We just didn't know how far up in the stands we'd be until my dad showed his ticket to the usher for assistance.
"Alllll the way up to the top of the stairs," she said in a nice tone.
In other words, our seats were not only in the upper deck, but in the 23rd and final row up. Our tickets simply read row 23; not 'feel free to jump out of the stadium by hopping over the fence located two feet behind you.'
Nonetheless, the 13-6 victory for the home team was one of the most fun Rangers games I've attended in my many years of being a loyal fan. And I've been to plenty of games (my estimate is roughly 30 since 2002).
Despite being further up in the 'nosebleeds' than any other fans in attendance, the view was spectacular:
Sitting directly behind home plate enabled us to see each development of an at-bat with a wide lens. No obstructed views.
Making it even more special was that every one of the six people who accompanied me to the game shared a variety of baseball memories with me, even before Sunday:
• My parents: Sunday night was Mother's Day. Perfect way for Deb and the family to cap off a memorable weekend that involved going to a special brunch earlier that day at Stonebriar Country Club. My mom follows the Rangers as much as I do, and I talk specifics with her as if we're both managing the club. Ralph (of course, a Yankees fan) was great to have at the ballpark as well because of the father-son bond that accompanies catching a game in person.
• My brother: My most vivid memories of summer nights from 2002-2008 involve Rangers games with Dave. We've seen some classic games: Rod Barajas' walkoff home run (that Dave called) against the Yankees in 2004; Phil Nevin's two-run walkoff home run to beat the Athletics, 8-7, after the Rangers fell behind, 7-0, in 2006; Marlon Byrd's walkoff grand slam to beat the Yankees in 2008. This victory felt like it was right alongside these other three.
The Rangers sold out all three games against the Angels over the weekend, and have 11 sellouts so far in 2012. They had 11 sellouts in all of 2011. The crowd was extremely loud, and the atmosphere felt like a playoff game.
The highlight of the game was Nelson Cruz (4-for-5, 4 RBIs) blasting a grand slam off Angels stud starter Jered Weaver in the third inning. Texas struck Weaver, who in my view is one of the top three starters in the American League, for eight earned runs in 3.1 innings.
Neftali Feliz pitched six solid innings to improve to 3-1. The Rangers went wild for 19 hits. Texas completed the weekend with a 23-12 overall record, the best mark in the AL.
When I think back to my memories of attending live baseball games, this is the kind of game that will jump to the forefront of my mind. Above any other sport, live baseball games are enhanced by a collective family experience that takes all of life's daily stresses away. No one is in a rush. The focus is on creating shared memories, something that occasionally gets lost in our techno-crazed society of 2012.
I walked out of the ballpark with a big smile on my face, mostly happy, but a little bit sad, knowing that a night like this happens only once in a while. I do know this much: I'll have stories to tell for the rest of my life.
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