A BALL GAME SURPRISE

My baseball buddy Steve invited me to Phoenix last week for a Diamondbacks baseball game. I hadn't been to the old ball park for quite awhile so it was a treat. But we were both in for a surprise.

Midway through the game I was nudged and then handed a gift.

While we were watching the baseball game, a caricaturist who signs his name "Roger Pops" was watching me!

Apparently he does this at baseball games, unobtrusively sketching people at the ball games, then putting the finished product in a mylar cover and giving it to the subject.

You can just barely see his hands at work here down at the end of our row, beyond the fellow keeping score.

I took a photo of him later but to my great disappointment accidentally deleted it when I got home.

During the period between innings at the games the cameras scan the stands looking for something to put on the Jumbotron screen. With Steve and I holding up the picture next to my head and mugging and waving, one of the cameramen spotted us and there we were for our 15 minutes (more like a few seconds) of fame on the big screen for every one else in the stadium to see.  It was a kick.

Thanks Roger and thanks Steve!

WAIT 'TIL NEXT YEAR!

The season is finally over for my Arizona Diamondbacks.  The Milwaukee Brewers finally ended it for them in the bottom of the 10th inning this evening with a hard-fought one-run victory in the 5th game of the 5 game series.  So congratulations to the Brewers.

But D-Backs fans have nothing to be ashamed of.  They went from worst in their division last year to first this year, defeating the incumbent World Champion San Francisco Giants by 8 games.

The real star of their team is this man.

He is their manager, Kirk Gibson.  He is given credit for changing the attitude of this team and making them champions of the National League West this year.  Nearly everyone says he should be named the National League Manager of the Year.

Meantime, as we Brooklyn Dodgers fans used to say back in the 40's and 50's - "Wait 'til next year!"

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

There are some . . . like my long-time-ago colleague Tim . . . who say "I can't watch baseball . . it's too slow."

I could say I follow my team because I'm older and slower now.  But I don't think that's true since I've been following Major League Baseball since I was around six years old.  (And that's a long time ago!)  At any rate, last night was exciting to me as my Arizona Diamondbacks beat the reigning World Champion San Francisco Giants to clinch the National League West Division title for 2011.

I watched the game on television and then what seemed like close to an hour of the team celebrating on the field, in the locker room, back on the field and finally into a group jump into the swimming pool beyond the outfield.  It brought to my mind the fact that these guys are all just boys playing a game.  Sure there are million dollar salaries among them but when a big victory comes they all act like kids.  And it's fun to see.

So, they've reached one plateau.  Next are the playoffs and if they survive them it's on to the World Series.  Only a week or so ago the team celebrated the 10th year anniversary of their biggest win as a team so far.

Could they repeat this year?  Their great manager, Kirk Gibson, didn't predict that last night but he did have a great quote: "We're a damn good team!"  Well said, Kirk.  Here's hoping.

A DAY IN THE (BALL)PARK

I accepted my friend Steve's invitation to go to Phoenix yesterday and attend the final game in the series between OUR Arizona Diamondbacks and the Washington Nationals at Chase Field.

The next photo shows an angry Justin Upton, just after being hit by a pitched ball for the fourth time in this series.  An umpire is trying to calm him down as Matt Williams moves into the center of the action.  The Washington pitcher has been tossed out of the game and their manager is about to be evicted.

Both managers and two pitchers were ejected and four players were hit by pitches.  Espinosa of Washington was hit twice by two different pitchers.  We kept waiting for a "donnybrook" to break out but it never did.

This young fellow was a hero in our section as he made a great one-handed grab of a high foul ball.  He got a standing ovation from the crowd.

Finally, here are the two old codgers - Steve on the left, me on the right - getting ready for a Diamondbacks victory.  Unfortunately it was not to be.  Our team made a gallant run in the 8th and 9th innings when they scored their only runs to tie the game at 4 apiece.  But they couldn't bring the winning run across and a grand slam home run in the 11th inning brought victory and a series split with the lowly Nationals.  Still, a great day in the park.

Baseball Season!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, it's that great time of year. Baseball season is coming! Oh, I know. Spring training isn't even underway yet. But today, several of Our Arizona Diamondbacks came to my town.

First picture, left to right, broadcaster Mark Grace, players Justin Upton and Stephen Drew, former player Jay Bell, and pitching coach Bryan Price.

That's broadcaster Darren Sutton on the left.

And here he puts his Sharpie skill to use to sign the back of a fan's jacket.

J-Up, Drew and Bell, all smiling about the upcoming season.

First time in many years I've had the chance to see some of my heroes up close.

There was a huge crowd and long lines throughout the Fry's store but everyone seemed to be in a great mood.

Play ball!