What not to do during Spring Training
- Do not show up to the Dodgers and Angels games without buying your ticket ahead of time.
- Do no fall over the bleachers in order to get a ball from your favorite player.
- Never get your favorite player to sign a baseball with a sharpie.
- Never sit near a Hall of Famer without getting his autograph.
- Never try talking to Ozzie Guillen unless you are under the age of 10.
Why did I state the five things above you ask? All five things happened to me. So I will start from the beginning.
I decided to go to the Dodgers and Angels game in Tempe during spring break but in order to get there it meant taking the light rail then a cab. I arrived to the stadium only to realize that the game was sold out and there weren’t even singles available. So there, I traveled for over an hour to get somewhere that would have taken 25 minutes by car only to find out that it was sold out!
My first game that I actually got in to see was the Dodgers and A’s in Phoenix. I spent $7 on an outfield seat and got there over an hour early so I could watch batting practice. Now most of you who read my blog know how obsessed I am with the Dodgers and for those of you, who really know me, know that I am totally obsessed with Andre Ethier. So I was directly behind Ethier during warm ups. He was throwing with Matt Kemp and a couple throws in, Kemp over threw him and the ball was coming towards me until Ethier grabbed it at the last second. I told him, “I could have caught that.” He turned around and laughed, but that was ok with me because I got his attention. Then next overthrow happened and he asked the crowd, “Anyone got that?” I replied with, “Yeah, I got it…with my bare hand!” And that made him laugh even more.
When he finished warming up, I asked him he could sign my book and he said that he would be back so I asked for the ball. He took the ball out of his glove and threw it to me. Ironically, he over threw me and not only did I reach up and grab it with my right hand; I fell back over the bleachers to make sure nobody else caught it. Later on I got him to personalize the autograph on the ball, only he signed it in Sharpie! Do you know what happens to autographs signed in Sharpie? After a couple years they begin to fade and the ink blurs!
So when I was walking to my seat, I noticed Tommy Lasorda and Maury Wills were sitting in the stands except every one was walking right by Wills and straight to Lasorda. So I walked over and asked Wills for his autograph and then he yelled at Lasorda to make sure and sign what I had. I ended having to leave the game early, just like the typical Dodgers fan but finally got my favorite players’ autograph and that is all that mattered to me!
The second game I went to was between the Rangers and White Sox in Surprise. I sat three rows behind the legendary Nolan Ryan! I couldn’t believe it! So I bought a ball from the pro shop to have him sign but I noticed that everybody who went to get his autograph was sent away by security. So I was waiting till after the game to talk to him and what happened? HE LEFT IN THE 8TH INNING!
During the game I decided to go sit in the sun behind Ozzie Guillen. That man is hilarious but ignores everyone ages 10 and up. A little boy in a Dodgers hat asked to sit by me and of course I told him he could. I asked the boy if the Dodgers were his favorite and how many games he had been to and not long after that Guillen turned around and started talking to him. Totally ignored me! After about an inning, he invited the boy to sit next him on the field! I couldn’t believe it but I was jealous of an 8-year-old! As I was leaving the stadium I noticed the boy’s family had gone on the field with him and my only guess was that he was going into the clubhouse.
So with the conclusion of spring training, I learned my lessons about certain things and am also looking forward to a meeting with the Dodgers when they come play the Diamondbacks in May. I am so excited and cannot wait!
I will also be interning with Sports Xtra on 560 WNSR in Nashville this summer! So be sure to tune in and maybe you will hear my voice from time to time!
Great read…you left out the part about you calling me in tears because tthe Dodgers/Angels were sold out
…. How lucky you are to live where you can go watch Spring Training. How lucky you are…period.
Nolan Ryan? Very sweet. And your moves on your favorite player? So very, very Maren!
Great stuff, I’m green with envy. No spring training for me, but I did get to watch the Bison beat Portland, White House and Gallatin this week. A close second to the Dodgers.