Baseball season is here! What's your favorite ballpark memory?

• 

  Farther's Day 1958, I was 7. Mom gave Dad tickets to the game and we went. Leaving home, Mom yelled to us as the elevator started to descend to "don't come back without a ball". Dad told me not to count on that as some people never get a ball after years of going to games, and this would be the first time for both of us. Anyway, I was enjoying watching my favorites Yankees play sitting in box seats a few rows up from the visitor's dugout. Dad had just ordered a beer (Ballantine, had to be opened with a can opener back then) when everyone around us stood up...Dad stepped on the chair and jumped up and caught a foul ball...and landed on the guy pouring the beer into a cup. He was not thrilled with that so he jabbed Dad in the leg with the can opener, When they untangled, Dad handed me the ball that I still have today 54 years ago, I keep the card of the guy who hit the ball that day, my favorite player, right next to the ball we got signed after the game, Mickey Mantle.

  Votes 4 Posted by ivan813

• 

  In 1984, the Tigers had their greatest season ever, and I believe were the first major league team ever to win 35 of their first 40 games. I saw them at home once that year. A Tiger hit a home run with the bases loaded and so made the game a foregone conclusion. But the spectacular thing is that he hit the ball clearly out of the park, over the midfield stands. I did not know that it was possible to hit a baseball that high and that far. The Detroit paper said that later that day, a fan found the ball in question, in the parking lot. I now love watching competent neighbourhood softball, which is quite popular here in New Zealand (world softball champs continuously since 1996). Sadly, no one in my family shares my passion.

  Votes 3 Posted by consa

• 

  In 1979 or 1980, the Giants played a double header with the Dodgers at Candlestick. It was a vile place to watch baseball for comfort factors, but we didn't care that day. In one of the games, Willie McCovey, playing near the end of his great career, hit a pinch-hit to beat the bad boys in blue. The crowd wanted a curtain call from our hero, and we thundered "We want Willie" for several minutes until the humble and reluctant superstar came and gave a polite and gracious tip of his cap to the roaring appreciative fans. The Giants Dodgers rivalry has some great moments on both sides, but that was one of my personal favorites because it involved a legend like McCovey, and I got to witness it personally.

  Votes 3 Posted by sharkbyte1963

• 

  When my children were about 4 and 6 my ex-husband and I, his brother and family went to an Atlanta Braves game. It is the longest game in some history of some kind of baseball. It rained all night. I was so tired and I was trying to keep two small children happy-in the rain-during long waits while they rolled up the field and out again when the rain stopped, I didn't see the pop-fly headed at my face. Had my ex-brother in law not seen what was coming and reached out his hand in front of my face, I would have no face. I GLADLY let him keep that ball. It nearly broke his hand. By the way, they were playing the Mets. After that, my ex-sister in law and I told the guys we HAD to get a taxi and go to the motel. My ex-sister in law got her hubby to go down and put us in a cab and give him directions and gave her the money-my husband was so wrapped up in the game, he could not have cared less-and my children and I, along with my ex-sister in law and her young daughter went to the motel and got some much needed rest. Her son, her husband, and my goofy ex-husband stayed until about 5:30 a.m. when the game finally finished. Look it up. It was in about 1984 or 1985. Needless to say, I do not care for baseball. Braves vs. The Mets or vice versa. BLAH!

  Votes 3 Posted by Callalilly

• 

  It's to to with baseball, but not with any ballpark. As a kid in Little League I just missed pitching a perfect game because I walked what would have been the last out of the game, then struck out the final batter. My next start I threw a perfect game, Made the local newspapers both times.

  Votes 2 Posted by ChipmunkErnie

• 

  The first time I laid eyes on a major league ballpark has got to be my favorite memory. It was the old Candlestick Park in San Francisco, when the outfield was still open and not fully enclosed. The sounds, the smells, the amazing green grass, and all my heroes out there in real life walking around taking batting practice. My childhood hero, Johnny Bench, came over once and signed autographs for a bunch of us kids. I was so star struck I couldn't say a word. A friend of mine took a picture of me getting his autograph, but doesn't know what he did with it. :( Later in life, I had the opportunity to be there when Kirk Gibson hit his iconic blast off of Dennis Eckersly, and I was at the ball park when then earthquake hit in 1989. But nothing surpasses that first glimpse of the big league playing field.

  Votes 2 Posted by hotwifeluvr

• 

  For me it's a toss-up; between the A's winning of the 1989 "Earthquake Series" and the Giants finally winning the World Series in 2010.

  Votes 2 Posted by jazzbiker

• 

  I have a many of great ballpark memories. Taking my son to his very 1st MLB game at Busch Stadium II in the summer of 1976 and seeing the Cards win, and than taking my Granddaughter to her 1st MLB game at Busch III on 05/27/2012 and watching the the Cards beat Doc Halladay and the Phillies and wishing my Son Happy Birthday on the scoreboard. For Father's Day 2003 my son took me to 2 ball games in old Yankee Stadium 06/13 & 14. On the 13th we saw Roger Clemons beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5 to 2 to pick up his 300th career win; plus after striking out the side in the top of 1st to reach 3999 K's, The Rocket K'd Edgar Renteria leading off the top of the 2nd for # 4000. Unfortunately the Cards lost on Saturday too. On 05/13/58 a friend's father obtained tickets for the Cards vs Cubs game at Wrigley Field, and surprisingly my Mom let me skip school to go to the game. Where I saw Stan "The Man" Musial, my all-time favorite player, with the Cubs leading by a score of 3 to 1, pinch hit for the pitcher in the top of the 6th with 1 out and a runner on 2nd. All Stan did was hit an RBI double that started a 4 run rally leading to a 5 to 3 Cardinals' victory. That wasn't what made the game so memorable it was that the hit was Stan's 3000th hit of his career. He wasn't even supposed to play that day as they were returning to St. Louis and Manager Fred Hutchinson was holding him out of the game so he could get # 3000 in front of the hometown fans, but I got lucky. Of course my very 1st MLB game in 1956 I went to Wrigley Field, and saw the Cardinals beat the Cubs. There are so many other great memories but these are the best and the ones I will never forget! Peace

  Votes 2 Posted by MicroCock47

• 

  Going to Tiger Stadium with my dad. It was the first sporting event I went to for a pro team. I was just amazed with the energy of the crowd and the stadium life

  Votes 1 Posted by conradrobert

• 

  Going to a twins game with my little league team as a kid and catching a ball, that was a home run

  Votes 1 Posted by Troubles72