Perhaps, you remember the Sox game that me and Apryl attended on my birthday. The one that went into extra innings and was finally suspended due to excessive rain. Well, since the game couldn’t be made up or completed in Chicago, ticket holders were given the opportunity to exchange their ticket stubs for $10 off lower deck seats or free upper deck tickets for the Sox/Royals series. So, earlier in the week, I went to the box office at U.S. Cellular and picked up tickets for myself for the 2nd and 3rd game of the series.
Some photos from the Sox-35th stop on the CTA Red Line.
Even though I was in the upper decks, I had decent seats with a good view of the action. During the Thursday game, I got to see my Sox favorite Joe Crede hit a home run and a double as well as a Jim Thome homer. In the 9th, the Sox had a 4–2 lead until closer Big Bobby Jenks gave up two runs to push the game into extra innings. Since I had an early shoot the next morning, I told myself I would give it 14 innings before going home. Well, when the 14th came and went (including a 14th inning stretch that gave the crowd their second chance to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”), I started to leave. But, instead of leaving, I walked around the upper decks, stalling until the Sox got back up to bat. Something told me the 15th was going to be the game-winning inning. When the Sox did come up to bat, I had walked around from my seats by the 1st base line all the way over to the far left field. I stepped inside to watch the game unfold. Unlikely hero Paul Konerko hit a blast right over the left field! At the end, the game had lasted over 5 hours! And even though I was tired during my shoot the next day, I’m glad I stayed. It was a lot of fun leaving The Cell to the chants, “Paulie, Paulie, Paulie!”
The view of the action from my seats. At the time of this photo, it was around the 4th. Notice the crowd.
Multiple extra innings left many heading for the exit gates.
My 15th inning view of the game. It was a prime spot to watch Paul Konerko’s home run in the 15th!
Back on the Red Line.
After my shoot the next day, which went into two hours of overtime, I headed back to U.S. Cellular for the last game of the Sox/Royals series. I should have brought my inhaler because it was Dog Day at the park. Apparently there were 600 dogs in attendance for the game. Odd, I know. Luckily, there were no dogs in my section so I didn’t have an asthma attack. Coming off of the previous night’s game, this one was pretty undramatic. Plus, I was very tired. But it was still a lot of fun, and the Good Guys won 6-2.
My view for Thursday’s night game. Another great view!
Sox manager Ozzie Guillén’s after game press conference broadcasting on the Jumbotron. For those who haven’t attended a Sox game, the lighted pinwheels on top of the scoreboard spin and shoot off fireworks whenever the Sox hit a home run.
A somewhat blurry shot of the 35th street with downtown Chicago in the background.
Go Sox!