Observations from Busch Stadium
ST. LOUIS -- Since the baseball game isn't worth commenting on, here are some other observations from my Thursday evening at Busch Stadium.
* PARTY IN THE BACK: Mullets remain a viable and popular hairstyle for men and women.
* SIGNS, SIGNS: Some fans need better guidance on good ballpark sign-making. A teenage couple behind us brought a two-posterboard-sized sign with them. On one side was the word "Charge." They held it up every time the organist played the "Da-Da-Da-Da, D'Daaaaa!" song. Which is fine, except for the letters were festooned with purple glitter. Inappropriate. The guy must have really liked the girl to keep holding that thing over his head. If it was me I would have "accidentally" left it in the car or let it fly out the window while doing 70 on I-55.
On the other side of the sign was a poem that mentioned the Cardinals, Albert Pujols, the Cubs and Lou Piniella. Didn't read the whole thing, because I didn't want to let on that I was interested. It went on for six or seven lines and was spelled out in 3-inch stenciled letters. Again, inappropriate. A good ballpark sign has a message that can be read and understood in 2 seconds or less. So for the average Cardinals fan, that would be roughly a one-word sign.
* MY HERO THE USHER: The mark of a good ballpark usher is how he handles annoying people or touchy fan-conduct situations. The guy overseeing our section tonight gets a gold star.
After the game, a group of young-20-somethings gathered in a section just beyond the left field wall. They were apparently haggling someone down on the field level to throw them a ball. At one point, one kid took off his shoe and lowered it over the wall by the laces, as a sort of baseball-lift system.
After a few minutes, the usher came over to tell the kids to beat it. They ignored him. So the usher went over to the wall, got someone to give him a ball. He then promptly gave it to a 3- or 4-year-old boy standing nearby.
The 20-somethings were extremely steamed and walked away in a huff. Nice work.
* SLOW TRAINS: After spending a week in Washington, D.C. last month, I find I am spoiled on fast-moving, always-there public transit. The subway trains in D.C. had numerous cars that can take in a big crowd and the next train was usually never more than 5 minutes away.
Tonight we took St. Louis' Metro from our parking spot at the East St. Louis riverboat to Busch. It gets the job done, but the relatively long wait between arrivals and the comparative lack of passenger capacity made me long for a D.C. Metro train to come gliding across the tracks tonight.
One thing the St. Louis trains do have going for it, however, is that they are a newer and brighter. And they probably smell better, although being smashed in with dozens of sweaty baseball fans makes it hard to judge.
* ARMS, LEGS and HOT DOGS: I'm always prepared to pay insane amounts of money for ballpark food. But a visit to Busch always reminds me things are a little more insane in St. Louis.
Upon arriving, we ordered two jumbo hot dogs (not really that much bigger than a regular frank), a beer and a small soda. Total: $24.
Such a small amount of food and drink for two people should never require me to pull anything more than an $20 bill out of my wallet. And most of the time, I should get some change back.
I have one word for you SWEEP! Say all you want about the Cardinals but SWEEP! Do I need to say it again? SWEEP!
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Your views on various aspects at the ballpark are great and SO true. Sorry the Cubs lost, but, I know someone close to you is thrilled. The Cubs have to get it going soon. I have loads of things to do today. Maybe they will win if I don't watch.
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Your views on various aspects at the ballpark are great and SO true. Sorry the Cubs lost, but, I know someone close to you is thrilled. The Cubs have to get it going soon. I have loads of things to do today. Maybe they will win if I don't watch.
Report any abuse or spam