Padres Win!!!

The Phillies were in the house tonight. The Padres were behind 1-3 and had a two out rally in the bottom of the 4th to go on top 6-3. Two more were tacked on in the 8th to garner a 8-3 lead and eventually the win. Textbook baseball. For those who think I eat, breathe, & sleep baseball you're only partially right - just eat & breathe. I max out at about 4-5 hours sleep per night lately and have to save that time for other things. It's not quite as bad as Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon) in Fever Pitch but close. He had better season ticket seats anyway.

Speaking of seats, I was reminded of that fateful night three years ago, Saturday, August 13, 2005. Dave Harrison, a friend of a friend, was in town from Boston. He is an avid Phillies fan and came out for the series. We were given tickets to some great seats behind home plate. The Padres were also throwing a party prior to the game for 40-game season ticket holders. We held tickets to that as well.

At the party they had player interviews (got some autographs) & door prizes. Dave won an upgrade to tickets for the S.D. Padres President's Suite. We were allowed to call in two others to use those original seats behind home plate. We were the first to arrive in the suite. The wait staff apologized that the food wasn't ready yet. "The food is all-you-can-eat and you can have anything from peanuts & hot dogs to buffet food. Can we get you something to drink?" The food flowed non-stop throughout the game. "Sir it's time for cake, would you like some. (this thick chocolate cake like something from Claim Jumpers)" "Oh, but of course." Same with Häagen-Dazs® ice cream bars.

Dave caught a foul ball. The President, Dick Freeman, and his wife sat behind us and we got to meet them. Valerie Stallings, former SD councilmember, asked if I was ?? so-and-so. I asked the Pres. who she was talking about. He said, "she thinks you're a Union-Tribune reporter". The Padres honored the former players of the Negro League at that game and those players then sat in the same suite. I got to meet Buck O'Neil (R.I.P.) & have him autograph a baseball.

I would have to say that was the ultimate Padres experience for this fan. The only thing that would have made it better for me would have been a Padres win. Dave was happy that the Phillies blew it open in the 9th, rocked Trevor Hoffman's world, and won 5-2.