Part 3 - At
Fenway Park
![](../../images/090700pics/baseball1.jpg) East Coast swing
takes LDN
to New York and to Boston
By Jeff Mayfield
[SEPT.
9, 2000]
Last
week I cracked the door of my life and gave you a peek into my
baseball pilgrimage. This week I will do something I’ve never done
before: share my annual baseball trip with the general public. For
years I have visited baseball stadiums around the country. If I
visit a city for the first time on business or pleasure and a
baseball game just happens to be scheduled there while I’m in town…I
figure that God wants me in attendance for some special reason. I
might have an experience like Terrance Mann and Ray Kinsella did in
"Field of Dreams" (in fact, I’ll be sharing with you in
an upcoming piece about my recent visit to that mystical field). At
any rate, a few years ago I hooked up with former Lincoln resident
Gary Klockenga, and he’s been accompanying me on these adventures
ever since. We have made something like five trips, and someday, if
time permits, I will share with you what we have found. This year’s
trip took us to New York and to Boston where we encountered games
with serious playoff implications. This week the LDN heads east…
|
(Note:
Part 1 included a game at Shea Stadium.)
(Note:
Part 2 included a game at Yankee Stadium.)
Friday
we got up and made our way to Boston, Mass., via Connecticut and the
ESPN world headquarters in Bristol. Driving along the turnpike was
beautiful…it almost made me forget where I was. I must say that
our stop at the ESPN studios was a major disappointment! ESPN prides
itself on being fan friendly — that they really care that they
have fans and viewers that are committed to them. But when we got
there and requested a tour you would’ve thought that we were
foreign spies. Too bad our laboratories in New Mexico don’t have
security as tight as ESPN has. Let’s just say I won’t be
stopping in Bristol again any time soon. On top of that, when I
returned home I decided to boycott the ESPN networks. I punished
them by not watching any of their programming for a complete
three-hour time slot…that’ll teach ’em!
![](../../images/ads/lincoln_college/LincColl.gif)
We
made the mistake of saving toll money by driving down a slow
two-lane road. We did meet former Lincoln resident Josh Winans
outside of the Green Monster right on time. Another former Lincoln
resident, Tracy Eichelberger, had come through for us and had
procured box seat tickets for the Red Sox. Unfortunately, we were in
Boston on a Friday and the tickets were for Saturday’s game.
That
would be a big problem for most people, but not for me. My dad didn’t
raise no fools (although sometimes I have serious concerns about my
younger sister and brother). I know how that game is played. A bird
in the hand is worth two in the bush. In layman’s terms that means
we had to take our act back to the street.
![](../../images/ads/Edward_Jones/JimSparrows.gif)
My
witnesses will tell you that I did give both the ticket office and
the front office an opportunity to do the right thing. I was willing
to trade four box seats to see Pedro Martinez pitch for three
tickets to see Willie Wonka or whoever it was that threw the night
we were there. They just seemed to be too busy than to be bothered
with three good-looking guys from Illinois (and, yes, we were the
only Illini present)! So, as we went out onto the streets it was as
if we had halos on our heads.
Friends
came up to us from literally every street corner. In a matter of
minutes not only did we have our tickets for Friday night’s game,
but also we traded only two of Saturday’s tickets to get them.
This is exactly the kind of thing that separates the wily, crafty
spectator veterans from the rookies just coming up nowadays. This
means that former Lincoln residents Dan Clymer and Curt Nordhielm,
who are on the East Coast doing God’s work, would also be enjoying
Pedro’s masterful performance on Saturday as well as my newfound
friends on the street! I admit that I’m a humanitarian. I am
sucker for people with needs. I can’t help it if I was born with a
big heart (along with a big nose).
(To top of second
column in this section)
|
![](../../images/ads/gossets/Gossett.gif)
Anyway,
we finally entered the hallowed grounds of Fenway Park. Gary and
Josh were awestruck. Why do they want to tear that shrine down
anyway? We walked around the park taking pictures from all possible
angles.
