Take me out to a ball game!


Sometimes, I admit, I write a blog post simply because I’m out with friends and they say, “Take a picture!  For the blog!”  And then, well, I feel I’m obligated.

Even so, my first ever baseball game should probably merit a post anyway.

Friday afternoon, Sonja texted me and said they were going to a baseball game in Ponce, and stopping at Chili’s before, for an “all-American night.”  Funny thing is, before I came to Puerto Rico, I had never been to a baseball game OR to Chili’s!  So for me, I guess perhaps both “American” pastimes may be tinged with Puerto Rican flavor in my memories.  Still, I was all in for the evening.

The evening went just exactly according to plan.  Our waiter at Chili’s was from Connecticut, and from out seats the view through the window was of Burger King…we could have been in Anywhere, USA.  After dinner, we headed to the game: Ponce Leones vs Santurce…somethings.  We paid $7 for our entrance tickets and took our choice of seats.  We sat on the first base line in the front row for the beginning of the game.  There weren’t all that many people there…I was assured a game in the States would be different (not that I cared, at all).  During the 7th inning, we decided to take advantage of the choice seating and moved to the front row, right behind home plate. 


The game itself was quite enjoyable.  The experience was peppered with cries of “Cervesa!” (which switched to “Beer!” when the vendor was near our seats and the sounds of an air gun and a man blowing on a conch shell (only on a tropical island…we’ve got the real thing; no need to buy a plastic horn to blow here).  We “caught” one foul ball.  (The 1st base coach caught it and tossed it to us—but that totally counts).  Scott proved his psychic abilities by predicting in the 7th inning that #44, the pinch hitter, would hit it long and to left field to get on base.  His hit ended up being a home run…far into left field. 

The Leones lost the game, 4 to 11, but seeing as our allegiance to the team wasn’t the real reason we were there anyway, none of us minded too much.  We went home quite content.  And now I’ve seen a baseball game! 

From our seats on the 1st baseline

Our foul ball.  Puerto Rico baseball league! 

View from behind home plate

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