Two down, twenty six to go...
The drive from Philadelphia, PA to Flushing, NY was an easy one, although not a pretty one. I left my cousins apartment a little before 11am and arrived at Shea Stadium at 1:30pm. I was fourteen dollars lighter in the pocketbook thanks to the tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Triborough Bridge, and was forced to look at the New Jersey countryside for almost two hours, but otherwise unscathed and ready for some more baseball.
When I arrived at the stadium, fans were already lining up at the gates to watch batting practice and solicit autographs from their favorite players. I walked past the throngs of locals and into the Mets corporate offices, an airconditioned maze of hallways with very little lighting. I introduced myself to the receptionist who announced my arrival to the media department. Somewhat to my surprise, a credential was produced almost immediately granting me access to the field and the press box. I didn't ask any questions and proceeded back to the ground level.
Shea Stadium is considered one of the uglier "cookie cutter" ballparks in the nation. After visiting for nearly three hours, I am going to have to disagree. Unlike Veterans Stadium, Shea is designed only for baseball and has a much more personal feel to it. The field is real grass, not astroturf, the stands are filled with clean and newly painted seats, and each seat (including the small section of bleachers in deep left field) has a good view of the field. In addition, as you walk around the field level of the ballpark, you are constantly reminded that you are at a baseball game. There are not tunnels to get to the field box seats, but instead an almost unobstructed view allows fans milling about on the field level to watch the game.
Shea Stadium boasts one of the largest score boards in the big leagues, a monstrous structure in the center of the outfield, complete with numerical rosters of both teams, scoreboards from both leagues, and an ad for Budweiser larger than a small family home. To the left of the major scoreboard is speaker stand and rotating ad display, that conveniently only displays its advertising between innings so as not to distract the batter. Farther towards left field is the Diamondvision screen.
As for the festivities during the game. . . use your imagination, this is New York. The Mets mascot,
a small man with the large head of a baseball, goes around the stadium with a team of high tech
guys (suited up like the Super Mario Brothers) and gives away free things to the fans. The special event of the day seemed to be when Mr. Mets threw twinkies into
the crowd during the seventh inning stretch. I guess the Mets management figures that they can
get the crowd excited by throwing free t-shirts and offering gift certificates for dinner rather than
leading large groups in chants or other rallying cries.
The result is a baseball experience like no other.
As I walked around the infield during batting practice, there was an odd humming sound that never ceased. The fans were literally screaming the players names for autographs, not only when the players walked nearby the stands, but when they were hitting, throwing, running towards the outfield or whatever. You couldn't understand what most were saying, as comments and requests were coming from all directions, but a player could certainly have a hard time focusing with all the noise.
The players on the field were not as friendly as the ones in Philadelphia, in part I think due to the heat on the field. At the time of the first pitch, the temperature was a sweltering 91 degrees, and on the field it is even a few degrees warmer. They seemed to want to finish their work and return to the air-conditioned clubhouse rather than chat with me. I spoke to a few coaches, some players asked me what I was doing on the field at such a young age, and some reporters and I shared our thoughts about baseball. Nothing too interesting, with the exception of standing with the Pirates owner and his daughter. . . I only wish I had realized who they were sooner and had a chance to introduce myself. Instead I sat there in amazement as players launched pitch after pitch into the Mets bullpen in deep right field, and soaked up the wonderful sun.
The Mets management didn't have time to speak with me prior to today's game, despite their commitment in a letter I received from General Manager Joe McIlvaine a few months back. The media credential I mentioned earlier came only after more than a week of fighting with the front office. It seems I had been given some misinformation about the request process and had incorrectly faxed my credential request. After apologizing and offering several alternatives to try and make up for my error, the Mets decided The Great American Baseball Trip, despite its affiliation with the SportsFan Radio Network, the Westport News, and the use of the web page for daily communication, was not worth the effort of granting a credential. I guess after I explained that every other team had granted me a access, they figured it was easier than actually spending time with me.
I did run into Mr. McIlvaine on the field behind the batting cage and he remembered the letter I had written him announcing my trip. He apologized for not meeting with me and we spoke for a few minutes about the trip and which stadiums he thought were the most spectacular. Dodger Stadium and Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City were Mr. McIlvaine's favorite, a sentiment shared in part by Pirates coach Lloyd McClendon who was standing nearby in a stylish new pair of sunglasses (I told him I would mention the glasses so when he checked the web page, they would be there). I think Mr. McClendon was a little self-conscious about the glasses but I really thought they were a good match for him. Mr. McIlvaine also stopped by while I was sitting in the press box to pat me on the head and check to make sure I was being treated nicely. It was a nice gesture after all the trouble they had given me throughout the week.
