Dodger Night Game Roars and Crackles

Dodger Stadium presents an interesting cast of characters all too eager to sell their tickets and souvenirs before you get ripped off inside. They are sincere in ensuring that guests are seated in the best location possible wearing the best made garments. Although most present their enthusiasm before the gated entrance some are so bold as to push their wares right in front of the stadium entrance. Notice the gentleman presenting a pair of choice tickets in the lodge on the first base side to a couple of young fans. This man does not fit the stereotype of the usual hawker. Most of them can run with the wind but this guy will need to hail a cab when the cops drop a dragnet.

 

So the "Scalper" is in reality the host and merry maker for our grand evening. Len is a child hood friend who blogs daily with wit guaranteed to bring a smile and raise your IQ. Len is a Dodger season ticket holder and extended tickets to my two boys and me weeks ago. The evening presented an opportunity to catch up on "things" while the Dodgers took on the reigning World Series champs. The two teams are 1-2 in the major league rankings of winning percentage this year with the Dodgers ranked first. A good game was expected but the home team did much better and in dramatic fashion.

 

 

Dodger Stadium is an engaging and comfortable venue to enjoy a baseball game. The food is varied and the tasty menu is topped by the famous Dodger Super Dog. An all beef foot long that is a meal all by itself. The souvenirs are tempting as well and the boys were more than overjoyed with the authentic caps. Didn't even want to bend the visor or remove the stickers and labels.



The game was a low scoring affair with the Dodgers unable to score against the Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer who is the oldest, maybe second oldest, player on a current major league roster. His pitches rarely perked the speed gun beyond 84 miles per hour with most offerings in the mid 70's range. But he kept the team off balance all night. But I am getting ahead of myself a bit. An unexpected surprise blindsided me when, of all things, I went to buy a bag of peanuts and a small cup of beer.

Wandering over to the food stand I was undecided as to what would go best with the beer. For some reason a cold beer sounded appealing and a salted treat to go with it was a no brainer. The choices included a Dodger pretzel, peanuts, and something else that escapes me at the moment. The pretzel just did not look appealing. Maybe if the Dodger pretzel were blue then the curiosity factor may have won me over. No, peanuts was the right choice because the individual treats requires extra attention that stretches out the pleasure.

So now it was my turn to order and I was ready- I least I thought so. The older woman (who am I to say "old lady"} on the service side of the counter wore her white cap neatly and greeted me with the direct "what can I get you." Well, I would like a beer and bag of peanuts I said succintly as I reached for my wallet. I was ready to had her the cash. But while she efficiently pours the beer she dutifully remarks " I am going to have to card you so please have your ID ready"??!!? Huh! I gave her a half hearted but knowing smile 'yeah, you almost got me there' I thought but before I could express myself she repeated "please have your ID ready because I have to see it."

I gave her a closer look now. Glasses look rather thick, might be missing a tooth or two, more than a few hairs that were not white - who is this gorgeous chick who was hitting on me? So like the "kid" who just got his license I proudly handed her my license. She took one quick look and said "that's not you." What the...I knew she was right. For the last three years I have wondered who would call me out on this but it never happened. Not the multitude of guards at work, not the TSA agents across the country, not the various businesses who needed to see an ID to complete a transaction. ALL ACCEPTED MY ID AS ME. But acceptance was not forthcoming from this sharp eyed, no nonsense chick.

Because of my excellent driving record the ID photo is 7 years or so out of date. That in itself should not be problematic but lose 85 pounds and shave the mustache - now that is a problem. I still don't know if she was messing with me or not but she completed the transaction without missing a beat. It was only a month ago that I was lamenting in these pages how I was sold a movie ticket at a Senior discounted price by a pimply faced whipper snapper (whatever that means). I didn't ask for the discount.

 

Once I returned to my seat I shared my peanuts- bag is huge- while savoring the much appreciated cold drink. The Dodgers were presented an opportunity in the bottom of the 9th inning to get back into the game which they graciously accepted. Phillie closer Brad Linge, who was spectacular in the role last year on the way to the World Series, has been terrible so far this year.

He let a couple of Dodger on base but had two out when the third baseman booted a ball for an error. The bases were loaded, two outs and up come Ethier. He promptly doubles down the right field line to end the game. And as a footnote, the next night the same two combatants were at it again as Ethier homers to win the game off Linge.





Once the fans calmed down after the walk-off heroics, it was time for the scheduled fireworks. It was a great way to end a great evening. Thanks, Len. Thanks, beer lady. Thanks Andre Ethier.