Here’s where I was last night, along with my dad, thanks to my friend Danil and a last-minute invitation of extra tickets:
Some thoughts from the game, in no particular order:
– Good decision #1: We parked a fair distance from the stadium, near Milam and Rusk, and walked. This enabled me to rationalize the beer I bought, it totally avoided traffic, and it was free to boot. What more could you want?
– The pedicabs were out in force. These have apparently been around since the Super Bowl, but I can’t say I’d noticed them till this year. Lots of people took advantage, though we chose to hoof it.
– Rudy Giuliani was in town for the state GOP convention, and he threw out the first pitch. In a show of bipartisan unity, my dad and I reached across the aisle and booed him lustily.
– My camera has a pretty good zoom lens. Here’s Derek Jeter leading off the game:
And here, pulled back a bit, is the first pitch:
There were a lot of flashbulbs popping when Jeter and Alex Rodriguez took their first turns at bat.
– There were quite a few fans wearing Yankee colors, but the Astros crowd was loud and proud.
– Good decision #2: Buying the 24-ounce Shiner beers, instead of the regular 12-ounce size. At the price ($9.50) for twice the beer, it’s actually a pretty good deal. The beer vendors are going to rake in the tips this weekend, with all three games sold out.
– Who knew Shiner made 24-ounce bottles? I must not shop in the right stores.
– The Astros not only have recycling receptacles everywhere for cans and bottles, they also ran a PSA video pointing this out to fans, and explaining that every time you stick a bottle or can into one of them, you can win free tickets to upcoming games. The beer vendors were also recycling their glass bottles. Now that’s how you do it!
– In the top of the 9th, the home plate ump called Jose Valverde for a balk; he apparently fast-pitched Jason Giambi with Hidecki Matsui on first. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pitcher called for a balk for not coming to a complete stop in the stretch before delivering before.
– Two people in our row actually left the game during the bottom of the ninth. What kind of baseball fan does that in a one-run game with the tying run on base? After Wiggington was nailed stealing second, some others joined them, and that I understood a bit more. But still. It was a one run game in the bottom of the ninth! Where’s the fire?
– Best of all, we get to see tonight’s game as well. Woo hoo!