It’s the post season, the end of summer. A couple of weeks ago Suzi and I went to a Mets game during the last weekend of the regular season. We arrived on the 7 train from Grand Central Station after spending some time in the City. We would be going home on the Long Island Railroad to Penn Station where we would catch the Path Tube back to Jersey City. We decided to get our train tickets on the way into the stadium so we wouldn’t have to wait on a ticket line after the game. The ticket agent said “There won’t be any line; no one goes to see a losing team the last weekend.” He was right; there was no line at the end of the game. The Mets lost.
The field had a small crowd despite the facts that it was fan appreciation weekend with lots of special events, no New York team will be in the post season, and the Yanks had already finished their home season. This was it — last chance. The Mets should have offered loads of discounted tickets for this weekend just to get kids used to come to the game and create excitement for season’s end and anticipation for next year. “See tomorrow’s Mets now with the 40 man, end of season roster.” As it was I think some people made it into the wrong park. The family behind us in the stands kept chanting, “Derek Jeeter, (Clap Clap), Derek Jeeter.”
My cousin Johnny got us some great seats at left field just beyond third, one deck up. The tickets also included admission into three of the clubs at the stadium. One club is a full service restaurant at the left field foul post; we skipped that and went for hotdogs in the stands. We sat in another club for the first inning or so. Right behind home plate it gave us a good view. We enjoyed a coke there. The final club, Caesars, has no view of the field, just big screen TV, a bar and food. I don’t understanding paying big bucks for a ball game ticket just to sit in what amounts to a sports bar, watching the game on TV. My cousin Nick said that the best seats at New York sporting events were often filled with businessmen making deals and not watching the game. I guess this lounge it’s for guys to cut deals in comfort. I saw a few of those business types but I would guess the big deal guys would be at Yankee Stadium. Absent business leaders, this club was a haven for parents with kids looking for a better way to feed them than balancing hotdogs and cokes on knees and laps.
The sunset off the back of the club was a wonderful show, perhaps as good as the game itself. The game, the hotdogs, the Cracker Jack and singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” plus the good seats for plays at third and home were a fine way to cap the summer. Thanks for a great night Johnny!
Suzi took the picture of me.