When
we took our seats we sat right behind a family that was visiting
from Denmark. They must’ve had the same friends out on the streets
that we had found. This family had been in America for six weeks and
had been camping out the whole time. It was interesting getting
their views on our country and on the ball game. I actually enjoyed
talking to them more than the game (don’t worry, I’ve already
scheduled a checkup…hopefully it’s just a sign of old age…nothing
to worry about).
Tommy
Ohka (2-2) pitched a great game for the Red Sox, and they stayed in
the playoff hunt before a sell-out crowd (don’t worry, we got in)
of 33,009 with a 6-4 victory over Kenny Rogers (11-11) and the Texas
Rangers.
Before
the game we had a nice encounter with Rafael Palmeiro of the
Rangers. As he was taking batting practice we were trying to talk to
him and get some pictures of him. He was very accommodating. I think
he recognized my snappy Lincoln Daily News polo shirt and
didn’t want to take the risk of any bad publicity…and who could
blame him. People all over America are jumping on the Lincoln
Daily News bandwagon because they know we’re going places. Did
you know that we are the only cyber-only paper in the country that
we know of?! Rafy was just great to us and talking to him was one of
the night’s highlights.
![](../../images/ads/graue/Graue.gif)
We
said goodbye to Josh and headed back to New York. That was not the
most pleasant drive I have ever been a part of. It’s about a
4-4˝-hour drive, and it was raining. For some reason, though, there
was not all that much traffic, and the time we made was too good
because we got back to New York much earlier than we had planned. It
was about 2 a.m. You do NOT want to be wandering around New York at
2 o’clock in the stinkin’ morning. You young players…trust me
on this one. Someone mentioned that we could just sleep in the car.
Have I mentioned that my dad didn’t raise any fools?…so, we went
into the combination Crown Plaza Hotel/Car Rental agency and just
slept in their lobby. Not the most restful night’s sleep we have
ever gotten, but it did enable us to catch our 6 a.m. (ouch) flight
out of LaGuardia. (Those of you scoring at home may just now be
realizing why Priceline gave us such a good deal!)
As
we made our flight with plenty of time to spare, it gave us some
moments to reflect on our trip. We had just turned in another great
baseball trip. In fact, other than the small hit-and-run we were
involved in in Boston (that’s a whole other story that really can’t
be told in Sports Talk), it will go down as one of our greatest
trips ever. We had spent a grand total of $10 each on tickets but
had gotten to see three games with playoff implications. We had
great visits with former Lincoln residents, especially our time with
Preston Carnahan. The weather was outstanding (other than the rain
we drove through from Boston to New York). And we had just about
finished a $1,500-$2,000 trip for less than $300! I can’t wait to
tell Melinda how much money I saved her!
[Jeff
Mayfield]
|
|
Part 2 - At
Yankee Stadium
![](../../images/090700pics/baseball1.jpg) East Coast swing
takes LDN
to New York and to Boston
By Jeff Mayfield
[SEPT.
8, 2000]
Last
week I cracked the door of my life and gave you a peek into my
baseball pilgrimage. This week I will do something I’ve never done
before: share my annual baseball trip with the general public. For
years I have visited baseball stadiums around the country. If I
visit a city for the first time on business or pleasure and a
baseball game just happens to be scheduled there while I’m in town…I
figure that God wants me in attendance for some special reason. I
might have an experience like Terrance Mann and Ray Kinsella did in
"Field of Dreams" (in fact, I’ll be sharing with you in
an upcoming piece about my recent visit to that mystical field). At
any rate, a few years ago I hooked up with former Lincoln resident
Gary Klockenga, and he’s been accompanying me on these adventures
ever since. We have made something like five trips, and someday, if
time permits, I will share with you what we have found. This year’s
trip took us to New York and to Boston where we encountered games
with serious playoff implications. This week the LDN heads east…
|
(Note:
Part 1 concluded with a game at Shea Stadium.)
After
a short night, it was time to take Gary into the big city. For his
first lesson, I wanted him to experience the joy of finding a place
to park the car in the city. A few hours later, and now feeling like
a part owner of the city, we walked over to Times Square. After the
grueling hunt for a parking space, we were starving.
