Nicky’s Guide to Her First MLB Game

I was out celebrating a birthday earlier this spring when talk turned to baseball with the Drummer Dude from Homer who is a big Detroit Tigers fan.  “Yeah I’m hoping to take Nicky to a game when we go back east this summer.  She’s never been to a MLB game.”  Nicky sitting across the table piped up, “What’s MLB?”   She was serious. 

My eyes lit up.  Nicky was a Girlfriend waiting to happen.

“Don’t worry, Nicky.  I got your back on this one.” I told her. 

So this guide is for her and anyone who isn’t into baseball and is going to their first game in a Major League Stadium. Follow these guidelines and you can have a fabulous time even if you don't know anything about baseball.

Rule #1:  Realize that going to a game at a Major League Park is not the same as watching baseball. Trust me. You can see the game better on TV. This is about going to the Park and having a tribal experience. MLB parks are much more devoted to the fan enjoyment these days than in the past. Soak it up. A baseball stadium can feel like a cathedral. Especially enjoy that moment when you first approach your first view of the field. It will take your breath away.

Rule #2: Get a program.  This does two things.  It gives you the roster for the teams so you can get to know the players and it also gives you a glossy magazine to read and look at during slow innings.

Rule #3:  Locate your scoreboard.  The scoreboard keeps track of the most important things for you— Runs, strikes, balls and outs,  who is batting, who is pitching, the batting order, statistics. There are usually some scoreboards are located around the park so all the fans can see them from their seats. Look at it every once in awhile. They often list fun trivia about the players and a bit of bio.  Makes it feel like you are rooting for your high school team. 

Rule #4:   Watch the Jumbotron.  Always play the games up there such as the boat races or the hat trick. Text your answer to the music trivia quiz.  Look for kiss cam or the dance cam.  Watch the blooper reel. Cheer for the guy who just turned 100 years old. Every park does it differently but every park does it.  

Rule #5:  Do the wave. Old timers and serious baseball fans barely lift their finger when the wave hits their section but ignore them. At my first Red Sox game at Fenway, we had a marginal seat in the bleachers behind a column, but the highlight of the game for me was participating in my first Wave.

Rule #6: It goes without saying that you need to be there in time to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” before the game starts and  “Take me Out to the Ball Game” or whatever they sing at Comerica during the 7^th Inning Stretch.

Rule #7: At some point, take a walk all the way around the park but don’t do it until the 4^th, 5^th or 6^th inning.   You  don’t want to blow your wad right at the beginning so save it when the game gets a little draggy and boring in the middle. It is fun to see the different perspectives of the field from the different section and check out what the stadium has to offer.  The Boyfriend and I once walked around AT&T Park in San Francisco and happened to be by the back wall looking at the water and watching the sunset, just as a Giants home run came sailing out of the park and into the water.  We got to see a kayaker pursue chase and fish the home run ball out of the water.  Now that’s a true San Francisco experience!

Rule #8:  Download out a baseball stadium app.   Now don’t spend your time with your nose in your phone. You should be looking around, not down. That being said, there are some fun apps to help you get more out of the experience.  MLB has one called At the Ball Park which gives you information about all the MLB stadiums.  For Comerica Park, I found that there’s a list of favorite tunes by Tiger Players you can purchase,  that standing on ballpark seats is prohibited,  and that Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, is just across the street.  You can Facebook a selfie of you and The Drummer Dude from the Park in front of those big cool Tigers out front. And, you can start a check-in list of which ball fields you have been to.  One down, my friend. 

Rule #9:   Don’t be an asshole.   (Not that you ever would, Nicky.  You are too nice for that.) But some folks need reminding.  Even if none of these rules help, and you are having a miserable time-- don’t badmouth the game, talk on your cell phone, complain that you are bored, or get too drunk or pick a fight with your companion.  People really love baseball and we Alaskans so rarely get a chance to get to a real live stadium. So don’t spoil it for the folks around you.  

Rule #10:  Wear your team colors.   If you got gear, put it on.  Get a baseball cap.  Heck, get a big puffy finger if you want.   It will help get you into the crowd “wah”.   I know you both are members of the Krewe of Gambrinus, so dig out your navy, white, and orange Mardi Gras beads.  (It’s okay, it is for baseball, not Mardi Gras so you can wear them out of season. )

Rule #11:   Wear sunscreen if it is a day game.  I forgot one sunny day in Seattle and I ended up with the most scarlet arm and left cheek in the city. We were sitting behind third base.

Rule #12:  I don’t know much about the Detroit Stadium and its location but make sure to catch the ambience outside and around the stadium.  Walk to the game if possible and stop in a sports bar along the way. Soak up the fan vibe and people watch as others walk to the game.  Check out the colorful characters that a game brings out.  Seattle has a great stadium for this guideline. We try to walk from downtown as the crowds start the migration. There’s a great tiny bar about a block from the Stadium call the Triangle  (Yup, two great bars in the world called the Triangle) and we always stop, order their Rainier special and watch people walking to the game.  The Boyfriend especially likes nodding to the rowdy Red Sox fans as they walk by in a sea of polite Mariner aficionados.

Rule #13:  Observe basic baseball etiquette.  Wait to leave or head back to your seat until between batters.  Don’t talk on the cell phone because you are bored.  Keep your peanut shell mess located beneath you and not in your neighbor’s space. Pass the hotdogs or the change down to the person in your row to whom it belongs. Don’t hold a big sign that blocks anyone’s view.

Rule #14:  Watch out for flying balls and bats.  The better your seat, the more likely you are in foul territory.  You are an athletic type, so feel free to jump for it. Drummer Dude seems like the type who would also dive for the ball.  Wimps like me look around me to see who brought their mitts and will provide protection. Remember, like in airplane exits, the nearest saviors may be located behind you.   Or you can reference my column on foul balls and sneak a cafeteria tray into your knapsack.

I am sure readers have other suggestions as well.  I'd love to hear them.

And yes, security is going to check your purse or bag before you go into the park, so be discreet about your tampons. Have an awesome time. Facebook us all a picture with those awesome Tigers!