Category Archives: Musings

Ballparks, Part 2

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How about that All Star Game last night! I still don’t think an exhibition game should “count” in any way, but even I was moved by all those Hall of Famers gathered on the field at Yankee Stadium . . .

Yesterday I wrote about all the major league ballparks I’ve been to. I intended to go back and add links to each park, but it’s easier to just direct you to Ballparks of Baseball where you can see and find out about all the past, current and future parks. I’ve also got some additions/updates for that post coming soon . . .

I wish I had made it to Tiger Stadium and the old Brewers park. I’m glad that many of the “new” parks are modeled after the great parks of old . . . and I hope I don’t live to see the time when “all-purpose parks” come back into fashion . . .

In terms of minor league parks, here’s the beginning of my list:

  • Bush Stadium in Indianapolis (Indianapolis Indians and some PanAm games)
  • Memorial Park in Brainerd, MN where the Brainerd Bears play (or played in the mid-90s)
  • American Legion Field and “Roger Maris Field” in Fargo, ND where the Fargo Red Hawks play (yes, I know they named the new park something OTHER than “Roger Maris Field”, but that’s because they were stupid and greedy); it’s something like Jack Williams/”The Nest” . . . WHATEVER!
  • I’m pretty sure I saw the Columbus Knights play in Columbus, OH in the late 80s/early 90s
  • I think I went with the Goodman gang to see the Kane County Cougars play at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, IL
  • And of course, the Lakewood Blue Claws play at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, NJ. Go Blue Claws! Go Pinchy!

Pinchy

Then there’s the Spring Training trip to Florida (Spring 1997) with Mom, Dad, Aunt Rosemary & Uncle Dick:

  • Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater, FL (Red Sox/Phillies)
  • Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, FL (Yankees/White Sox)
  • Legends Field in Tampa, FL (Rangers/Yankees)
  • Ed Smith Stadium again (Tigers/White Sox)
  • Jack Russell Stadium again (Rangers/Phillies & White Sox/Phillies)

How do I know which parks I’ve been to? Because I have a SCOREBOOK and keep score at almost every game. Sometimes I have to give up (due to rain or a game that is more fun to watch than to score) and some parts of the scorebook say things like “DINNER BREAK” or “BATHROOM BREAK”. Last year I read about some gals who go to games and keep score together, alternating innings. They write in “NPA” for “not paying attention” :) I like that one!

Baseball Stadiums

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Taking a break from the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium to reminisce about the different Major League Ballparks I have visited.

Of course we have Wrigley Field, though I haven’t been there since the 1990s. And I’m pretty sure I went to the old Comiskey Park when I was growing up, though I’ll need to double-check with Dad on that one.

In the early 90s I went to Riverfront Stadium in Cincinati to see a Cubs/Reds game.

In the summer of 1993 I took a Baseball Therapy vacation and saw games at the following parks:

  • Wrigley Field (a very cold game early in the season with Mom, Dad, Janet, Mark & Sean)–Mets/Cubs
  • Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburg (Reds/Pirates, 7/10),
  • several games at Yankee Stadium (Mom & Dad had season tickets at that time)–Oakland As, California Angels, Brewers,
  • two games in Fenway Park (Angels/Red Sox 7/20 & 7/21)–Dad & I saw Tim Salmon in his breakout year.
  • Veteran’s Stadium in Philadelphia (Cardinals/Phillies, 7/29, VERY HOT DAY, VERY HOT STADIUM, sat up in nosebleed section to get some shade)
  • Camden Yards in Baltimore (Brewers/Orioles, 8/3)
  • Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland (Rangers/Indians, 8/13)

This was the same summer that some college kids tried to go to 28 parks in 28 days (before the Diamondbacks and Rays joined MLB). Obviously I had a more leisurely schedule!

Other parks I’ve been to:

  • the first “new” Busch Stadium in St. Louis (where the Cards played in the late 60s & 70s)
  • Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome here in Minneapolis
  • the original Shea Stadium in New York

I’ll add the minor league parks later.

Time to check back with the game.

Fireworks

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My July 4th traditions include reading the Declaration of Independence and going to the fireworks show at the local park. Occasionally I’ll go to “the big show” down by the river (which includes a soundtrack on the radio), but most of the time I prefer to walk the few blocks to Powderhorn Park with my little beach chair and sit with all the neighbor families and their kids going “oooo” “ahhh” as the fireworks explode right over our heads. It reminds me of going to Doerhoefer Park in Downers Grove, IL when I was growing up.

