My First MLB Game by Myself

 

               Five years ago today, I saw my first Major League Baseball game completely by myself.  I went to Seattle the previous day on the BoltBus and stayed overnight in the Hostel, because it was a Sunday afternoon game between the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox.  This was done intentionally because the Mariners had revealed at the start of the 2015 season, they would be wearing special uniforms for Home Sunday games, cream-colored uniforms with a blue and gold color scheme and no last names on the back, creating a faux-retro look.  My Dad said, when seeing them on TV, that the uniforms resembled the ones the Mariners wore from 1987-1992.  The White Sox also wore alternate uniforms, black tops with white lettering.  I had seen this on them almost twenty years prior, when my family took a trip to South California and we saw the Chicago White Sox at the then California Angels.

 

               The Mariners were entering a period of transition, as General Manager Jack Zdurencik had recently been fired and Jerry DiPoto, a former starting pitcher, had been hired to take his place.  Taijuan Walker, who rejoined the Mariners this year, started for them this game, doing a masterful job if I recall correctly.  John Danks was on the mound for the White Sox.  The thing I remember most was Robinson Cano smacking a home run to center field, which the White Sox’ Jose Abreu also did the next half-inning.  Mark Trumbo also got the start as the first baseman, but handed it over to Logan Morrison in the ninth.  Tom Wilhelmsen got the save, but didn’t come out to “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” by Jimi Hendrix as I’ve heard is the norm.  I never saw that combination, in 2012, when he came out to close against the Giants, they played AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” and in 2014’s Turn Back the Clock Game to 1979 against the Astros, they played Heart’s “Barracuda.”  (I do think that was an acceptable time-period substitute, since both Hendrix and Heart are from Seattle) The Mariners ultimately won the game 8-6, promising some good times ahead.  And let’s be honest, from 2016-2018, they were competitive and these last two years are more about getting the young players’ feet wet than trying to get to first.  Consider these the 1989-1993 before the 1995-2001.

                 I am hopeful when this pandemic is over I can once again go to Mariner games by myself, it gives me a feeling of strength and independence.