Baseball Oogie: Cincinnati

Day 8

Great American Ballpark, 2007

Question: What do you call a cute little four year-old boy?
Answer: The bastard with my foul ball.
Date: Friday, July 6, 2007, 7:10 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds
Great American Ballpark
Cincinnati, OH
Major League Baseball, National League
Promotion: None

Stadium & Fans:
The Great American Ballpark complex is all nicely done, with an amazing riverfront view.

This was the first game where we even had good seats available to buy. We sprung for some seats just behind the really, really expensive area behind home plate. We were about ten rows back from home plate, and our seats were even a little better because we were on the first row right before the landing into that pit area, and the walkway was behind us, so we had a crystal-clear view. Even though I have sat physically closer at a major league game, this was easily the best seat I've ever had.

It was also the closest I've come to catching a foul ball. Because the walkway was behind us, we had some area to maneuver for balls fouled straight back off the loge level. Three came in our general area. Two were reasonably within reach. And one glorious ball was within inches. A foul back off the Plexiglas on the loge level arched my way. I almost had it. The angle was just high enough that it went over my hand and landed in the first row of the pit in front of us, grabbed by some guy and given to his son. His tiny, tiny son.

But no, I let the little blond so-and-so keep the ball, and so I will diminish, and go into the West and remain Galadriel.

The Game:
The story of the game was the Reds' pitcher Lohse. He had a no-hitter through three and a one-hit shutout going into the ninth. He eventually surrendered a run after three straight hits in the top of the ninth, but held on to go the distance. The Reds put up all the offense they needed in the first, continued with long-balls, and won 8-1.

Miscellanea:
The other story of the game was Ken Girffey Jr. In the fifth, he clocked his 586th homer, tying Frank Robinson for 6th on the all-time home run list. There were fireworks, and the Griffey home run counter in right field turned over. From our seats, we may very well have been on the highlight reels.

Scorecard:

Diamondbacks vs. Reds, 07/06/07. Reds win, 8-1.

$1 for a cardstock fold-out scorecard customized for the series. Spacious and roomy enough, but for no good reason, it had a stubby area for the player's names.

The Stadium Race:
The race was the Mr. Red Race, and it was won by Mr. Red. Pete Rose was seen fleeing the scene.

Travel & Other Non-Game Activities:
The Reds have a hall of fame and baseball museum as part of the complex at Great American Ballpark, and it is included in the admission to the game. The rotating exhibit in the ground floor was devoted to Mr. Red, Pete Rose. Apparently, most of it was from his own collection. I feel sort of bad for him, because it is so obvious that this is all very important to him, and all he ever did with his entire life was try and play a game he loved the best he could. But then again, Pete, don't bet on the f*cking games. The fact that there were lottery machines around the corner from the exhibit was enough to elicit a giggle, and for however much the Reds' fans love him, he's still not even in the Reds Hall of Fame.

The joke is that he bet on games.

But the museum itself was a lot of fun. And I was impressed by the fact that in the historical exhibits they actually talked about controversial subjects. At US Cellular, you cannot find any mention of the Black Sox, but the Reds part in it, as well as things such as Pete Rose's banishment for life, were all there in living color. Quite refreshing.

The second level of the museum was all interactive. There was a pitching cage where you could get yourself timed and have your accuracy measured. (My fastball maxed out at a slow major league change-up, for those interested.) You could also step into the umpire's mask behind the pitching cage to see how you'd call a game. There was an outfield wall to practice snagging home runs back into the park (hitting the wall at speed hurts, by the way), and a batting cage to test your hitting. You can even step into the broadcaster's booth to call some plays, or rest in a Reds fan's "heaven den" right out of the seventies.

It was all very well done.

The Hotel:
This night, we would be stopping in the environs of Columbus again. However, for some reason, we decided to stay at a Holiday Inn that night. It turns our that this Holiday Inn was actually built in the middle of a Western-themed water park. And it wasn't all that expensive, really. However, one frightening item from the evening was that someone was having their wedding there.

Sometimes I just don't get people at all.