New York is a Baseball Town

Yesterday, the whole day was spent going to Flushing and Shea Stadium. It was exciting because it's my first time to go throughthe subway. We went through some areas where there was graffitti everywhere. It is modern man's attempt to make a literal mark ont he world and be remembered. This instinct to write and mark your name must be in the soul of humanity or something. From pre-historic artwork or palm prints to writing your name in the style of graffiti, human have a desire to be recognized for something.

By the way, hi-hello-hi-hi to Durgas, She Who Hails From Jersey. I'm sorry I can't visit or hang out. The SO and I are doing all those wonderful touristy stuff. In the next few visits, maybe we'll be able to visit people. Pietro of SCF: I tried to post to scf, but my account was inaccesible. I was going to leave a message that we were in Manhattan.

Shea Stadium is a nice ballpark. I specially liked those line drawings on the wall of the stadium. The orange seats/boxes in the loge/field level were also exceptional with respect to giving one a treat for the eyes. Talk about bright. I don't remember Dodgers Stadium being that bright. The food was excellent. Maybe it was because we were hungry, but the cheese over the fries was pretty good considering that the cheese came from a can marked Velveeta. The Godzilladogs were tasty with a serving of sauerkraut. I did not realize that you can serve the sauerkraut hot over the dog. How come we don't do that in the west coast? and over here, there are no onions or pickles. Mustard, catsup or sauerkraut. That's it.

I decided that since we don't go to Shea Stadium that often, that we should go to the field level. I'm sorry, but I am just not brave enough to go to Section 22 which I heard is for those hardcore Mets fans. The bleachers were $2, a special for the visiting Pirates. I even heard a seventy year old father speak to his fifty year old son about the Dodgers and how they are doing. I almost interrupted them, until I realized that the father lives in a home. The son said, "You should tell them that youa are allowed to stay late. There is no restriction to your staying late and listening to the Dodgers." Hearing the voice of Scully will bring back your youth or images and remembrances of youth, I suppose.

There was a bunch of kids watching the game. As expected with groups, they acted rowdily. They shouted at Karim Garcia, former Dodgers player, so that Karim would throw the ball over. They screamed at Raul Mondesi, former Dodgers player mired in obscurity since leaving the team, until Raul nailed a runner at home with a beadline throw. At the end of the game, they cheered for the Pirates instead of the Mets. The grown-ups were giving all of them a look that would wither plants or pets. But being children, they were oblivious. Finally, someone lost his patience and shouted at them to shut up. Like children, they bounced back and shut up for a few seconds before coming back louder than ever.

I ended up buying a Mets jersey with Piazza on the back. He is one of the best catchers in baseball. I cried when he left the Dodgers, but I also understand that the Dodgers screwed that one up. Piazza is chasing the record for homeruns for a catcher. However, there have been questions about him being gay. If he is, I was hoping that he would be strong enough to come out in public, but that might be too much to ask for your idols. To have physical character to break records and the human integrity or strength to be go against what is accepted.

On the way back, I was photographing the subway and the scenes outside of the train. I will post it somewhere else.