On
a trip like this there could only be two likely places to lunch:
either the Hello Deli featuring my good friend Ruppert or the ESPN
SportsZone. We settled on the Zone, since the deli was a few blocks
walk. We got there early enough to sit in one of those big
easy-chair loungers that you may have seen on TV. With two gigantic
screens in front of you, it may be the most ideal spot to lunch in
the world! We didn’t venture too far out with our choice of
chicken fingers, but they were pretty good.
![](../../images/ads/Edward_Jones/JimSparrows.gif)
Since
Gary had never seen the city before, he took off on a short tour,
and I did some shopping for my soon-to-be-arriving son. When we met
up, we decided to go to the Yankees game early and avoid rush-hour
traffic. That turned out to be an outstanding decision.
Once
we got to the park we still had the age-old problem…no tickets.
This would stop most people dead in their tracks, but not me. The
Yankees had the audacity to say that they had never heard of the LDN
and that they were not going to grant us any press passes. No
problem…we took our quest to the streets. The Yankees are
notorious for having some of the highest prices for tickets in the
major leagues, so we just decided to go cheap and sit in the
bleachers (I can’t wait to tell my wife how much I saved her on
that deal). The bleacher line was long, and that’s when we met a
friendly scalper. We could either wait an hour or two in the line or
spend an extra buck or two and go into the game right away. What
would you do?
We
took our place in the right-center-field bleachers, and it was time
for the show to start. We had no idea what we were in for.
The
Yankee bleacher creatures are pretty much unlike any bleacher bums
in all of baseball. Many of the patrons either have season tickets
in the bleachers or they have no lives and migrate to the park every
night anyway. If you’re like me, you can’t imagine anyone living
their lives like that (I’m sure glad I don’t live near a
ballpark).
It
is an interesting, eclectic mixture of the cultures and subcultures
of the city. They also have throughout the game an orchestrated
routine that is basically unheard of in all of baseball. First they
chant the name of every starter but the catcher until that
respective player waves back to them acknowledging their chant. If
they spot anyone wearing a Mets jersey, they burst into song about
how bad the Mets stink…that they have always stunk, that they in
fact, do stink and that they will always stink! If they spot someone
wearing gear from any other team, they are all over that person in
between innings.
(To top of second
column in this section)
|
![](../../images/ads/Row/Row2.gif)
It’s
a tough crowd. But I love a group that actually thinks that their
contributions affect the outcome of the game…in some weird,
obscure way these people are at least disciples of my lifelong
principles.
I
almost lost Klockenga to the ambulance team during batting practice
when someone clocked a rocketing home run into the cheap seats. It
slammed off Gary’s hands and fell harmlessly below onto the
driveway between the right-field bleachers and right center.
We
did see another pretty good game as the Yankees powered their way
past the struggling Anaheim Angels. I did get the shakes when I
spotted former Cub Glenallen Hill in the Yankees outfield. But the
true Cub factor does not come into play until the playoffs.
Gary
was pretty unimpressed with Yankee Stadium. And neither one of us is
too impressed with the Yankees…that may be my National League bias
coming out, I’m not sure. Of course, since they wouldn’t even
give us press passes after we traveled all the way out to the East
Coast to see them, who would be impressed with them. I just wish
that the Cardinal owners would have given then-manager Joe Torre
some quality players when he was in St. Louis…the dynasty might
still be reigning there had they done that.
The
Yanks did beat the Angels 6-1 that night, as Neagle (11-5) was the
winning hurler and Mercker (0-2) was tagged with the loss. Thanks to
their lack of generosity we were counted in the 35,180 paid
attenders at that game.
The
one really redeeming feature of the stadium was the sports stores
across the street. They seem to have some good merchandise at fairly
decent prices…it must have been a mirage.
We
tried to get cute and fancy after the game and get to a place where
we could take some good nighttime photos of the city. That plan went
awry and we just went home.
That
set the stage for our final day of East Coast baseball.
