Crazy about Baseball

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My two top favorite teams are the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. I watch every one of their games I can. I lived in Missouri for 11 years, which is where I became a Cardinal fan, having access to many televised games locally, plus listening to my favorite radio broadcaster, Jack Buck, on radio. I also had opportunities to occasionally see Cardinal games in person at Busch Stadium, since St. Louis was only a two hour drive away.

TV also provided a lot of Chicago Cubs coverage in the Missouri area, particularly on WGN-TV in Chicago, so it was easy to also become a Cubbies fan. My favorite games are when the Cubs are playing the Cards, though it's hard to know who to root for then!

I prefer the National League over the American League, because I don't like the 'designated hitter' rule. I think pitchers should also bat, and many of them are really good batters ... like the 'Cardinals' Chris Carpenter!

Since I grew up in upstate New York, that made the NY Yankees a natural part of my world, so I have to add them to my list of favorites. Besides, they currently have some of my all-time favorite players on their roster. Anyone else a Derek Jeter fan?

Being a New Yorker, I also followed the Brooklyn Dodgers during my teens back in the 1950's. I seldom hold grudges, but I have to admit that to this day I refuse to be a Dodger fan because I never forgave them for leaving Brooklyn in 1957. That's a long time to 'hold a grudge'.

I've been fortunate to have been able to attend several games in person in two ballparks - Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals) and the KC Royals Kauffman Stadium, and go to one World Series Game - the opening game of the1985 I-70 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Kansas City Royals - the thrill of a lifetime to this baseball fan! My dream would be to visit every one of the 30 baseball stadiums to watch a game, starting with Wrigley Field in Chicago!

What was to become known as the I-70 World Series - a series between two Missouri Teams, the AL Kansas City Royals and the NL St. Louis Cardinals, was special to us because we were living in Central Missouri at the time and were Cardinals baseball fans. It became even more special when we had the opportunity to attend Game 1 in Kansas City on Saturday, October 19, 1985. At the time, Bob was the Band Announcer for Marching MIzzou, the University of Missouri-Columbia Marching Band, and the band was invited to perform "The National Anthem" for the Opening Game of the Series. We traveled by buses from Columbia, MO to Kansas City, got to stand on the sidelines while Bob announced from the broadcasting booth and the band performed, then got to stay and watch the game. To this died-in-the-wool baseball fan, there is no greater thrill than to be at a World Series Game in person!

The 1985 World Series was very exciting and we had a great time cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals. But...Kansas City rallied from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to capture their first world championship by defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the "I-70 Series"...the Royals became the first club in the 82-year history of the Fall Classic to lose their first two games at home and come back to win the title...KC was only the fifth team on record to come back from a 3-1 deficit and win the Series...the Royals became the first AL expansion club to win a world championship and the 2nd expansion team overall, joining the New York Mets...KC's talented and youthful pitching staff held the Major League's best hitting club to 13 runs and a batting average of .185 -- the lowest ever in a seven-game World Series...George Brett, Willie Wilson, Lonnie Smith and Steve Balboni all hit over .300 during the Series...Bret Saberhagen earned Most Valuable Player honors with two wins and a 0.50 ERA.

Everyone has their own "Field of Dreams", whether it's a real place, or a 'place in their mind'. If you love baseball, or are just a fan of the movie, you would find the Dyersville, Iowa Movie Site of "Field of Dreams" a fun place to visit.

Enjoy the surroundings, bat a few balls, play a little catch, run the bases or sit and dream on the bleachers. Don't forget to bring your favorite bat, ball and glove.

My family visited here the year after the movie came out in 1989. It made the movie memories so 'real' to actually walk on the field and sit in the bleachers. Bob even 'disappeared' into the corn field -- and didn't come out for quite a while, leaving me, my son and daughter-in-law wondering.......

The 'Field of Dreams' movie site is open April through November, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
with Free Admission!

Visit the link below to learn all about the movie site, and if you find yourself in the Dyersville, Iowa area, don't miss the opportunity to 'see' it for yourself. It's a charming reminder of a 'simpler' time!

As much as I love Major League Baseball, minor league ballgames can be just as much fun.

My grandson, Ryan attended a game at Woodmen Park last summer with his dad. Ryan had won a reading contest in 2nd grade in his school located near Davenport, Iowa, and the reward was a trip to the ballpark and the opportunity to parade around the outside of the baseball field before the game. At 7, Ryan may not have been much of a baseball fan, but he enjoyed the experience.

The Rochester Redwings are a Class AAA team for the Minnesota Twins. The "Redwings" play in Frontier Field located in downtown Rochester, NY.

Frontier Field was built in 1997, but the old Silver Stadium was home for the Rochester Redwings for as long as I can remember. I've attended 'Redwing' games since I was a child.




Last May I visited my brother in Rochester and, of course, we had to take in a baseball game. We are both crazy about baseball! We belong to a group of like-minded friends, so 10 of us ended up at the game on a very cold night, typical of Upstate New York in the Spring. But 'nothing in the world' is more fun to me than to watch and talk about baseball, especially with other fans and particularly while at the ballpark!

I'm a huge Baseball Fan, and watch & follow major and minor league baseball all season long. But I'm also a believer in supporting and encouraging the love of baseball in children. In fact, two of my grandsons play recreational baseball. To that end, I'm proud to be a supporter, as a one-time Pendleton resident, a friend of my Squidoo mentor OhMe, and a dyed-in-the-wool baseball fan, of "Step Up to the Plate" for FRIENDS OF THE PARK, the current campaign and official Squidoo Charity designated to raise money to renovate Pendleton's Veterans Park ball fields! Therefore, I proudly display this terrific "Friends of the Park" Badge.

Thanks, to Nancy (OhMe), Pendleton, and Squidoo!

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