I took my daughter to the Stockton Ports game on Friday. Stockton is the Class-A team of the Oakland A's. We haven't been there forever. I thought to myself when I bought the tickets-My daughter and I would enjoy a game together which we haven't done in awhile.
As we pulled into the parking lot of Banner Island Ballpark, I started to have all these memories hit me. So did my daughter. You see, Stockton is about an hour and half drive from the San Francisco Bay Area. My brother lived near Yosemite. So Stockton was about the halfway point between us. For about three summers when my kids were tweens, I took them to the Stockton Ports every Sunday during the summer when they played at home. A lot of times in summer we went on Friday and Saturday nights with my bother and some of his friends. And when my brother and I had our falling out, he would go get the kids from their mom's and taking them to the Ports.
All during the game, my daughter and I talked all of these good and warm memories: The sad thing is that with his passing, new memories will not be created:
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| The Ports warming up |
And Banner Island Ballpark in the twilight and night:
Random Banner Island Ballpark stuff:
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| The Ports retired Stockton native Dallas Braden's number. On May 9th 2010 (Mother's Day), Braden pitched the 19th Perfect Game in MLB History while playing for the Oakland A's. |
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The Ports Bullpen
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One of the cool things about Minor League Baseball is low tech they are sometimes:
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| My dinner at the game |
One cool thing is that after the game I went to the Ports dugout and got the lineup card that was used in their dugout:
I really enjoyed going to the Ports game with my daughter. I could feel my brother's presence their and it was so nice.
To see real baseball, you almost have to go to a minor league game (the lower the better). I was working in Raleigh-Durham NC one year and went to the Durham Bulls games every night. They were the Class A team of the Braves, and they played at the Durham Athletic Park (known as the DAP), the park used in the movie "Bull Durham." I felt like I was stepping into history all week...
ReplyDeleteLooked like a perfect night for baseball, and sharing wonderful memories!
ReplyDeleteSo good to be back to the ballpark!
ReplyDeleteyou were creating more wonderful memories with this trip as well as remembering the past - lovely photos
ReplyDeleteI've never been to that ballpark, nice to see the images - minor league is a different experience altogether. Some bittersweet memories, but also good to be able to spend some nice time together with your daughter.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great week!
Interesting pics!
ReplyDeleteNice post Patrick thanks for sharing and for sharing your meal heheh!
ReplyDeleteHave a baseballtastic week ⚾ 👍
A bittersweet night at the ballpark. I'm glad you and your daughter had a great time at the game and remembering the good times.
ReplyDeleteThank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous day, Patrick. ☺
This is the stuff that making memories is made of! Looks like you had a beautiful evening for it. Thanks for linking up to #ForTheLoveofBlog linky.
ReplyDeleteI love minor league baseball games! What a sweet way to remember your brother and make more memories with your daughter!
ReplyDeleteBaseball and ballparks are something we don't see in the UK, but your pictures took me there!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful ballparks
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your loss, Patrick, but what a lovely way to remember your brother. Thank you for sharing your memories and these wonderful photos of this special place. Take care.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to share memories #fortheloveofblog
ReplyDeleteSweet sharing time with your daughter. Although I used to go to the Brooklyn Dodgers games as a kid, my first Minor League game was a few years ago when we took some French exchange students to a Kane County Cougars game in Illinois. In the first inning a high fly foul ball came right down to me. It would have hit me in the face but I tried to catch it bare-handed. It bounced against a seatback ad right back into my hands. Nice souvenir for my granddaughter and a fun memory. (The team lost its affiliation in the middle of the pandemic when there was re-shuffling of the Minor Leagues.)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to spend some time with your daughter and share some wonderful memories of your brother!
ReplyDeleteShelbee
www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Aww, this looks great. I would love to go sometime :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for linking up to The Wednesday Link Up #TheWednesdayLinkUp
Must be nice to get back to the game - cute mascot! Please link back to #Allseasons. Cheers
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to spend time together. And sad about your brother :(
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week!
Aww it sounds like a bittersweet trip, but a lovely way to spend time with your daughter x #fortheloveofblog
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful memories and some bittersweet. Glad you could share them with your daughter. Looks like a great dinner too! Thanks for linking on Amanda's Books and More!
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