Unfortunately, two of my most vivid fireworks memories involved screaming frightened children. One year we went with the neighbors, including two very young girls, maybe 5 or 6 years old?, to the Doerhoefer Park fireworks. This was back in the 70s when they still shot the fireworks right over the crowd. Inevitably there are a few duds in the bunch of fireworks and this time one landed right on our blanket by these two little girls. Very frightening for all! The dud didn’t explode, but I’m not sure if those two girls ever wanted to see fireworks again. (Jenny or Leslie if you see this, let me know if you ever recovered . . . :)

Another year I went with a friend and her four children to fireworks in Indiana that were shot off over an old quarry. Unfortunately, it was a very windy night. We all ended up covered in ash. At least one of the children was so frightened by the noise, ash, etc. that he started screaming. Several of us were crying from ash in our eyes. We’re lucky nothing caught on fire and no permanent damage was done. Needless to say, not a very happy Fourth (though my memory is that we had yummy food before heading out to the fireworks).

So, be forewarned–if you invite me to accompany you and your children to any fireworks, it might not be a fun experience.

Nowadays safety seems to be a bigger consideration at the displays. At Powderhorn they shoot off the fireworks from the north shore of the Lake so that the ash, debris, and any duds should fall into the Lake. I always sit along the east side of the lake; most of the explosions end up just overhead in front of me. There was one scary moment last night when one of the fireworks exploded right on the ground, but as far as we could tell, no one was injured. The wind also seemed to blow some of the fireworks back north towards the workers rather than out over the lake, but all-in-all it was a pretty good show. I believe at one time they may have shot the fireworks off from an island in the middle of the Lake (any old-timers out there? leave a comment to let us know), but I suppose that wasn’t very safe for the workers (being trapped on an exploding island if anything went wrong!).

Enjoy the rest of the Holiday Weekend!

Something quick for summer

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This is for my friend Betsy, who observed that most of the recipes on this blog are rather long and involved . . .

I make this basic pasta salad many times each summer. It is open for endless variation–leave out the cheese for non-dairy gatherings, substitute broccoli for the green pepper, use nuts only if you have them, etc. The original recipe used pimentos instead of artichoke hearts (but I HATE pimentos). This past weekend when I made it, I added a pint of grape tomatoes (just tossed them on top).

[Given the current "tomato salmonella scare" I'm sticking to grape and cherry tomatoes until they get the rest figured out. A week or so ago, my food coop sold me tomatoes from Mexico and insisted that since they were organic they are safe, regardless of what the FDA says . . . and even claimed that no manure is used on organic produce . . . though as far as I know, it is just "synthetic fertilizer" that is not considered organic . . . oh well.]

I’ve included the Pasta Salad recipe on its own page, but will put it here as well:

Lucinda’s Favorite Pasta Salad
Time: 30 minutes to prepare, several hours to chill
Servings: Many
Ingredients
1 lb. (raw) pasta–medium shells, Campanelle, and Farfalle (Bow Tie) work well
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
a spoonful of pesto OR 10-20 basil leaves (fresh) OR 1/2 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp oregano (dry)
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, minced
1-15 oz can artichoke hearts or 2 jars marinated artichoke hearts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup (packed) freshly-minced parsley
4 oz. mozzarella cut into cubes
a handful of toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Heat 4-6 quarts of water to a boil. Add salt (if desired) and the pasta. Return pasta to a boil and cook until al dente (approx. 8-10 minutes depending on the shape).

Drain pasta in colander. Rinse in lukewarm water. Drain thoroughly.

Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add olive oil. Stir. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Add all the remaining ingredients, mix well. Chill and serve cold.

Enjoy!

Copyright © 2008, Lucinda DeWitt

My Imaginary Friend

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Marvel and I are still adjusting to the loss of Mudpie (see previous post), but I thought I would share a bit of her story.

Mudpie with cat toys

Many of my friends have joked that Mudpie was my “imaginary cat” because they never saw her. Indeed, she was easily frightened and usually hid from guests, a behavior that began when she was only a kitten. In fact, I spent several hours chasing her around a barn in rural Minnesota before I managed to catch her and bring her home. [To be honest, I was first chasing a little grey striped kitten, who continued to elude me, so I gave up and "settled" for her sister.] Her color (brown), shape (very round), and smell (remember, she lived in a barn) prompted me to name her Cow Pie, but calling “Here Cow Pie!” to get her in from outside seemed humiliating for the both of us, so Mudpie became the compromise selection. Moseley–my big, black, at the time 2-year-old, cat–immediately took on mothering duties–teaching the household rules and trying to encourage proper grooming, but eventually just doing it herself when Mudpie showed no interest. They were best buddies for 8 years until Moseley died. Neither of them were thrilled when I brought Marvel home in 2000 (just for a few days until another home could be found–yeah, right), but they put up with her crazy energy and each eventually established their place in the household. Luckily, I have a big house.