There may be nothing better for a true baseball fan than attending a major league baseball game.
And I’m talking about a true fan.
The fan who can watch and enjoy a 1-0 pitcher’s dual on television for the entire nine innings.
The fan who can appreciate the sacrifice fly, the hit-and-run, the squeeze, a good pick-off move, bringing in a lefty to face a lefty, the 6-4-3 double play and the good old-fashioned brush back pitch.
But even a moderate fan, or someone who doesn’t understand the game, can enjoy ballpark entertainment.
As I sat in the stands at Safeco Field on Friday evening to watch the Seattle Mariners face the Texas Rangers, the atmosphere at the ballpark reminded me of all the other reasons I love this game.
Walking into the stadium and seeing the thick, dark green grass and taking in the smell of the food makes something inside me tingle. There is a buzz that surrounds every ballpark before a game.
Of course, it’s not just the game on the field that has everyone going, especially early in the season. I’m not a die-hard Mariners fan, but most of the 30,000 people at the game were. I heard talk of how this Seattle offense is better than those of the past with the addition of Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre. How Jeremy Reed, the Mariner’s new opening-day centerfielder, is more than adequate to fill the spot despite not having a hit in his first four games of the season. But he did get a clutch hit by the end of the night, and I had to listen to a vocal fan seated behind me yell “Jeeerrrr-mmmyyyyyyy” at least a dozen times.
Between innings, fans are entertained by an assortment of tidbits. The Mariners’ moose rode around the field on an ATV, but what might have gotten the biggest roar of the night was a short videogame-style boat race displayed on the field’s big-screen TV, which had the crowd betting on which boat would win.
A mandatory purchase at a ball game is a beer accompanied by a sausage or hot dog with all the toppings — onions, peppers, relish, mustard, ketchup or anything else you kind can find to squeeze inside the bun. If there aren’t toppings all over me by the time I finish, then I didn’t put
enough on.
Then there are the warm peanuts. On this particular night they were a must, because it was chilly and the tinfoil bag kept my hands warm. Much like the hot-dog toppings, peanut shells should cover you when you reach the bottom of the bag or else you just didn’t do it right.
Then there are the sways of boos and cheers from the crowd that depend upon how the home team is faring. And of course, drunken fans contribute enthusiastically to this. One fan who had more than his share of booze kept yelling to right field at Ichiro Suzuki, No. 51, “That’s Area 51, baby! Where balls just disappear!” Another Mariners fan, who kept going for double-fisted beer runs every other inning, cursed out a Rangers fan all game.
However, there is some crowd bonding. When your team smashes a clutch hit, everyone stands up and cheers. High-fives are thrown around, and if you are around a die-hard fan, an uncomfortable man hug might be on its way.
These are just some of the reasons why I love going to Seattle to catch a game. As long as you have good company with you, make the five-hour drive to catch a game. You won’t regret it.

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