Second Royals Game of the Year...In Review

Last Saturday, as a kind of celebration for the end of Spring Semester, I went to my second Royals game of the year. It was a very interesting game to say the least, here are some of the highlights.

*It was free umbrella day at the ballpark so I got a free umbrella. So far I'm 2 for 2 in getting free promotional stuff at the ballpark. Can't complain about that at all.

*Me and two friends (Andrew and Brent) sat in the outfield plaza section, just on the other side of the foul pole in left field in fair territory. This would come into play as in the top of the 1st, Kevin Millar of the Orioles hit a home run not probably ten feet from where we were sitting just on the other side of the construction fence (by the way, on the highlight of the home run, you can see me...sort of, there is a red blob right next to the foul pole, that's me, I was wearing my Union University poncho). There was a guy who jumped that fence to get the ball. Subsequently, he was escorted out of the park once he got back over the fence.

*After the first half inning it was 3-0 Orioles and then the rains came. They had a rain delay, the first one I had been a part of. It lasted roughly an hour and forty five minutes. In the meantime, we walked the length of the concorse trying to stay dry and also talked with some other friends (Tyler and Allison) who were at the game.

*Once they got the game started again, it was still a long game. Coupled with the fact that a lot of people were wet and the wind was gusting upwards of 40 miles an hour (made the flags in the outfield almost come off the flag poles), a majority of the people left the game.

*Around the fourth inning or so, we moved closer to home plate in a covered section., partly because of the weather and partly because of a row of drunk and obnoxious fans (who subsequently we believe left and didn't stick through the entire game). After the seventh inning stretch, Andrew and Brent went back to the car to get warm and I decided to stick it out until the end. I ended up moving down to the second row near the third base dugout where Tyler and Allison along with two other friends (Amy and Chris) were standing.

*The last two and a half innings were exciting. Tyler ended up with a baseball that was thrown to him by a third base coach after being fouled off. Amy ended up with some Cracker Jacks that were thrown out during the seventh inning stretch. There were two shirts that were caught by Tyler inbetween innings. And we got on the big screen a couple of times.

*The Royals cut the lead down to two in the bottom of the ninth when Billy Butler came to the plate. He then proceeded to hit a ball deep into the outfield. The ball ended up hitting the top of the fence and then dropped right back onto the playing field. Everyone thought that it was a home run, they even shot off fireworks like it was a home run. Unfortunately, it was only a double and cut the lead to 1. The next batter subsequently got out and ended the game.

*After the game, the home plate umpire came walking up to go into the dugout. He started throwing out balls into the crowd that were in his pocket. One of those landed in my glove. So I now have in my possession, a real baseball from a major league game.

*Overall it was a fun experience though the weather wasn't so great and the Royals lost. It was definitely memorable and one that I enjoyed.