My Father came and took me out of school, telling my teacher that I had a dentist appointment (I knew I didn’t), and we went to the ‘stick. We got cheap bleacher seats (we were pretty low income at that time) because Dad insisted that I watch “the greatest baseball player ever”, center fielder Willie Mays. I was 5 years old, but I was impressed. Sadly, the Giants lost to the Cubs (Ferguson Jenkins pitched a great game), but Mays made a terrific catch to rob Ron Santo of what looked like a sure double. And I became hooked on baseball for life.
On the way home Dad said "we don’t need to tell your mother about this little trip" which was rather silly. My Mother was a very perceptive woman, and an avid baseball fan herself. She assumed that we’d gone to the game, and was rather jealous that she’d missed it.
Dad and I shared many, many more games, right up to a few months before his passing in ‘92, but it’s that very first one that is firmly etched into my memory.
So, in honor of spring, what is your first baseball memory?
6 comments:
What a nice story. Love it. I'm glad you got to see the great Willie Mays.
I was brought up as a Red Sox fan and my first clear memory of the Red Sox was back in the 60s when Tony Conigliaro, Carl Yasztremski and Rico Petrocelli were playing. I don't recall an exact game (being from New Jersey we didn't actually go to the Fenway) but I do remember how exciting it was when the Sox were in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals in 1967. Sadly, they lost, but I remember listening to and watching the games.
Ah, MG, I remember Yaz fondly myself. My Uncle was a huge 'sox' fan, so I saw a lot of them.
my dad taking me, my bro and sis to candlestick to see the giants play. was back around 66 or maybe 67
i remember the sunshine(!), the giants winning and wanting more hotdogs and soda.
lost my dad 8 years ago -- wish i had seen more games with him. thanks for the trip down memory lane
Watching the Expos play in Jarry Park. Best ever stadium to watch b'ball. It was small, you sat really close to the field, what an ambiance, what fun! I never went to Olympic Stadium to watch a game...to dangerous.
Playing catch with my Dad.
My older brother was the organizer of all of my explorations. He took me to peewee baseball for the first time.
There were some older boys playing further down the field.
He wanted to see what we needd to measure up to. The coach was singling balls to the players. He hit one that was out of the foul line and directly into my crotch.
I never paid baseball again.
The only game that I watched was in NY City because the guys that I was with wanted to see the game.
Next day, I commented to one guy that that it had to have been the longest game ever. He told me I passed out drunk and it was a double header.
I haven't even watched a baseball game on TV for 39 years.
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