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By education and experience - Accountant with a specialty in taxation. Formerly a CPA (license has lapsed). Masters degree in law of taxation from University of Denver. Now retired. Part time work during baseball season as receptionist & switchboard operator for the Colorado Rockies. This gig feeds my soul in ways I have trouble articulating. One daughter, and four grandchildren. I share the house with two cats; a big goof of a cat called Grinch (named as a joke for his easy going "whatever" disposition); and Lady, a shelter adoptee with a regal bearing and sweet little soprano voice. I would be very bereft if it ever becomes necessary to keep house without a cat.
Mood:
Satisfied and Smug
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Coors Field Nugget Six - Alone in a Crowd
Single ticket sales for the Rockies series with the Yankees began in February, and on the first available day I went down to the ticket office and got one for yesterday's game. My normal gig is staffed by the regular 9-5 crew on weekday afternoons, so I felt free to play hooky and go to the game.
I got an excellent seat, and never mind how much I paid, but it was a lot. My birthday present to me from me.
Late yesterday morning, I took a bus downtown, walked about 4 blocks to the stadium, amidst a crowd of Yankee fans going the same way, made myself obnoxious to the gate staff (all good friends) checking me into the stadium, got a bratwurst and a beer, and sat down.
Two late teen Yankee fans on my right, two business men skipping work on my left, also Yankee fans. Two married couples in front of me with split loyalties, a Rockies fan with a Yankee fan husband, and a Yankee fan with a Red Sox fan husband. So three of us were having a good time, watching Roger Clemens struggle with the altitude, give up a home run to Troy Tulowitzki who was a baby when Clemens began his major league career, and eventually look up to see Joe Torre heading to the mound, signalling for a reliever and sending Clemens to the showers amid a wave of catcalls (Rox fans) and half hearted cheers (Yankee fans).
I go to ball games to watch the game, and it was clear that all those around me feel the same. No constant getting up and disrupting everyone, we stayed in our seats and watched. And oh boy, this was real fun!
While I saw a broom or two as I entered, I wasn't aware of too much excess emotion at the thought of a sweep. One guy sitting about 15 rows in front of me was there with his broom, and in exaggerated style and with a big grin, got up between innings and swept the stairway in our section.
However, at the bottom of the eighth, Rockies up 4-3, with the Rockies heading to the outfield and closer Brian Fuentes strolling in from the bullpen, the seating area down from me and to my left erupted. There must have been 40 brooms waving in the air. No Mickey Mouse anywhere looking for the sorcerer to rescue him, the brooms were in charge and the air was electric. Two quick outs, and the crowd was standing. One man to first base on a single to right field, and a pinch hitter at the plate, in the pitcher's spot in the lineup. Fuentes sent him down swinging. A solid wave of sheer exuberation. Rockies fans have waited a very long time for experiences like this.
Several things have crossed my mind. One - it was a little disconcerting to be there by myself in such a huge crowd, with the anonymity of wearing shorts and a T shirt, sun visor, keeping score, and no staff insignia to differentiate me from all the others on the concourse. At first it seemed strange, but then kind of nice. I could feed my love of baseball without interruption and in the manner I chose. I'm definitely going to do that again, at least every couple of years or so.
Two - winning ball games sells tickets. Most probably the Yankees' long history of being a winning club sold a lot of tickets for this week's series, but the Rockies winning like they have of late is a shot in the arm. When spring training was over, and the season began, I was very disappointed to find much less quality on the field than I expected. I couldn't begin to guess where the current quality, brains, and skill were hiding at the start of the season, but it's a good deal all the way around that the team has found its stride.
Three - I have a marvelous job in a marvelous place, and I can hardly wait for the next ten days to be over so I can go back to work.
I got an excellent seat, and never mind how much I paid, but it was a lot. My birthday present to me from me.
Late yesterday morning, I took a bus downtown, walked about 4 blocks to the stadium, amidst a crowd of Yankee fans going the same way, made myself obnoxious to the gate staff (all good friends) checking me into the stadium, got a bratwurst and a beer, and sat down.
Two late teen Yankee fans on my right, two business men skipping work on my left, also Yankee fans. Two married couples in front of me with split loyalties, a Rockies fan with a Yankee fan husband, and a Yankee fan with a Red Sox fan husband. So three of us were having a good time, watching Roger Clemens struggle with the altitude, give up a home run to Troy Tulowitzki who was a baby when Clemens began his major league career, and eventually look up to see Joe Torre heading to the mound, signalling for a reliever and sending Clemens to the showers amid a wave of catcalls (Rox fans) and half hearted cheers (Yankee fans).
I go to ball games to watch the game, and it was clear that all those around me feel the same. No constant getting up and disrupting everyone, we stayed in our seats and watched. And oh boy, this was real fun!
While I saw a broom or two as I entered, I wasn't aware of too much excess emotion at the thought of a sweep. One guy sitting about 15 rows in front of me was there with his broom, and in exaggerated style and with a big grin, got up between innings and swept the stairway in our section.
However, at the bottom of the eighth, Rockies up 4-3, with the Rockies heading to the outfield and closer Brian Fuentes strolling in from the bullpen, the seating area down from me and to my left erupted. There must have been 40 brooms waving in the air. No Mickey Mouse anywhere looking for the sorcerer to rescue him, the brooms were in charge and the air was electric. Two quick outs, and the crowd was standing. One man to first base on a single to right field, and a pinch hitter at the plate, in the pitcher's spot in the lineup. Fuentes sent him down swinging. A solid wave of sheer exuberation. Rockies fans have waited a very long time for experiences like this.
Several things have crossed my mind. One - it was a little disconcerting to be there by myself in such a huge crowd, with the anonymity of wearing shorts and a T shirt, sun visor, keeping score, and no staff insignia to differentiate me from all the others on the concourse. At first it seemed strange, but then kind of nice. I could feed my love of baseball without interruption and in the manner I chose. I'm definitely going to do that again, at least every couple of years or so.
Two - winning ball games sells tickets. Most probably the Yankees' long history of being a winning club sold a lot of tickets for this week's series, but the Rockies winning like they have of late is a shot in the arm. When spring training was over, and the season began, I was very disappointed to find much less quality on the field than I expected. I couldn't begin to guess where the current quality, brains, and skill were hiding at the start of the season, but it's a good deal all the way around that the team has found its stride.
Three - I have a marvelous job in a marvelous place, and I can hardly wait for the next ten days to be over so I can go back to work.
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