A Ticket To The Game

I truly did not believe I would be going to Opening Day at Coors Field here in Denver this year.  It would have been the first time I missed it since the team started playing baseball.  Yesterday morning a ticket for a Rockpile seat (the worst in the house) cost $120 on Stubhub, and the Colorado Rockies website tickets started at $100.  I decided to take the train down to the stadium and just hang out, enjoying the party atmosphere.  I went to the ticket window when I got to the park and found that the Rockies had released the tickets they were holding as part of season ticket packages, and were selling at $75.  I said what the hell, and got in line.  It was the slowest line at the stadium, and by the time I got to the window the $75 tickets were sold out.  I threw up my hands and walked away.

I decided instead to take a photograph of the four fighter jets flying over the stadium just before the game started, and so eventually worked my way up to the rooftop bar of the Tavern Downtown.  The place was jammed, but I was sure it would clear out once the game started.  It didn't.  Opening Day is considered a holiday here in Denver, and these kids were celebrating it the way they wanted - on the rooftop, drinking and a having a good time.  I don't even think they were baseball fans.  I took the photograph as best I could, and I must say it was not so great.  I missed the fighter jets completely - they move damn fast.  I was a bit tired by then and walked back to the light rail station to go home, and even had my foot on the doorstep of the car.  Then I decided not to be a wuss and just go back and enjoy the party atmosphere.  I headed back to Blake Street, and walked toward the stadium.  And I have to tell you that the streets of Lower Downtown Denver are filled with treasures.  First I found a nickel on the ground, then 4 cents, and then a ticket to the game.  I couldn't believe it.  A ticket to Opening Day!  Lying on the ground!  I rushed to the entrance gates, presented the ticket like I was just another honest and upstanding citizen, and I was in!  I still can't believe it.

I rushed to a spot behind home plate and watched the game from there.  I had no intention of sitting in the actual seat that the ticket was for.  The friends or family of the person whose ticket that was would have probably demanded payment, or more likely just beat me over the head with their souvenir Coors Field Baseball bats. Up until now the highlight of the day was seeing the Turkey Perky Jerky Man while I was in line to get into The Tavern Downtown.  His entire body was covered in Perky Jerky packets, and as he passed me he pulled off a couple of them and handed them to me.  As I stood there and watched the game, I noticed that there were three rows of people wearing Kyle Freeland jerseys, whom I had never heard of before.  Then people switched seats and I noticed a Root Sports announcer interviewing the couple in the photograph to the left.  It turns out that Kyle Freeland, a Denver native, was making his major league debut as the starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies on Opening Day, and his parents and 50 or so of his closest friends and relatives were there to see it.  More Freelands turned up by the minute, and various Freelands got up from their seats to chat with the new arrivals where I was standing.  There were Freelands in front of me, in back of me, to the left of me and to the right.  Eventually I began to think I was a Freeland, and was hurt that they hadn't told me where the big Freeland Party would be held after the game.

Freeland pitched 6 innings and gave up one run and 4 hits, leaving with the Rockies ahead 2 to 1, a remarkable debut.  It got pretty exciting, because now the Colorado Rockies bullpen would have to hold the Los Angeles Dodgers to that one run to give Freeland his first major league victory, God help him. Surprisingly, they did just that and the Rockies won the game by that very score, and are seen celebrating in the photograph on the right.  The Freeland family were all cheering and hugging each other and otherwise carrying on, and happy as can be.  The only downside is that they never did invite me to the post-game celebration. Bummer.