Baseball!

Friday night was date night.  It was also the Season Home Opener for The Mariners.  So, of course we would naturally (?) go to the game.  We sat with some friends.  And, that was probably a good thing because the M's didn't play well.  We were wondering if they even showed up but that's a whole nother story for another day.  Anyhow, we did have a good time, I mean we always have a good time when we can leave the children at home for a little grown-up time. 

Some Baseball facts about April 8th I thought were interesting*:

1966  At the Astrodome, the Astros and Dodgers play baseball's first game on synthetic grass.  Thanks to the Monsanto chemical company, who proposed using an experimental playing surface of nylon grass, the plan to play on an all-dirt field, necessitated by the need to paint the dome's glass panes to reduce the glare which prevented natural grass from growing, was alleviated by the use of 'Astro Turf'.

1969  Scoring all of their runs in the top of the first, the Seattle Pilots make their major league debut defeating the Angels, 4-3.

1986  The Mariners' Jim Presley hits two home runs in the ninth and tenth innings helping Seattle to beat the Angels, 8-4 in a dramatic comeback victory on Opening Day.

2008  In the last home opener at Shea Stadium, the Mets are beaten by a pitcher who is older than their ballpark.  Pitching six strong innings, 46-year old Jamie Moyer gets the win in the  45-year old stadium as the Phillies rally to be at the Mets 5-2.

2008  At the Play Ball, Chicago! event in the Windy City, the U.S. Postal Service unveils a stamp commemorating the 100th anniversary of the song, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".  The very popular song was written on a New York city train a century ago when passenger Jack Norworth, actor, singer and songwriter, who claimed never to have seen a major league game wrote the lyrics after seeing a sign about an upcoming contest at the Polo Grounds, home over the New Giants.


Before the game, there was a tribute to Dave Niehaus.  It was touching.  His wife, Marilyn, threw out the first pitch.

*  Facts from www.nationalpastime.com