Baseball

Baseball
Originally uploaded by eqdynamics.

Sunday and a very early, 5am start followed by a four hour drive north from Norfolk - all to get to Baltimore in time for the Orioles v New York Yankees baseball game ... the first I have ever been to.

The Orioles have an impressive stadium right in downtown Baltimore - about the size of St James's Park in Newcastle. The first thing that struck me was the sheer friendliness of the crowd - both Orioles and Yankees fans jibing each other but in a friendly manner. None of the tribal antagonism and hostility we see at football matches.

The weather was - once again - roasting hot. And I do mean roasting! Our seats were on one of the upper decks but sadly with no shade so exposed to the full force of the sun. The seat was so hot that I really did burn my bum when I first sat on it :( I had to put my game program on it before I could sit.

The Yankees won by an embarrassing margin - with four home runs in their tally.

Maybe it was the heat but I couldn't get as excited as everyone around me about the game. It remonded me of cricket but played at a much faster pace. When even my frequent and regular trips to the drinks stall for more water/ice cream/frozen lollies failed to keep me healthy and with the outcome a foregone conclusion, I left before the crowds at "the bottom of the ninth"