I’m off to the home opener. This will be the 10th consecutive opener for my friends and I. We stick to the same script pretty much every year. We meet up at a coney island for breakfast, before heading down to Tiger Stadium (yep, you read that right Tiger Stadium). We used to work our way up and down Michigan Ave, but since the team moved to Comerica, we typically just hit Casey’s and Nemo’s. If you find yourself near Tiger Stadium before the game, wander into Casey’s. Chances are I’ll be marinating there for several hours before the game.
Feel free to post any thoughts about the game. Also, if you’d like to share about your Opening Day experiences, I’d love to hear it. Are you going today? How many have you been to? Do you do anything special before/during/after the game?
I’m jealous. I wish I could make the trip up to Detroit this year like I did last year, but my darn class schedule just won’t permit it. I’ll be toteing my laptop to campus though, and I intend hop on MLB.TV between classes to catch at least a little bit of the game.
I have two Opening Day memories. I went to the Opener in 1985, the Year After, and watched Dwight Evans crush Jack Morris’ first pitch into the leftcenter stands for a home run.
I was also lucky enough to go Comerica’s first Opening Day. The thing I remember most is how cold it was and the big American Flag. I was wearing full winter garb and was still freezing. I think the game-time temp was about 42 degrees … it was also raining and windy. Experiencing the new park for the first time was cool. I had a hard time concentrating on the game, though, because I was looking around the city. It was so different than Tiger Stadium, which was kind of like a fortress.
All I have to say is, Bless You Boys … could this be the year?
MLB.TV was “nice” enough to put on the CWS feed today so I get to endure Hawk and DJ. This is driving me crazy.
A little disappointing, but you’ve got to hand it to White Sox pitching, but they did a great job at flashing the leather as well.
I saw the opener in ’69 when they gave out the rings and ran up the pennant. McLain beat Cleveland and Luis Tiant, Stanley played SS, just like the Series, and Kaline homered. We had no tickets; my dad just decided we would drive down and see if we could get lucky, maybe get a bleacher or a general admission. We bump into this guy in line who was turning in 2 tickets he couldn’t use. He gave them to us for face value. Even with 3B, 20 rows up in the upper deck. Great seats! I think they cost $3.00 apiece, a .50 hike after they won the pennant. I was 12. Just about as good as it gets.
Too bad they lost today but 5-2 is a great start. Need to break the streak tomorrow. No long losing streaks.
PS: I also saw the opener in ’71, Lolich beat Cleveland as well. Nothing like it.
Well I live in Rochester NY and have had my work mates join me at Buffalo Wild Wings two years in a row for the home opener. Too bad Big D did not get three today. Still a promising start this year.
Steve