Search This Blog

Friday, July 31, 2009

Opening Post, Opening Day

This is the program/scorecard from Opening Day, April 8, 1969. It was my very first game. Our seats were in the lower boxes on the third base side. This was back when the average guy could still get them at face value. My Dad went down by the dugout before the game and was lucky enough to get three signatures--Rich Nye, Ken Rudolph and Joe Niekro. Other than the memory of first coming up the stairs and seeing the field, which was spectacular, what stands out for me was the bright red of the Phillies uniforms.

Here's the scorecard filled in by my Dad (even as an adult my handwriting was never nice as his). Cub fans remember this game for the last at bat in the 11th inning. The Cubs were trailing by a run. With one out and Randy Hundley on first, Willie Smith, pinch-hitting for Jim Hickman, homered to right center to win the game. I can't say I remember much of the previous action, including Ernie Banks' two home runs, but I do remember that moment. My Dad is gone now but looking at this scorecard brings back the memory of him jumping to his feet and hollering for joy.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...