At the ol' ball game!

I, by chance, found myself at Wrigley Field tonight. I was right behind first base, 5 rows behind the Reds dugout. To keep as much of the pain out of it, I will keep the score to myself. Because I am at Wrigley, the players are less than 10 feet in front of me. They were chit-chatting the fans before the game. Now, during the game, there is not so much gabbing.

As they come in from the field at the top of each inning, they toss up the ball to some adorable kid hanging over the dugout. The kid is usually dressed in some Cubs get-up, obviously not a Reds fan, but I guess it would be bad press to tell the kid to shove it.

I am sick of 6 and 10 year old Cubs fans getting all of the face time with MY CINCINNATI REDS. So I begin my plea " I'm from Cincinnati!" It starts quite, just to make a joke to my friends. But then, as the innings go by and bratty Chicago 6 year old Cubs kids tromp up the stairs to their seats with big smiles and a Major League ball, I get more desperate/energized. My plea becomes a chat: "I'm from Cincinnati! I'm from Cincinnati!".

Finally, Ken Griffy Jr catches my chant (one of the few things he caught that night)*. At the top of the 7th inning, he tosses me the ball. The entire area around me cheers. Finally the girl from Cincinnati will shut-up. I am congratulated by Cubs fans all around.

The next time the Reds are going into the dugout, people around me start to yell "I'm from Cincinnati" trying to get them to toss up another ball. I am a semi-celebrity. All because I am from Cincinnati and am proud of it. I left the game saying to all the Reds players, "I know you tried very hard. I will see you on Friday." I am pretty sure they thing I am crazy.

Goodnight from Chicago,


*Jr actually played a decent game, but the joke was there, so I had to take it.