Oh man, do I love baseball. I am from the Detroit area, and one of my all time favorite activities is attending Tigers games with my dad or with friends. Nothing better than a summer night, a cold beer, a delicious hot dog and a great ball game.
I have been super jealous of all my friends around the country as they've updated their Facebook statuses bragging about which home openers they're attending - Detroit, Chicago, DC... In fact, my friend Hillary is at a Tigers game as I type this, and I would just love to be there too.
Well, call me an idiot because while we don't have a pro team here in Knoxville, we do have the Tennessee Smokies, and yet I have NEVER been to one of their games. This is the summer that I will remedy that problem. It just so happens that tonight is their home opener, so you could still get yourself some tickets and head out to that game. It starts at 7:15, and it's a beautiful night for baseball.
If you can't make it tonight, there are about a million other games to attend this summer.
I think it's time for a wigshop field trip.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
take me out to the ball game: opening night for the smokies
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10 comments:
Cheap beer in plastic cups does taste better outside under the lights...
I can never get enough of baseball. Of course, the Smokies are the Cubs' Double-A affiliate, and as a die-hard Cardinals I can't quite bring myself to root for anything Cubs related. But that doesn't mean I don't want to go see some games.
I have fond memories of Redbirds games in Memphis. Didn't watch a bit of the game, but there's nothing like people watching with a hot dog in hand and a beautifully manicured lawn in front of you.
I'm all for a field trip.
Although it seems odd, allowing the Smokies to leave Knoxville for Exit 407 was one the worst mistakes that Knoxville ever made. And I lay the mistake almost solely at the feet of former Mayor Ashe who clearly had no concept of the community un-glueing that can happen when a baseball team leaves.
I understand the team/business is doing well out there in the sticks, but I can't bring myself to support it, despite a love of baseball. Sorry, baseball has always been an urban event for me, and always will be.
Art, you bring up an interesting point. Was there ever a proposed urban site for a baseball field?
B, I wasn't here when it happened, but i think it was the usual story of a team badly needing a new stadium and the local government (like he said, it mainly went back to Ashe) not really offering to help them come up with a location or offer any tax credits as incentive to stay, so the owners picked up and moved to a place that was more welcoming.
Art, I agree, and I know plenty of other Knoxvillians agree with you too. I could walk to the old stadium from my house and would have season tickets if the Smokies still played there.
pardon my ignorance, but where is/was the old stadium?
It was where Caswell Park is now.
Em, the games are definitely a lot of fun! Not on scale with a pro team, for sure, but even us po' country folk out here "in the sticks" can recognize when something is a good thing!
This came out Sunday:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/apr/18/harris-downtown-ballpark-would-be-heaven/
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