What I Learned from the 2013 ALCS

When I was able to score two tickets to Game 1 of the ALCS between the Red Sox and the Tigers, my first thought was who to take.  I knew if I took C, G was going to pout and possibly start to cry.  If I took G, then C would beat the crap out of him until he was too injured to go.  The fairest way to handle this was the same way that we handled the draft...by having them pick a number between 1 and 10.  When C won that round, I began to see the tears.

Boston, MA.  7pm.  Fast forward 6 hours to Fenway Park to watch Game 1.  We got in pretty early for the game and saw the Tigers take some batting practice.  It was pretty cool to see batting practice being taken by some guys who can crush the ball.  As we stayed through the next 5+ hours, here is what I learned.

1.  People at Fenway sing at the silliest things.  Hey I get the whole crowd frenzy and sing-a-longs.  But the newest just makes me snicker.  Shane Victorino's at bat music is Three Little Birds by Bob Marley.  It stops right before "cause every little thing is going to be all right.."  Guess which 35,000 people sing that in unison.  Yup you guessed it.  Sweet Caroline, move over.

2.  David Ortiz does not hustle on ground balls.  C actually yelled at Papi to run after one particularly slow ground ball to second base.  But C really enjoyed someone yelling, "Papi, run you lazy bum!!"  He still talks about that.

3. Ice Cream is not a Good Food Choice in the Fall.  C goes one minute freezing to telling me that he wanted an ice cream.  I got him the soft serve in a helmet.  He immediately throws his helmet away.

"C, I paid an extra buck for that helmet!"  I ask with an exasperated tone

"Sorry, Dad, I was done with the ice cream and the helmet got in my way." C responds like he does not appreciate the value of money.

4.  Sweet Caroline is the Anthem of the Drunk.  C is 11 years old.  Two drunk people in front of us started to serenade C.  It did not go that well.  "I'm done with him, the 55 year old woman said to us as we started to look around the park looking around for help.  The girlfriend of the drunk 25 year old singing to C, actually fell asleep during the song.  It could not end soon enough.

5.  Terrible Towels Don't Work Here.  In Pittsburgh, yes.  In Minnesota, yes.  Red Terrible Towels for the game?  It doesn't work.  The towels started to fly around the park like beach balls.

6.  Nothing like October Baseball.  When I told C that this was the first game I had ever seen in October (meaning I had never seen a playoff game), he was astounded.  Even in 1986, he asked?  No not even then.  There is nothing like baseball with the crisp air and the electric atmosphere. 

7.  Go to these Games with your Children.  They will always remember this experience.  If you can ever take some tickets to a playoff baseball game, I encourage you to go.  It's worth it.

Go Sox!