Busch Stadium 5-11-2010
I really didnt have my head in the game today. I felt a little sick to my stomach, I was under the weather, and I had a slight headache. The humidity wasnt helping. I thought about selling my tickets, and going home. But I stuck with it. Despite everything that was preventing me from having a good time, the forecast called for rain around the time batting practice kicked off. Well, the rain didnt happen. That was probably the thing that kept me at the stadium.
I arrived early like usual. I had the first spot at the gate. No competition whatsoever. So I wandered around the stadium like I always do, and around 3:30pm Albert Pujols was taking early BP. He hit a few into the stands ( I could hear the balls clank off the bleachers ) but there was no telling where exactly they were hit to or if they even stayed in the seats. Its possible that someone inside the stadium would pick those baseballs up anyway. So I decided not to chase after well hidden easter eggs. Even though lets say those baseballs were in the seats, Id probably get them anyway. But I risked losing my prime spot on the base lines. So I just stuck with the normal plan. Who knows. Maybe tomorrow Ill feel more daring to give up my spot to chase easter eggs.
One of the many Cardinal logos used throughout their lifetime.
With the Hilton Hotel in the background, here are many of the statues that line the front of the stadium. Next Fridays game against the Angels will be a free Bob Gibson replica statue. First 16,000 fans I think.
Despite the call for rain early on at least some people braved the weather forecast, and came anyway. I asked the usher at the front gate what the projected attendance would be today, and she informed me it would be about 37,000. She came really close. It was actually 35,000 people. Not bad for a Tuesday at Busch. I was happy because that meant more baseballs for me.
Once inside the stadium I raced down to my spot. The Cardinals finished up BP, and the Astros came onto the field. I had a sharply hit ground ball that came right at me, and I quickly scooped it up for ball number one. Ball number two was a slow roller that was cut off by an Astros player with his foot. He scooped it up, and tossed it into the infield. Potential ball number three was hit six feet to my right, and I was boxed out by some Cardinal fans. The ball hit off the low wall, and made its way into the infield. Potential ball number four was an overthrow by Wandy Rodriguez. It hit a fan in the arm, and bounced back onto the field. The fan got a baseball for that. ( Do you see how my day is going with the keyword “potential”?) Potential ball number five was hit over my head, bounced off a very large man, and back onto the field. I was close enough to snag it, but I just could get after it.
I moved out here after all of that.
Wilton Lopez was out shagging baseballs with Jason Michaels. The view was so bad, I couldnt track anything. A homerun ball during BP was hit over my head, and if I had realized I had a whole row to myself, I would have caught it. That would have been ball number six. After batting practice I retired to my seats. One friggin` baseball. Oh well. It kept the streak alive.
Pretty good seats, right? Yeah. Lance Berkman carried the ball back to the dugout three times. The first two times he tossed it to a kid after looking right to me. The third time he kept it, and went into the dugout. No other baseballs were tossed into the crowd. Even Matt Lindstrom after saving the game for the Astros held onto his baseball. The bullpen guys denied me a baseball as well. What a night. And to think Im going back on Wednesday when theyre calling for rain again. If they cancel BP my streak will probably end there. What a night.
Game: St Louis Cardinals Vs Houston Astros May 11th 2010 7:15pm
Game Balls: One
Autographs: None
Attendance: 35,786
7th Inning Stretch Time 