Bye Bye Baseball

Baseball is a team sport. As a young kid all of my peers played baseball, I joined a T-ball team and even went to a variety of summer baseball camps to try and hone my skills. Still, I was the archetype of the bumbling right fielder who stood in the outfield hot and bored. But at the same time I was praying that nobody hit a pop fly my way.

It was miserable. As was soccer. As was basketball.

Tennis on the other hand was a lot of fun. There was no team I was letting down if I missed the ball. It was just me versus the other guy. Victories and losses were my own. I also enjoyed the serenity of sailing–being alone in a boat–man versus nature.

Of all the sports I attempted as a kid, baseball was the worst. But my Pop Pop loved baseball. Specifically, he loved the Mets. And he took me to my very first professional ballgame. I could never get into watching baseball on TV, but man, did I enjoy going to the ballpark to watch the game played live. And not just on the professional level, because I caught a minor league game in Altoona a few years back, and that was fun too.

At this point you may be wondering what any of this has to do with the FLB.

I don’t like planning events, but I love a good party. And people have been asking if I’ll be having any kind of goodbye sendoff before heading to New Jersey for the year. The funny thing is that schedules don’t work like that anymore. Everyone wants to come and say goodbye, but everyone is really really busy.

So I have this crazy idea about having lots of little opportunities for people to come and say goodbye. Not that I’ll be gone for long. I’ve got close friends who I haven’t seen for ten month stretches (or longer) just because our schedules fell out of synch.

There was the Tour de Gelato where I got to see some of you. Last weekend I attended a Ribstravaganza where I saw some other friends. Coming up this week is the All Good Bakers dinner, where I thought I would see Burnt My Fingers. Maybe I’ll see him in passing, but he’s got a spot at the earlier seating.

So then All Over Albany decides to host a night in the luxury suite of the Tri City Valley Cats. I think they are a minor league baseball team that plays out in Troy. Whether they are AAA, AA, or just single A, I have no idea. I don’t even know which of those three is the closest to the major leagues. Nor do I know which major league team the Valley Cats feed into, if any.

What I do know is that the $20 ticket includes burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders, kettle corn, curly fries, chips, soda, water, and a voucher for a beer. Plus one member of the AOA group will be chosen to throw out a first pitch.

Please, let it not be me. I don’t exactly have the best throwing arm.

I probably won’t be eating the burgers, but it would seem as if the stadium uses Helmbold’s hot dogs. And since they are the same purveyor that makes the famous franks for Famous Lunch, I’ve already decided to put my trust in them. But $20 for a seat in the box, a beer, a hot dog and fries sounded great on its own. The clincher was getting to hang out with the smart, interesting, and good looking readers of AOA. 

But there are still tickets available. Ten as of this moment. And I thought that this too could be another chance for those who are interested to come and say goodbye to the Profussor. I’m there for the camaraderie and the ballpark food. The game is secondary, although I hope to watch some of it.

With luck I’ll be able to schedule a night of goodbye drinks or something as I get closer to my departure at the end of July. But even if that sounds more appealing than minor league baseball, it may not work with your schedule. I say seize the opportunity.

I bought my ticket. Here’s where you can go to buy yours. Hope to see you there.