On Tuesday 9 March 2010 a book was published titled:
The Baseball Fan’s Bucket List: 162 Things You Must Do, See, Get, and Experience Before You Die, by Robert Santelli and Jenna Santelli. The book’s table of contents lists all 162 items per the authors’ ranking. I have taken that list and organized it into twelve categories, which I find easier to consider when dealing with the list. I will be presenting each category alphabetically over the course of the 2011 baseball season. The number to the left of each item is its position on the Santellis’ list. Today’s category number three out of twelve is:
EVENTS
3 Go To Opening Day This usually occurs during the first week of April, although this year MLB opened on Thursday 31 March. For the Red Sox, opening day was Friday 1 April and it was a road loss to the Texas Rangers. Boston’s home opening day was Friday 8 April and it was a win against the New York Yankees. Although I have not attended an Opening Day game, I have watched a number of them on television and I hope to experience it firsthand someday.
4 Attend A World Series Game The World Series usually occurs during the last week of October, although in recent years it has gone into the first week of November. This year the Series is back to the traditional end of October. Unfortunately, my only enjoyment of the World Series has been either in the comfort of my home or, in the case of the 2004 and 2007 WS, in my favorite New England sports living bar. I’m sure the Red Sox will once again return to the Fall Classic and perhaps I may be able to make an in-person appearance.
8 Experience A Hall Of Fame Induction Weekend In Cooperstown The Hall of Fame induction is usually held the last weekend in July (in 2011 it will be held from Friday 22 July to Monday 25 July, which is actually the
fourth weekend in July this year). The 2011 inductees are Roberto Alomar, Bert Blyleven, and Pat Gillick. As I have yet to make it to Cooperstown, I have not had the experience of attending the induction weekend. To be honest, I hardly ever watch the broadcast of the actual induction ceremony, but I did so on Sunday 26 July 2009 when former Boston Red Sox leftfielder,
James Edward Rice, was finally inducted into the Hall.
10 Go To A Major League Baseball All-Star Game The All-Star game is held on the second Tuesday in July. This year’s game will be held on Tuesday 12 July at Chase Field (home of the Arizona Diamondbacks) in Phoenix, Arizona. Future All-Star games will be held as follows: Tuesday 10 July 2012 at Kaufman Stadium (home of the Kansas City Royals) in Kansas City, Missouri and Tuesday 9 July 2013 possibly at Citi Field (home of the New York Mets) in New York, New York. I may have never been to an All-Star game, but I certainly watch the broadcast every year and the ancillary Home Run Derby held the day before. Very happy that
David Ortiz won the Derby in 2010.
26 Go To The College World Series The
College World Series is held in Omaha, Nebraska during the month of June and will continue to be held in Omaha through 2035. In 2011, games will take place in TD Ameritrade Park Omaha. No, never been to Nebraska (only connection is a friend from grad school and Bruce Springsteen’s album), I’m sure that seeing potential major leaguers would be exciting.
36 Attend The World Baseball Classic The next
World Baseball Classic is scheduled to take place in 2013, with plans to hold it every four years (i.e. 2017, 2021, 2025 etc.). I like the idea of this international baseball tournament, but don’t think that there is really any good time in the year to hold it. Perhaps either mid-January to mid-February or mid-November to mid-December would be good.
50 Go To The Midnight Sun Baseball Classic Occurring in June around the time of the Summer Solstice, the
Midnight Sun Baseball Classic takes place in Fairbanks, Alaska. In 2011, this night “day” game will be held on Tuesday 21 June and the first pitch is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. Having never been to Alaska or anywhere that has the midnight sun, I think it would be phenomenal to attend a baseball game in the middle of the night and the only light necessary is the sun’s!
57 Attend The Hall Of Fame Classic Weekend In Cooperstown The
Hall of Fame Classic occurs the third weekend in June and in 2011 it will be held from Saturday 18 June to Sunday 19 June. Yes, another reason to visit Cooperstown someday.
82 Attend Jackie Robinson Day Held on 15 April, it
commemorates the day that Jackie Robison made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and thereby broke the barrier that had prevented Blacks from playing in the Major Leagues. All ballplayers and umpires wear Jackie’s retired number 42. Now that’s a sight I would like to see for myself one day at a ballpark.
91 Attend The Little League World Series This is the first experience of a world series for baseball players. It’s held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania during the month of August. Never played
Little League baseball, so being a participant was not a possibility; however, Boston Red Sox captain, Jason Varitek was a participant in the 1984 Little League World Series.
96 Attend The Cooperstown Symposium On Baseball And American Culture One more special event at the Baseball Hall of Fame. The 2011 symposium will be held from Wednesday 1 June to Friday 3 June. Baseball from an
academic perspective as presented in 2010. How would you relate baseball and American culture?
113 Go To An Old Timers’ DayI hate to say it, but the MLB team observing this tradition on a regular basis is the New York Yankees. This year it will be held on Sunday 26 June before the scheduled game against the Colorado Rockies. Former Yankees manager, Joe Torre, has been invited to the event.
135 Attend The Annual Civil Rights Game For 2011 and 2012 this
game will be in Atlanta, Georgia in Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves. This year the game will be held on Sunday 15 May and the Braves will be playing the Philadelphia Phillies.
140 Eat At A Famous Ballplayer’s RestaurantAs long as the food is good, this would be a fun activity, especially if the owner showed up while you were there. Current player Albert Pujols has a restaurant called
Pujols 5 Westport Grill. And for Red Sox fans, Jerry Remy has a restaurant near Fenway Park called
Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar & Grill. 157 Attend A Negro Leagues Day Celebration And GameThe Detroit Tigers will be having a weekend celebration of the
Negro Leagues this year. It will take place from Friday 15 July to Sunday 17 July in Comerica Park and the Chicago White Sox will be the opponent during the weekend. Glad that part of baseball history is being kept alive and remembered.
Boston Red Sox EventsThe Boston Red Sox have events that are specific to the team such as
Patriot’s Day (Monday 18 April 2011);
State Days (Connecticut – Sunday 4 September 2011, Maine – Sunday 24 July 2011, New Hampshire – Saturday 4 June 2011, Rhode Island – Friday 8 July 2011, Vermont – Sunday 1 May 2011, along with Cape Cod Day – Wednesday 22 June 2011, Western Massachusetts Day – Wednesday 3 August 2011, and Nova Scotia Day – Tuesday 5 July 2011); and
Red Sox Nation Day (Friday 17 June 2011). Guess Massachusetts Day is every day at Fenway Park!
Images:
Left: National Baseball Hall of Fame logo from the website baseballhall.org
Center: Midnight Sun Baseball Classic logo from the website goldpanners.com
Right: World Baseball Classic logo from the website upload.wikimedia.org