The real fun of the day came in the auxiliary press box where I sat for most of the game (trying to avoid the sweltering heat and humidity). When I arrived in the press box, there was an older gentleman in a tuxedo sitting and watching the grounds crew as they painted the lines and watered the infield. After I had taken a spot in the front row of the press box, otherwise unoccupied, he finally spoke to me, issuing a stern warning that my chosen seat position was reserved for photographers, and that if any arrived during the game, they would not be pleased to find me in their spot. Feeling a little out of place, I moved my bags to the top row of the box and stood near the security guard, a friendly member of the NYPD.
After a few minutes, I tried to make conversation, and introduced myself. I presented a card that showed the web site address for The Great American Baseball Trip an explained my adventure for the summer. The man, whose name I later learned was George, looked at me, and then began to fire questions at me, trying to understand why I would undertake such an challenge. He launched into an editorial about how dangerous the roads are and how if I wasn't careful, "[my] body would end up under a tree somewhere." But, then I think he started feeling sorry for me. George, who works as an attendant in a luxury box used by one of the Mets owners, went and got me a Mets yearbook, interleague program, and free game program. Then George brought out some Cracker Jacks and mixed nuts and offered me a drink. And, throughout the game, George came back to check on me, got me water so I wouldn't dehydrate, and spoke fondly of me to the security guards and others sitting in the area.
Aside from walking around the stadium, and visiting my pre-purchased seats for a moment to see if my friend had felt well enough to show up (he apparently had been stricken by food poisoning the day before), I ended up spending most of my time in the press box with George and the security guard, talking sports with other reporters, and waiting for the game to get exciting.
THE FOODUnfortunately, in the heat and humidity of the day, it was very hard to think about eating anything, let alone a soft pretzel. But, because it is my duty to report on the quality of the food at every stadium, I made the ultimate sacrifice and purchased a soft pretzel. The Pretzel I purchased on the field level at Shea Stadium (from the stand directly behind home plate) was better than average, but nothing to run out and tell your friends about. It was average size for a pretzel, full bodied, and warm to the touch. The crust of the pretzel was a little hard, indicating to me that the actually cooking of the pretzel had been finished well before I purchased it and that it had spent the last several minutes languishing under a hot lamp. The mustard was tangy, but not special.
As for the hot dogs, I didn't personally eat one (because, as I mentioned, they are not something I enjoy eating) but I didn't hear any good comments from the fans in my section. The folks who were eating them were not really focusing on the food they were eating, but rather enjoying the fact that they were eating something while enjoying a sunny afternoon at the ball park. A number of people were lined up at the Grille Works station, a slightly more expensive area that offers hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and the like. And, because of the heat, the frozen yogurt, ice cream, lemonade, and air conditioned cafes (located in several areas around the stadium) were all quite popular.
The game was very exciting, and wasn't decided until the ninth inning (unlike most games which are a foregone conclusion by the fourth or fifth). The Mets scored first thanks to a Todd Hundley homer. Then both teams spent the middle innings hitting the ball hard but stranding runners. In the 8th, the Pirates took the lead thanks to a botched double play (resulting from a fielder's choice). Then the Mets took the lead on another homerun, this time a two run shot. . . although not by Hundley. Then, with one out in the ninth, the pinch runner (and tying run for the Pirates) was gunned down at the plate as he tried to score all the way from first base on a weak double to left field. The Mets should get some credit for the masterful defensive play that resulted in the relay to home plate which Todd Hundley snared in plenty of time to get the runner. As expected, the crowd went nuts!
The fans are what I will remember most from my visit to Shea stadium. They are an eclectic mix of young and old fans, all of whom are most interested in the game being played on the field. Few are dressed like traditional baseball fans, many in basketball jerseys, some in jackets and ties. But, with all the free promotions going on, and all the food flying around, more than any stadium I have been to in my life, these fans are watching the game, tracking the players statistics and waiting for the Mets to score. On this day, Pizza Hut bat day, the kids were all clutching their new shiny black bats while the older fans yelled and jeered when the Pirates scored or turned a double play. The crowd of 32, 908 was very involved in the game from the start -- and they were loud throughout. They cheered for every strikeout, danced for every song and booed the fans that dropped the looping foul balls. I didn't speak with anyone interesting enough to report back to you about, but I did spend a lot of time watching the fans, and got quite a bit of enjoyment from them.
All in all, it was a very full day. I took home a collectors bat (despite being over the age of fourteen) and a ball from batting practice (generously supplied by the one of the dugout attendants for the Mets). I sampled the food, visited with the fans, and was treated to one of the most exciting ball games I have been to in years. When it was all over, the Mets had captured their third straight one-run win over the Pirates, and will go for the sweep as I make my way to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Aside from the front office management folks, everyone I met at Shea stadium was nice and all were very helpful. For many years, my mother never let me go out to Mets game, but I felt right at home with the thousands of avid baseball fans at Shea and can't wait to return to share another game with them.
