Swing, batter, batter, swing, these were the words I heard come out of my uncle’s mouth as we sat down.
A few Saturdays back I drove down to pick up my uncle Guy, who lives in Sierra Vista. We both headed to Bisbee to catch a vintage baseball game called The Copper City Classic.
Six months ago my uncle invited me down to watch the ball game. He is battling cancer and I will take any memory I can of the time we have together.
We arrived in Bisbee around noon to catch the game between the Bisbee Black sox and the Tempe Tip-Tops. This was a vintage baseball game, meaning the players go by the rules of the game that was played in the late 1800s.
The game was being played in the oldest ball park in the country. We approached the gate and my uncle turns to me and says, “This is my first - ever baseball game, I can’t wait to sit and have a hot dog.”
Wow, it was an honor to take him to his first ever game. We got our tickets and walked in to see the old uniforms being worn and the smell of hot dogs.
The temperature was 73 degrees. All the seating was shaded, which was great. The first thing that went through my mind was that this is what it was like watching a baseball game over 100 years ago.
I went over to the concession stand and got my Uncle Guy and me a hot dog and to wash it down I had an IPA from the Tombstone brewing company.
It’s now time to listen to the crack of the bat, eat and drink. I noticed nobody had a glove. I found out gloves did not exist in baseball until 1870. Fly balls can bounce once and caught, and it still would be an out. Pitchers throw under handed and as you cross the plate to score you go to ring a bell at the desk of the score keeper.
I didn’t know what to expect when we got to the stadium, but I have to say it was a great experience, and I would highly recommend it to anybody who loves baseball.
Many people say the game of baseball is hard to sit through but there is so much history behind the game.
Baseball is not just a game but it’s an event you will always remember once you attend. The sounds of the crowd, the crack of the bat, the smell of the food and of course the seventh inning stretch with the song we all sing along to. “Take me out to the ballgame.”
One day I would love to take my uncle to a real Major League baseball game. I would love to see his face as we sit down in Chase Field. This will come one day I hope, but for now this was a nice welcome for him to the game.
I recall the first ballgame my father took me to. Arizona did not have a major league baseball team yet. We had a hometown Triple A team called the Firebirds. The Firebirds played their games in the Scottsdale stadium.
I would bring my glove to catch foul balls and would sit and enjoy the time with my father and my hot dog.
I did at an early age dream of playing in the majors. I played little league up until 8th grade and I have to say I was terrible.
I think I had one career home run and probably hundreds of strike outs to go along with that.
Baseball is a very tough sport to play. If you really sit down and learn the game and really try to understand it, it’s a very interesting sport that you can easily get into.
A father always has a memory of taking their kid to their first game. The memory I will always have is taking my uncle to his first game. I will be a memory I will always cherish.
