Take Me Out To The Ballgame . . .

Thursday, March 21, the first full day of official spring saw us at a Spring Training Game between the LA Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs.  When first asked if he wanted tickets at Pickleball one morning, Sherwin says, "Where are the Cubs from?"  He will probably always be remembered as the guy who doesn't know his teams!!

Every spring we are here I ask...what about a Spring Training Game?   Something about it has lured me every year but I was always asking too late.  Not this year.  Sherwin came home from Pickleball and said he had an opportunity to buy 2 tickets to this game but turned it down.

"Turned it down?"

Next day he came home with two tickets!  And it was fun.  Fun to watch the people react to the game, react to the people around them.  And it was fun to be with Rita Jean and Al and Gene and Jeanne and a few others we have met here.

In the above photo on the near left you can see Rita Jean and Al already in their seats next to ours...

We got there early enough to be able to watch the Cubs warm up...

And we took a serious look around...

Had to take a snap of this Hermisillo shirt as a nod to the years of travelling through Hermisillo, MX.  Some days I feel a little too close to the border.

Interesting logo on the back of the beer vendor...

Over to the left the Dodgers were warming up with some good stretches...

And, of course, we stood for the national anthem.  This is a strong military town so uniforms are a common sight around town.

Play ball !!!!

This is our group photo...Jeanne (in the front row to the left) gave my camera to another fan and he got us all.  There we are smack in the middle of the group eating our nachos!  Eight of us there are from Del Webb, Rancho del Lago.

For a while I entertained myself snapping photos of the action.  We had great seats so I had a perfect location for snapping!

We cheered and hollered and did our part in advancing the joy of the day...

But then, right in front of me I noticed this hat!  Oh, Shelby would like that!!  The wife saw me closing in on her husband's head and we chatted a bit about U of O!  I promise I did not mention Smith Family Books in Eugene...loved that place.  Every time we visited Shelby you could find the three of us down in the store, each off in our little corner finding a treasure or two!

But back to the game...it was a nearly a sold out venue.  11,300 seats possible - 11,136 bought up for that game.  There were only two Spring Training Games in Tucson this year...they have been moving them all up to the Phoenix area.

Every time we go to an event of this nature we are again amazed at the cost of the food but that didn't seem to deter any of us...we enjoyed the offerings they had.  We did bring in our own water bottles.  Even though it was overcast with grey skies it was warm!

I enjoyed getting closeups of many of the Dodgers because their dugout was just to our left. We were cheering out little hearts out for their team!!!!

And there were the Cubs...did you know they have not won a World Series since the 1907-08 season?  And some call them an Iconic Team?  Is it because we are now 105 years later and still no major win?

My eyes started to wander over the surrounding area...liked these flags on the hospital next door.

And the game played on...stay with me, we are nearly done.  I was pleased with my snaps of the day...

Wonder what the catcher is saying to the pitcher as they head off the field...

Eye wandering again...Wonder what this cow was actually doing or selling...his shirt is asking us to 'Eat More Chicken'...

And we are ready to go home...two tired but happy 'fans'.  Oh, by the way, the Dodgers won 5-4.

Tell me about your first day of Spring...what brought you joy on the 21st?

God bless and be well.