Baseball Memories!
by Julie Jordan Scott
Kathie was pumped up! Sporting her red cheerleader skirt and carrying her pom poms, we entered legendary Dodger Stadium, Kathie unknowing of "Dodger Blue", although in the vein of superstition perhaps, she believed that wearing her cheer uniform would somehow effect the outcome of her team.
Like most women, Kathie immediately spotted the Souvenir stand and knew, since this was one of the few outings where she was without her sisters, that she had a greater chance of scoring some new possessions. Now I was concerned about Kathie's ensemble, and considered purchasing a nifty Dodger T-Shirt, but she wanted the Blue Dodger Hand with the finger sticking up. So I bought it for her. What Mom could resist the chance to add to the many family baseball stadium stories than the one of Kathie cheering wildly for the Dodgers wearing a red cheerleading outfit and swinging red and gold pom poms in one hand and a gigantic blue hand in the other?
When it came time for the National Anthem, we rose as always and Kathie and I did what we always do at sporting events. We actually SING the "Star Spangled Banner". We are usually some of the few who do so. Naturally, this makes it even more fun for the two of us. Kathie has the belief that people are turning to look at her sing due to her fabulous vocal abilities--I am not about to tell her any different! It also gives me the opportunity to tell her about her Great Grandpa Daddy who was legendary for Booming out the Star Spangled Banner whenever the cause arose. A prouder American could NOT be found! Yet another example of how baseball memories make bridges that cross the generations draw families together.
Looking around at the crowd on that beautiful June evening from the strategic vantage point of the Left Field Pavilion, tears filled my eyes. Memories flood my mind of many family outings at baseball parks across the country. The crack of the bat hitting the ball takes me back into times past just like the smell of a man's cologne reminds me of my first love.
Blisteringly humid annual summer treks to Shea stadium to watch the New York Mets play were a highlight of Jordan Family summers. Dad seemed to enjoy this ritual of packing the six kids and Mom into the Blue Country Squire for this once a summer afternoon filled with the All American Pastime. Dad always chose teams that were sure to have low attendance. He hated having to wait to leave the parking lot. So, we saw teams like the Montreal Expos, the San Diego Padres, and once Dad miscalculated and we went to a Houston Astros game where over 45,000 people were there! Dad was sure upset over that one! One time Tom Seaver came in as a relief pitcher, very unusual, and the Met crowd went wild! So, I followed suit and got as wild as little Julie could!
Now Mom, ever practical and spendthrift as she had to be mothering such a large brood, would fill us up to the brim with food before the game so we wouldn't have to spend "absorbenant" amounts of Dad's hard earned money at the concession stand. Where do Moms get words like "absorbenant" anyway? I mean, is that really a word? I just remember looking at her, as I munched on my egg salad sandwich thinking "Thats a whole lot of money!" I actually have no recollection of Mom during the games. Mostly I remember sweating and Dad yelling out "ATTA BABY!" when something exciting happened. And using binoculars. We all shared one pair. I had no clue what I was looking for when it was my turn, but it was fun anyway. Fun in that early elementary school way.
Kathie listened enraptured as I told of these Shea stadium stories. To her, tales of Mommy as a little girl are as exotic as a tropical vacation! I looked at her expectant little face and thought, "I better move on to more family baseball legends when her biggest sister was little, before she was born!"
One of the most enjoyable people to spend time with at a baseball game is a friend of my parents, Tom Horton. He is very much a baseball fan, and is friend and Co- Author of YOGI: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY with baseball legend, Yogi Berra. My family and the Berra's had cats who were related, and I always wondered if that made us quasi- in- laws? But I digress.....Tom would come to town when the Astros were in town when he was working on his book and on this occasion he offered us some tickets, complimentary from Yogi. So I walked up to the will call box with Bianca, Ken, and my dear friend Anne. I simply said "Hi! I am here for some comp tickets from Yogi Berra please?" and from the other line I heard audible whispers..."Yogi Berra?" "They know Yogi Berra" and the like. Almost surreal! I graciously accepted the tickets offered and scurried away. It was strange to have people talking about you only because of someone who you do not even know leaving you some comp baseball tickets!
We walked to the lower deck where our seats were to be, and since I was normally in either the Pavilion or the nose bleed section, this was very unusual and felt kind of nice. Seven year old Bianca was asking "ARE WE IN THE FRONT?! ARE WE IN THE FRONT?!" Of course she said this right as my friend Mr. Horton appeared. "I smiled down at her and said "Now, Bianca, we are guests and we accept what we are offered." as I handed the usher the tickets and he escorted us to our seats, which were right behind the Astros dugout. For the day, we were an Astros Family. We were brought drinks and programs and given the royal treatment. We learned two things that day. One, expect the best and be rewarded and yes, having cats from the same family DOES make you related. ,
Kathie laughed at that image, cats and relatives struck her as hilarious, but I was already thinking of another surreal experience at Dodger Stadium.
It was the summer of 1995. Hideo Nomo of Japan was the sensation of that summer. We had an exchange student from France that summer, a lovely young lady named Sandra Cremonesi who to this day I would take back on a permanent basis! In our typical fashion, we could not let a visitor from a foreign country visit us without making the trek to Elysian Park.
The stadium was packed! People flooded the souvenir stands buying everything with the frenetic pace of a banner day on Wall Street. Sandra watched it all with a huge grin on her face. When Hideo threw the first pitch of the game, flashbulbs popped from every corner, nook and cranny of Dodger stadium. Sondra giggled out loud over the sight. She cheered, even though she had not a single idea what was happening. Apparently baseball is not such a big deal in the South of France. Another thing that is not so common in the South of France is a gathering of so many of our Japanese friends in one place at one time! In fact, that was much more exciting to Sandra then the ball game! I didn't tell Kathie that part, I wanted to keep the mystique of baseball alive for her as long as possible!
We settled in with our Dodger Dogs and our Chocolate Malts, staples of the Dodger stadium experience, and watched as our Dodger pitcher warmed up. The music of todays baseball parks is different, too, and Ishmael Valdes, the pitcher that night, had chosen Mariachi music to warm up to. Kathie sat and watched the game. And the baby in front of us. And the man selling cotton candy. We danced to rock and roll between innings. We "bawked" like chickens when the Phillies intentionally walked one of the powerhouse Dodger hitters, I think it was Eric Young. When Raoul Mondesi was up at bat, I took out Kathie's glove she had received since it was Baseball Glove night and we yelled..."RAAAAAOOOOUUUUULLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!" I put my glove in the air as a target! I am SURE he noticed! (Or at least that is what I told Kathie, who always believes her Mommy). We did the WAVE. We went to the restroom 4 times. We sang "We Will Rock You." We hopefully made memories that Kathie will someday tell her children who will tell their children about the time when Granny Julie bawked like a chicken and pleaded with that player to hit a homer right into her outstretched hand. Most of all, I hope Kathie will just remember on warm summer evenings in the future what it feels like to be so very loved and adored.
Since June 23,1999
