FanNation

Tyson Whipple and his friends Jake and Rookie are on a nine day, nine ballpark trip – with plans of sleeping in their Toyota Corolla and eating peanut butter sandwiches. Tyson will be blogging about his trip daily.

Day 1

It’s 2:33 AM. I met my friends Jake and Rookie, and their morale is surprisingly high for our trip. I guess that’s expected early in the trip. I feel like Sergio Garcia putting to win a major – confused and not sure of myself.

Only when I woke up did the wife truly realize I was really going through with the trip. She gave me a look I’ve seen just one other time – when I told her I couldn’t make the birth of her niece because the Sox where on, and the kid wouldn’t know the difference anyway. To say the least, I kind of owe her.

10:33 AM. As we drive on interstate 44 I conclude that it has far too many of the following:

• Adult video stores
• Discount liquor and tobacco stores
• Taxidermy stores

You have to think that Missouri is catering to its customer – the American truck driver – and is perpetuating that stereotype to the rest of us.

5:11 PM. Busch stadium is beautiful. We drove to the front gate and parked for $15. Very easy access. There are statues of all the great Cards – Gibson and Musial to name a few. We have $15 seats in section 503 – just a few feet from Ankiel. We watch him practice his throws to second base; he’s got a canon for an arm. Pujols crushes batting practice pitches with a simple flick of the wrist.

7:00 PM. The rain comes down hard enough to force at 15 minute delay. This setback was opportunity in disguise. Jake found a game in which $1 buys you four pitches and the radar gun reads your speed. After watching a couple of guys throw in the mid sixties, Jake informed us of his 78 mph prowess. I naturally gave him the needed currency and away we went. His first pitch was his best, and it topped out at a paltry 58. After I mocked him severely, I received my own challenge. I’ve played my fair share of whiffle ball, and I topped out with a respectable 68. Jake’s whale of a tale was put to rest.

Pujols hit an 8th inning home run to tie the game at 4, and the game went into extra innings. But Cardinals reliever Ron Villone gave up four in the top of the 10th, and the Cards lost 8-4.

A good first day – and I spent just $3.90 beyond my ticket price.