Go Giants!

[kevin_standlee]

Two wins does not a season make, but it's nice to see the Giants scoring runs and winning games.

I just checked the Giants' web site, and for the seven-game home stand that starts Monday, there are no seats available in the bleachers or arcade, although there are standing-room-only tickets and also seats all over the rest of the park. Looks like everyone wants to win the lottery be in a position to catch that record-breaking home-run ball.

Comments

[trinsf.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm sort of dreading working on Tuesday and Wednesday, because it's going to be crazy on the trains with the games next week.

[howeird]

Or just see the record broken. When I was in little league back in the suburbs of New York, Roger Marris was one HR away from the then all-time record - at that time the record still belonged to Babe Ruth. Our team was treated to a trip to Yankee Stadium and seats in the peanut gallery. The coaches had talked it up as the chance of a lifetime, and a lot of the parents came with us. I don't recall anyone even hinting one of us might catch that ball. Marris hit the record-breaking homer the following game. Sigh.

Looking it up on the web, Marris broke the record on the final regular season game, October 1, 1961 against Boston, game 163. He had not hit a home run since game 159. That was some Yankees roster. Whitey Ford, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Luis Arroyo, Clete Boyer, Tony Kubek...they won the world Series that year too.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

I think it's telling that it's the bleachers and arcade that sold out before everything else. It's not just cost, either -- arcade seats aren't cheap.

[howeird]

I don't think anyone in 1961 even thought of selling that ball. It was pretty much expected for the lucky fan to be invited for a photo op while Marris signed the ball, and either the fan would get to keep it or would give it to Marris, or donate it to Cooperstown or the Yankees. Them days is gone forever.

[redneckotaku.livejournal.com]

Todd Mcfarlane (the guy who bought McGuire's ball for an large sum in 2001) thinks that it may only fetch $100,000 when sold.

[howeird]

A little more research on the 1961 record shows the Yankees offered (in advance) a $5,000 reward to whomever caught the home run ball, and the side of the bleachers Maris normally hit to was jam packed, but the other side was nearly empty. Hmmm.