(Note: This narrative
concludes tomorrow with a trip to ESPN world headquarters and Fenway
Park.)
[Jeff
Mayfield]
(To
Part 3)
|
|
Part 1
Baseball welcomes LDN with open arms
East Coast swing
takes LDN
to New York and to Boston
By Jeff Mayfield
[SEPT.
7, 2000]
Last
week I cracked the door of my life and gave you a peek into my
baseball pilgrimage. This week I will do something I’ve never done
before: share my annual baseball trip with the general public. For
years I have visited baseball stadiums around the country. If I
visit a city for the first time on business or pleasure and a
baseball game just happens to be scheduled there while I’m in town…I
figure that God wants me in attendance for some special reason. I
might have an experience like Terrance Mann and Ray Kinsella did in
"Field of Dreams" (in fact, I’ll be sharing with you in
an upcoming piece about my recent visit to that mystical field). At
any rate, a few years ago I hooked up with former Lincoln resident
Gary Klockenga, and he’s been accompanying me on these adventures
ever since. We have made something like five trips, and someday, if
time permits, I will share with you what we have found. This year’s
trip took us to New York and to Boston where we encountered games
with serious playoff implications. This week the LDN heads east…
|
This
year’s trip was yet another exciting and successful adventure into
the world of Major League Baseball. Gary Klockenga and I have to
give it high marks even though we did have to go to the East Coast
to experience it. Last year both of our work schedules were
completely out of hand, which left neither time nor money for our
annual trip. So, this year we attacked our planning almost as MLB
was releasing this season’s schedule.
Since
Gary had never been to New York or Boston, I agreed to allow him to
pick these sites for this year’s trip (if you read Sports Talk
last week, you know that I would pick going to the West Coast
virtually every year). I had previously seen games in Shea Stadium
and in Fenway Park. And although I had been to Yankee Stadium on two
or three previous trips, I had never seen a game there (mostly
because of newlywed Anne Wolske Harnly. In the summer of 1978 I gave
her the choice of seeing the Yankees or the "King & I"…who
would have thought that she’d pick Yul Brenner over Bobby Murcer?).
Have
you ever seen those books with titles something like "See
Europe on $8 a day"? That is usually how these trips are
possible for Gary and me. We have been known to: drive all night (we
usually get spectacular gas mileage), go days without food (or at
least maximize any snack raiding we did before our departure), sleep
in the car, impose on our friends (former friends?), experiment with
new technologies and strategies (however, the legal agreement that I
am currently bound to with Mr. Klockenga prohibits me from releasing
any of our secrets. Should you care to discuss any of these matters
with him, I might be able to locate him for you. Until then his
current address and phone number must remain a mystery. However, if
you care to call him with kudos and compliments for another
well-planned trip, I think you can find him in the book in beautiful
Carlock!).
![](../../images/ads/LDN/LDN-webdesign-ad.jpg)
In
the past, these trips have all been pulled off without a hitch. (By
the way, I should point out here that we are blessed with awesome
wives! I’ve been told by other wives to leave their husbands alone…that
they are not letting their husbands traipse across the country on
any "Mayfield excursions." [As a side note…that type of
rude comment cuts to the quick and hurts me very deeply. I will
reflect on their words…probably while I’m on my next trip]. Our
wives know that if they can get along without us for a weekend, that
when we do return THEY GET completely rejuvenated husbands! When I
return home from a sports trip, I’m usually completely refreshed
and ready to do almost anything for my wife. That is, of course,
after a few days on the couch to maximize a complete and total
recovery. I caution any man returning from such a trip to not
immediately attack your wife’s TO DO list. The likelihood of
sustaining a career-ending injury is nearly 100 percent…so why
take the chance? Your wife and kids will need you so much more in
the future that any risk you take as soon as you get home is
foolhardy! Besides, if you do anything constructive in her eyes
within the first 48 hours of your return…you’re making all the
rest of us look pretty bad…SO DON’T DO IT!)
