy on the opposing team (I can’t remember who) tore up his knee in the turf. People in the crowd were cussing Brown big time. Of course, that was before they hired Marvin Lewis.
Another game my wife (still girlfriend at the time) went to with a friend of mine was excellent. The Reds were playing the Diamondbacks and were trailing in the bottom of the 9th. I don’t remember all of the details, but they came back and won it. The stadium was rocking. That is the best feeling in baseball. I love walking out of the stadium after a game like that. The atmosphere is electric.
We were in the right field seats near the field. Michael Tucker was playing right field and after warming up at the start of each inning he would throw the ball into the stands. There was a lady in the front row that looked like she might flip over the railing due to being, umm, well, a little top heavy. I think you know what I mean. She would yell and jump trying to get Tucker to throw her a ball. You knew he would, but he had to wait a few innings. In the 4th or 5th he finally did. The people around kind of groaned.
Sorry for the novel. I love going to the stadium. The next time we are back in Ohio my wife and I are definitely going to catch a game.
Okay Chad, when do we get the story of the four drunk guys singing the Canadian national anthem?