What does it take to get me, consummate team sports hater disliker, into a ballgame? The first time (2003), a family reunion. The 2nd (2005), free tickets and a begging daughter. The 3rd?
The 2nd Annual Stitch N Pitch!
Now, just to defend myself and my anti-sports bias a little, can I give you some background? I can? Thanks! Reason one: I grew up far far away from the US of A. I was too little in England to get into football, and in Turkey, the games were too dangerous for us to go to. Riots, anyone? Gee, I guess that could have been England, too. Bahrain? Too small for much action. Plus, when it's not your town, or even your country, the attachment is different. My Dad followed the Redskins from afar, but I never caught the fever. So I came to the States at age 11, ready for junior high, with no real understanding of our national obsession with sports.
Reason 2. Then came college, which for me meant living in the heart of Beantown. You know, in sight of The Green Monster. Who's genius idea was it to put an all-women's college a 3 minute walk from a major league ballpark? Whoever you were, thanks a lot, I say, dripping with sarcasm. You just haven't lived until you've been hit on by so many drunks in the 3 block walk from your class to your dorm that you literally can't count the come-ons anymore... Or you've watched drunks pee on your apartment building walls, or puke... or. Okay, enough visual imagery for the day. For perspective: my next to last apartment before moving out to CO actually had a view of the Fenway scoreboard from the kitchen. You did kind of have to stand in exactly the right spot and crane your neck, but, the view was there. (Another window had an amazing view of the Pru, but, I digress.)
As if living near the park wasn't enough fun for me, I had a college job working in a pair of dance clubs that just happened to be on Lansdowne Street, directly opposite the ballpark itself. Drunken fans trying to continue the pah-ty (insert Boston accent here) were annoying enough. But on the Yankee game days, it went from being annoying to literally terrifying. I almost had to go to court as a witness once, after a horrible Yankee V Red Sox fan fight occurred right outside the club door and left one person, and one car, seriously wounded. But thank goodness, I didn't see/hear enough to be useful for court. Just enough to be sickened and scared.
My college years basically gave me such exposure to the ugly, drunken side of baseball fandom that I still haven't really gotten over it. I know, it's a great sport. I know, families go and have wonderful times. I know, it's really fun and basically, I let e few schmucks ruin it for me forever.
How to counteract this? Go to a ballgame with a bunch of knittah sistahs. (Can I get away with typing that or do I sound silly?) Cathi organized us, and on Saturday evening, I met up with her, Jenifer, Amy and Catherine (if I've picked the wrong spelling, please let me know!) We got our goody bags, our booze- where applicable- and settled in with our knits to enjoy the game. (No photos of my ongoing project, because it is very dull to look at. But I did a few more rows on the never-ending stole- it's much linger now, and I only work on it when I need a 100% no-thinking project...)
We knitted our way through the insanely fast game- barely 2.5 hours! The Rockies kicked the Dodgers butts, and quickly too. (On the it's a small world note, the happy knitter in blue behind me just happens to be a volunteer at my office...) Our small group even got a visit from mascot Dinger, who was decked out in a knitted scarf, and had his own size, oh, 70?, needles and a giant ball of yarn...
I even made it onto the jumbo-tron for a few seconds, but you may have to take my word for it...
Can you tell that's me in the bottom left corner? Trust me, it is...
We had a fun night, and followed the very very short game with chatting and ice cream or coffee, depending on who you were... I was out way past my bedtime, and paid dearly on Sunday! But it was worth it. And, before I go, I just have to thank Catherine for driving me to my car at the end of the night. That would have been one long, lonely night without your help!
Who knows? if ALL team sports had knitting all the time, maybe it could change my viewpoint forever. As it is, I think I'm slowly being won over by baseball.
You're famous! I'm glad you had a good time.
Posted by: Lisa K. | July 30, 2007 at 12:58 PM
Yay!!! I love going to ball games, but more for the hot dogs and nachos and kettle corn then for the game! My knit girls and I went to a hockey game earlier this year. Everything is better with knitters involved!
Posted by: P-la | July 30, 2007 at 03:09 PM
Sounds like a fun girly bonding time. Maybe you'll have to make it an annual event?
Posted by: Lisa D. | July 30, 2007 at 03:45 PM
Ugh - sounds like how I feel about the local ball teams - there is a big tournament coming up and most of the players are such trash. It's a shame.
But...I like to watch baseball on tv...and real games are the best. Though yours was over in record time!
What a fun day out with the girls - and a mascot that knits?! I have never heard of such a thing.
Hope this was the beginning of more great times with your knit gals!
Posted by: Miss Scarlett | July 30, 2007 at 08:00 PM
Sounds like a great night out with your knitting buddies. I'd love to do something like that at Wrigley Field. Then again, I just love Wrigley. I like the Cubs -- I LOVE their ballpark! I grew up in the states and I wasn't much into team sports and/or baseball so it isn't jut living abroad. But my first time at Wrigley -- that kind of gave me the motivation to get into baseball. My husband still just looks at me strangely.
Posted by: Angela | July 30, 2007 at 08:47 PM
Knitting night at the ballpark sounds like fun - I used to take my son to Marlin games which we both enjoyed. Keith and Chris are also big Redskin fans. Chris and his wife are coming to visit us at Christmas and we have tickets to a Vikings/Redskin game. Growing up in VA with all the obnoxious Redskins fans makes me a fan of anyone playing against them - I'll be rooting for the Vikings.
Posted by: Mary | July 30, 2007 at 10:50 PM
I always thought ball games were long a boring. Maybe I'd like them if I had something fun to do like knit. Ok, first I'd have to learn to knit. I already can't get my quilt projects done as quickly as I'd like so maybe I shouldn't learn a new addicting craft.
It does sound like you had a lot of fun!
Posted by: Ellen | July 31, 2007 at 06:14 AM
My pleasure. And thanks for taking some great pictures. (Aren't I so on top of the blogs these days - only took me a week to comment).
Posted by: Katherine | August 07, 2007 at 08:50 PM