![](../../images/090700pics/baseball3.jpg)
As
plans were made for this year’s trip, time and money were not
coming together. We had to employ a seldom-used rule. Thankfully our
wives and the previously mentioned kibitzing wives get credit for
coming up with this one. Over the last decade several of these wives
have shown us husbands bags and packages of stuff that they have
picked up at so-called sales at one of our local malls or outlet
centers. Most men shudder in disbelief or shock when this happens,
but not me. Our wives proudly explain to us how much money we just
saved!
Borrowing
from the tenet that they have taught me, I began to calculate how
much money Gary and I have saved our families over the years by
scrimping on our trips. I’m still working on an exact figure, but
according to my calculations we have several thousand dollars at our
disposal over the next decade. And if you tack on all of the money
that our wives have saved our families shopping in just the last
decade, we may have to quit our jobs just to spend it all!
(To top of second
column in this section)
|
![](../../images/ads/Lo_co_bank/LoCoBank.gif)
With
that in mind, I announced to Gary that we were not driving this year…that
we were flying. Unfortunately for us, this eleventh hour
proclamation was made too late in the summer, and the airfares were
among some of the highest I have seen in years.
That
would have devastated most people, but not me. If you’re willing
to do your homework, there’s always going to be a way to
accomplish your goals.
![](../../images/090700pics/baseball2.jpg)
I
logged on to Priceline.com! A former Lincoln resident, Curt Swan,
who got smart and returned to his home just outside of Clearwater,
Fla., had just told me of his sweet Priceline deal when I saw him in
Louisville, Ky. I typed in all of the pertinent info and hit the
submit button. After they had time to laugh hysterically and pick
themselves up off the floor, they sent me a rejection notice. I
called Gary and gave him my strategy. Most people fold under the
pressure, but we’re not most people. We’re athletes…and we’re
businessmen! We don’t fold under the pressure! In fact, we’re
oblivious to it.
I
made one small change and submitted it again. This time they sent
back a snide remark. I don’t know how you react when you receive
rude and crude comments. I try to always display Christian love and
charity. Priceline said that if I submitted my ridiculous request
that there would be only a four percent chance that we would get
that price. So, what’s their point?! I quickly responded that it
was my final answer…I mean offer. They bought it! Gary and I were
on our way to the Big Apple for one of the lowest airfares I have
ever seen!
We
arrived in New York on a beautiful summer’s day, and things just
kept getting better for us. Gary was able to swing an unbelievable
deal on a rental car, and when the clerk went to get our car they
had to give us a free upgrade. We got a new car with only 20 miles
on it. From there we drove to our hotel accommodations and then made
our way to the ballpark.
Our
first stop on Baseball Trip 2000 was Shea Stadium. This part of the
story is so far-fetched that it almost sounds like a novel. But it’s
true…and I have witnesses to prove it.
The
New York Mets accepted our request for LDN to receive media
credentials for that night’s game against the Colorado Rockies.
Can you believe it? Not only did they let Gary and me sit in the
press box, they let Preston Carnahan impersonate Tom Seggelke…and
that’s quite an act on any stage!
We
saw a great game that night in Shea, but I have never seen so many
law enforcement personnel at a game before. In fact, the last time I
saw so many cops at the same event was in a Blues Brothers movie.
The game was won 7-5 by the Rockies. Brian Bohanon (7-8) was the
winner, and Glendon Rusch (8-10) took the loss. We were not counted
in the paid attendance of 29,832 since we got the freebies!
![](../../images/ads/gossets/Gossett.gif)
We
were also entertained throughout the evening by one of the world’s
richest men, Donald Trump. Donald was sitting about 20 rows below
us, and it was fun watching people bug him all night.
Shea
Stadium has worn well through the years. The field seems to be in
good condition, and the scoreboards and other accessories seem to be
adequate. The food was average and the prices are high.
I
have never been a fan of the Mets, but they did give us press
passes. For that reason alone, I have to give them high marks. That’s
about all there is to say about our night at Shea.
(Note: This narrative
continues tomorrow with a trip to Yankee Stadium.)
[Jeff
Mayfield]
(To
Part 2)
|
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