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doug goodmanI went to all five games on the homestand where McGwire hit #60, #61 and #62.
I flew in from California the day before on a frequent flyer ticket. Got a hotel room in a city that was completely soldout (MO State fair, Rams opening weekend) by explaiing to the hotel desk clerk that I knew from the amount of traveling I do that he had a room in his hotel that he couldn't sell due to some problem and I would rent it, even sign a waiver if needed, and I had brought a sleeping bag so if he said no I would just go sleep in a park. I think I got him (he was an older gentleman) when I said "I don't care about anything, I'm just here for baseball". He rented me a room (at half price) that had a broken tv, which I fixed.
My "Came from CA, Need One Ticket" sign served me well, as I got in for near face value to every game but the last, the "Carpenters" ticket on Monday included free food and drinks, in addition to a McGwire HR.
I refuse to miss a pitch (I'm sure many of you know how I feel), so that takes away most of my bargaining power with scalpers, the last game I had a ticket for $40 that was literally sold out from under me (I had handed the scalper my money, already) by a guy who paid $50. Of course I got my $40 back, I then bought a ticket from a 10 year old for $50. He was with his father and 2 other kids. I'm glad that my father would have never allowed such a thing to happen when I was a kid.
My 'before game' sign :
Among others, it's signed by Roger Maris Jr and Bud Selig
The tickets :
Number 60
Number 61
Number 62
I used this version of the sign after games, as I started working on a ticket for the next game :
Maybe over the course of a season there were things being done by players that would help with their healing or stamina, but over the course of those 5 games there wasn't anything going on that helps hit that round ball with that round stick in the spot that sends it over the wall in fair territory instead of in the spot that pops it up to an infielder.
I had a great time that year, and not just because my Dodgers won 14 of 20 that I saw.
If it's up to me, Mac doesn't go into the Hall until after Pete, but that doesn't change what he did over the course of a long weekend in 1998.
Hope I didn't ramble too much.
Doug
PS -
This is the sign I used to get a ticket for game #3 of the 1986 World Series :
Because my $200 scalped ticket was in the front row, behind the Sox bullpen, next to the painted guys, it says "Hi Mom" on the back. My first game at Fenway, I had been a Red Sox fan (when rooting for that other league) since I was 12, after getting Rick Burleson and Freddie Lynn to sign a baseball at the Oakland Coliseum in early 1975 (before the All-Star break).
In 1986, with Oil-Can Boyd pitching, I can still remember feeling the collective breath leave New England that night during the first inning.