Saturday, I spent nearly every waking hour at the Atlanta Braves’ Turner Field, and every bit was worth it as I made some sports connections, watched the Braves win, viewed some good looking girls, and caught my first home run ball in batting practice!

The Braves played the Los Angeles Dodgers in the rare 3:55 PM start due to being one of FOX’s nationally televised Saturday games. Nonetheless, I was at the stadium a little before 10:00 AM — six hours before the first pitch.

Why was I there so early and just how did I get in with the gates not slated to open until 1:30? I was an attendee of the 2008 Sports Industry Career Fair.

For $25, I received the opportunity to speak with representatives from sports organizations and businesses in the Southeast and drop off my resume with the reps, a copy of John Schuerholz’s “Built to Win” book, and an upper deck ticket to the game.

Not a bad deal overall. There could have been more organizations and businesses (since there were only 9 vendors representing 12 companies, including the Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Thrashers) but the best part in my opinion was being able to take part in Q&A sessions with some of the Braves’ top business personnel including the Sr. Manager of Group and New Sales, Director of Human Resources, Sr. Director of Ticket Sales, Manager of Recruitment, and the Director of Ticket Sales & Service. It was really interesting to hear how people who are now making the big bucks each had their own struggles before making it into a job that they truly enjoy.

Despite being severely underdressed in my tennis shoes (I don’t wear dress shoes) and linen pants and without a suit jacket (come on I’m a writer not a businessman — I’m used to roaming sidelines in jeans and a hoodie rather than roaming suites in suit and tie), I handed out my resume to each of the businesses, collected information and business cards from a few, and chatted a couple of extra minutes with Tom Patterson, the Braves’ Sr. Manager of Group and New Sales. After my final Q&A session with Sue Gerten, Manager of Recruitment, I headed to my car where I grabbed my glove, changed into shorts, and added one of my 8 or 9 Braves’ ballcaps.

Once back in the stadium, I went straight to my typical batting practice spot at Turner Field, which is in the first row or two in the right-centerfield bleachers. For over an hour and a half, I yelled, chanted, and cheered Braves and Dodgers’ players in an attempt to get them to throw me a ball as nothing had been hit closer than 20-30 feet from me. Of course, I knew my chances were slim to get a ball directly from a player because I was competing with several young children (4-14 years old), who were much more likely to get a ball tossed in their direction.

I did have an opportunity to grab a ball that Derek Lowe tossed over his head and into the stands, but I didn’t want to use my length and heighth advantage to outduel two young brothers that were standing a step to my left in the front row. So instead of reaching out and snatching my first ever MLB baseball, I allowed the brother wearing the Brian McCann jersey to have his.

Twenty minutes later and Juan Pierre was in the box hitting — the same Juan Pierre who hasn’t hit a home run since September 2006. Needless to say, I wasn’t on the edge of the rail waiting for him to hit a bomb, but I was still paying attention nonetheless. Lo and behold, Pierre hits a line drive straight toward where I was positioned. At first I thought it was going to fly over my head, and I prepped myself to make a jumping attempt, but instead, it raised my glove just a bit above eye level, and the ball traveled directly into it.

I couldn’t believe it had come right to me. I pulled down my glove, took the ball out, and immediately handed it to the second young brother, who had seen his brother get a ball and had been standing out in the outfield with his father for nearly as long as I had (despite his parents asking him a couple of times if he’d rather go play in the kids zone or go shopping in one of the souvenir shops). I never thought I would give up the first batted ball I ever caught at a major league stadium, but without thinking, I had done exactly that.

After the kid’s father thanked me, they headed on their way out leaving me once again yelling, chanting, and cheering to try to get one of the Dodgers’ pitchers, who were shagging, to toss me a ball. While I waited for another chance at a ball, I began doubting my decision to give the kid the ball, but I was satisfied with my move. I guess I realized how much more that ball might mean to that little kid (and how now he wouldn’t have to put up with his brother’s bullshit for having a ball when he didn’t).

I waited until the end of batting practice without any fruition and was preparing to walk away empty handed when the Dodgers started to clean up the equipment and jog off the field. However, relief pitcher Scott Proctor turned around and threw a ball directly to me. I don’t know if he saw me give the other ball away or if it was just some kind of ultimate karma, but whatever it was I didn’t mind. I was ecstatic to have a ball.

Once I got to the top of the steps of the outfield seating, I was stopped by an usher, so that she could check to make sure my glove hand hadn’t been injured when catching the ball (this had happened when I caught the Pierre home run ball as well). While I was stopped, a man reached out and shook my hand and complimented me on giving the home run ball to the kid and for receiving the second ball.

I went up to my upper deck seats and enjoyed the Braves beating the Dodgers 4-1 thanks to a two-run single by Mark Teixiera, a quality start by Chuck James, and solid relief by Jorge Campillo, Blaine Boyer, and Manny Acosta. My observations of the game from the stands:

  • A 4 PM game and a sunny day brings out a ton of hot girls. It seemed almost like it was sorority day at the ballpark or something. There were at least three sororities with 15-20 girls each in my section and the sections to each side of mine. 
  • Rafael Furcal has definitely lost a step since he left the Braves.
  • Andruw Jones looks like he is bordering on becoming just plain overweight, but he still dropped a smaosh off of James. It sure is strange to see him batting 7th.
  • Jonathan Broxton has a humongous donkey (possibly the biggest butt in baseball).
  • Prices are like $2-$3 more expensive than at Philips Arena for a basketball or hockey games.
  • Poor Matt Diaz appears to be back in a platoon. This time with Gregor Blanco.
  • Next to Chipper Jones, Jeff Francoeur has become the most revered Brave (according to crowd applause after his name is announced).
  • Chad Billingsley has great stuff (9 K in 5 IP), but without good control (5 BB) any pitcher will get hit (6 H, 4 ER).
  • Teixiera and Mark Kotsay look like they are starting to heat up.
  • There really isn’t a bad seat in Turner Field, but it is hard to tell what direction the ball is going when you are in the upper deck and not directly behind home plate.
  • Jorge Campillo gave up his first hit of the season in his sixth inning of work. He has come out of nowhere to be a prominent figure in the Braves’ bullpen. (He has spent at least part of 10 seasons in the minor leagues, and this is his first full-time opportunity.)
  • Nomar Garciaparra is washed up.
  • One of the coolest things at Turner Field is their drumline band that plays after every game. They completely tear it up every time. Plus, there is eye candy to look at as the Braves’ girls participate by dancing and throwing t-shirts.
  • No Braves’ game trip is complete without a post-game trip to The Varsity. If you’ve never been, you have to try it out, and make sure that you order the frosted orange to drink (best non-alcoholic drink on the planet). To make it even better, with a Braves’ ticket stub you get a free naked or chili dog when you buy fries and a drink.

Shotgun Spratling

Rate this:
2.5

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy these related posts: