RETURN OF THE KING
While the last two weeks of July and the first week of August were pretty dull in my world, things have definitely picked up.
On Tuesday, Aug. 8, after spending the morning and much of the afternoon in my office in Brooklyn, NY, I returned to Jersey, picked up my father in Union, and headed back into the Empire State, through downtown Manhattan, over the Williamsburg Bridge, down the BQE, over to the Grand Central Parkway, and arrived at the holy of holies in Flushing at around 6:00 p.m.
By the time we parked and made our way into the stadium, we had plenty of time to relax and grab a bite to eat before heading to our seats to prepare to witness the return of Michael Joseph Piazza to Shea Stadium.
As I was waiting for my dad outside the men's room on the loge level near Section 6, I was wondering who I would run into that evening. I always seem to run into someone I know whenever I go to Shea, and as I was pondering that very though, the Local Shill emerged from the bathroom, trailed by Rich DeMarco.
After exchanging greetings and discussing the validity of the Mike Piazza-Sam Champion urban legend, I found out the Shill and DeMarco were sitting about seven row behind us -- with their fathers -- in Section 2 of the Loge Level, right behind home plate.
I wonder if they paid as much for their seats as I paid for mine (Stubhub.com rocks!)
Anyway, as Mikey made his way out to left field to warm up, the first of several standing ovations washed through the crowd, the second coming soon after, when the lineups were announced. As he completed his warmups and headed back toward the Padres dugout, the Mets presented a moving video tribute to him, on Diamond Vision, which he stopped to watch along the left-field line.
As the video concluded, and I wiped the tears from my eyes, Piazza received another standing ovation, this one longer than the previous two, as he tipped his helmet and ducked into the dugout.
Soon it was game time. Steve Trachsel vs. Woody Williams. I was kind of hoping the Pads would get a man on in the first inning, just so we could get to Piazza's first AB quicker, but that wasn't to be, as Trachsel retired the side in order.
After the Mets recorded their final out in the bottom of the frame, I turned around and asked the Shill and DeMarco for an over-under on the standing ovation Piazza would be receiving. Rich said "30 seconds," I told him I thought it would be closer to a minute.
As Piazza came to the plate, Shea Stadium erupted. The ovation lasted almost a minute and a half and Piazza had to step out and tip his helmet three times.
The he struck out.
Mikey finished 1-for-4, singling to chase Trachsel in the sixth inning.
He hit two homers the next night. That I watched on TV.
Saturday was another red-letter day in the life of the Sandman.
The underground poker club I frequent in Montclair was holding a freeroll tournament (meaning no entry fee) to celebrate its first anniversary. The prizes were $1,000 for the top three finishers.When we decided to split up the prize money with six of the 68 players left, I was the big stack and took home $800 (the other five players took down $400 each, with the balance going to tip the dealers).
It was my biggest tournament victory to date.
Good times.
On Tuesday, Aug. 8, after spending the morning and much of the afternoon in my office in Brooklyn, NY, I returned to Jersey, picked up my father in Union, and headed back into the Empire State, through downtown Manhattan, over the Williamsburg Bridge, down the BQE, over to the Grand Central Parkway, and arrived at the holy of holies in Flushing at around 6:00 p.m.
By the time we parked and made our way into the stadium, we had plenty of time to relax and grab a bite to eat before heading to our seats to prepare to witness the return of Michael Joseph Piazza to Shea Stadium.
As I was waiting for my dad outside the men's room on the loge level near Section 6, I was wondering who I would run into that evening. I always seem to run into someone I know whenever I go to Shea, and as I was pondering that very though, the Local Shill emerged from the bathroom, trailed by Rich DeMarco.
After exchanging greetings and discussing the validity of the Mike Piazza-Sam Champion urban legend, I found out the Shill and DeMarco were sitting about seven row behind us -- with their fathers -- in Section 2 of the Loge Level, right behind home plate.
I wonder if they paid as much for their seats as I paid for mine (Stubhub.com rocks!)
Anyway, as Mikey made his way out to left field to warm up, the first of several standing ovations washed through the crowd, the second coming soon after, when the lineups were announced. As he completed his warmups and headed back toward the Padres dugout, the Mets presented a moving video tribute to him, on Diamond Vision, which he stopped to watch along the left-field line.
As the video concluded, and I wiped the tears from my eyes, Piazza received another standing ovation, this one longer than the previous two, as he tipped his helmet and ducked into the dugout.
Soon it was game time. Steve Trachsel vs. Woody Williams. I was kind of hoping the Pads would get a man on in the first inning, just so we could get to Piazza's first AB quicker, but that wasn't to be, as Trachsel retired the side in order.
After the Mets recorded their final out in the bottom of the frame, I turned around and asked the Shill and DeMarco for an over-under on the standing ovation Piazza would be receiving. Rich said "30 seconds," I told him I thought it would be closer to a minute.
As Piazza came to the plate, Shea Stadium erupted. The ovation lasted almost a minute and a half and Piazza had to step out and tip his helmet three times.
The he struck out.
Mikey finished 1-for-4, singling to chase Trachsel in the sixth inning.
He hit two homers the next night. That I watched on TV.
Saturday was another red-letter day in the life of the Sandman.
The underground poker club I frequent in Montclair was holding a freeroll tournament (meaning no entry fee) to celebrate its first anniversary. The prizes were $1,000 for the top three finishers.When we decided to split up the prize money with six of the 68 players left, I was the big stack and took home $800 (the other five players took down $400 each, with the balance going to tip the dealers).
It was my biggest tournament victory to date.
Good times.
posted by SJPSandman at
4:40 PM
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