Intro To….Your First Baseball Game July 2, 2012

Intro To…

Intro to, inspired by one of our longstanding and loyal readers, is your guide to the things you’ve never done before, want to add to your bucket list or never even thought about doing. We take the questions and the fear out of being out of your comfort zone and toss you into the deep end, well equipped with the tools you need to stay afloat! Brought to you by the witty and charming Pascal, Intro To is a monthly “insert-activity-here For Dummies” so if you’ve got a suggestion or you’re nervous about an impending event, let us know and we’ll “How-To” the hell out of it!

So you’re going to your first baseball game and you’re worried everyone is going to know? Here’s a little tutorial to make it seem like you’ve been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt. Which brings us to our first point: buy a t-shirt. Or some other paraphernalia. You don’t need to go and spend $250 on a throwback KC Monarchs jersey, but one of those Jeter #2 shirts from Modell’s goes a long way. A cap is usually a good idea also. During day games, it can get hot and that sun will start beating down on you. I think you can start seeing that this is a very casual occasion. If a lifetime commitment to a t-shirt is just too much for you, do yourself a favor and at least dress for the event; a solid color t-shirt, shorts or jeans and a cap. Baseball games keep going until someone wins, so make sure you’re in some comfortable clothes, and on cooler days/nights bring a sweater. Just don’t show up like you’re going to Meat Packing. No heels and no cocktail dresses.

Please don’t go dumb. It’s cool to ask some questions during the game and explaining the nuances is a great way to enjoy the game, but don’t ask why “that one guy in the middle is throwing the ball at that other guy with the stick.” You should know the pitcher, catcher, infield, outfield, 1-4 bases, umpire, 9 innings +, 3 outs, 3 strikes, 4 balls, full count, steal and home run. At least. If you don’t know what those basics are and what they look like, google and youtube are all you need.

Games are expensive. “Ok” Yankees tickets are going to be $60-$100. Other teams may be cheaper but in the same “ballpark”. Beer is $9-$13, $5 hot dogs, $9 burgers, $15 deli sandwiches…you get the idea. If you’re with your kids, expect to spend some hundreds…thousand maybe, especially if they want souvenirs. They don’t let you bring in your own food, of course, so you want to consider eating first and sticking to peanuts and cracker jacks.

Lastly, it’s ok to go late. While not everyone will agree with this one, it’s understandable that these games can be long. If you’re meeting people or are going with friends that don’t really care, it’s ok to get there 45 minutes late. You’ll be sitting down some time in the 3rd or 4th inning and get to see the end of the game. Keep in mind it’s about 1hr10 for every 3 innings. And as it’s ok to show up late, it’s ok to leave early. This normally only applies to those with kids, but we won’t be mad if you have to work early in the morning, you’ll just hear about it for a while.

So if your first baseball game is approaching this season, now you know the solid do’s and dont’s to make your experience, and everyone else’s, worthwhile.

- Pascal

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