DC/Nationals

The next stop on my trip was Washington DC.  I had been to DC a few times before but I had never actually seen anything.  Last time I visited I went and spent time with my friend who was injured in Iraq and was held up at Walter Reed Medical Center.  As a veteran it is very important for me to give back to the veteran community as much as I can.  I decided since I was in the area I would stop by Walter Reed once again and see if any soldiers needed somebody to hang out with for a little bit.  I entered Walter Reed into my GPS and made my way to the front gate.  When I got there the people at the security checkpoint informed me that Walter Reed was no longer a functioning facility and there was a new facility for our wounded warriors.  They gave me the address and I headed over there.  I made my way onto the base after receiving directions from a Navy security officer who was working the gate.  I loaded my book bag with stuff I’ve collected from different ballparks; programs, magnet schedules, books, etc.  When I was in Iraq and Afghanistan I liked to decorate my personal areas with things from my favorite sports teams.  I figured these soldiers could get better use of this stuff than I could.   I made my way to the hospital building and asked an Army Specialist if there was any way I could hang out with some soldiers who were kind of lonely.  She looked at me like I was from Neptune and told me to hold on while she asked her supervisors.  She came back and told me that I would have to talk to somebody in the Red Cross office and gave me the number.  I dialed the number and asked the lady on the phone if it would be possible to visit some soldiers.  She explained to me that this was a time for soldiers to deal with their new situations and get reacquainted with their families.  She told me I could come to her office and discuss it further if I would like.  I chose that option hoping I could have a better chance if I were there in person.  I made my way to her office and was greeted with the same response.  We talked for a while and she told me that the Army just doesn’t allow random visits anymore.  I found out that this woman was in Iraq and Afghanistan at the same times that I was and she recently helped the closing of a Red Cross office in Baghdad.  She told me that my best chance of interacting with our wounded heroes was at their dining facility.  She gave me directions to their dining hall but they weren’t the best.  They were directions that locals would understand but a new person could get confused easily.  I must of made a wrong turn and found myself heading outside of the base.  Rather than go through the hassle of going back onto base and trying to find my way around I gave up.  I made my way through the awful DC traffic and found my hotel. 

The Nationals game didn’t start until 7:05 so I had some time to kill.  The number one priority on my tourist to do list was seeing Arlington National Cemetery.  I have driven by and seen it from a distance before but I wanted to pay my respect to true American Heroes.  As I went into the welcome center I noticed all the pictures of ceremonies at Arlington.  As was taking pictures I received a call from a friend I was in Afghanistan with.  I told him where I was and he told me he always wanted to see it but thought it would be too emotional for him.  For somebody who truly understands the sacrifice of the men and women who are laid to rest here it can be a bit overwhelming.  I started walking towards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers.  There is a big monument where JFK is buried but I had no interest in seeing that.  Yes he’s one of our most captivating American Presidents but to me Arlington is about the soldiers.  I got to the Tomb of The Unknown Soldiers as they were just completing the changing of the guard.  The changing of the guard is a ceremony that takes place every 30 minutes.  The tomb is guarded 24/7 no matter what the weather is like.  The soldiers who guard it and the most disciplined respectable soldiers I have ever seen.  It is the most honorable position in the military and my hat go’s off to each and every one of them.  I stuck around and watched the full ceremony.  I was blown away.  It’s an amazing experience.  I was lucky enough to be there for a presentation of a wreath ceremony.  It’s a simple ceremony where a group of four people give a wreath on behalf of a larger group to honor the unknown soldiers.  Part of this is a trumpet player who plays taps.  Every time I hear taps it brings tears to my eyes.  I put my sun glasses down and watched.  For any soldier who has been at a ceremony overseas and witnessed the final roll call, the soldiers cross, and taps being played for a fallen soldier you are changed forever.  It is easy to tell who the veterans are when you are walking through Arlington.  With groups of children on tours and other people talking the veterans are silent.  As they walk past the graves they read the names, they wonder how that person lost their life, and they thank them in silence.  Arlington National Cemetery is a very somber place for veterans such as myself.  Next time I am there I hope there’s not many more graves. 

I didn’t receive any free tickets from the Washington Nationals organization so I hopped on my stubhub app and bought a ticket for $2.  Getting down to the stadium is easy if you can stomach the DC traffic.  Once I got down there I found a spot to park for $10 a few blocks from the park.  I kept hearing that it was in a rough neighborhood but it really didn’t seem too bad to me.  I bought a thing of peanuts from a vendor outside for $2 and made my way towards the gate.  I didn’t have an actual ticket or even a printed one so I went over to the Ticket Service window and asked if they could print me one.  They guy said it was no problem and printed one for me.  As I was standing there I heard a man ask for a printed ticket because he printed his tickets offline and was visiting all 30 parks and wanted a ticket.  I asked him which park he was on he said it was number 8.  I got excited and introduced myself to him telling him that I was doing the same thing.  Lee informed me that he was from Detroit in DC on business.  He is trying to get to all 30 ballparks but not in one summer. 

When I got inside the park I instantly enjoyed the vibe of the park.  At the main entrance they had their four president mascots taking pictures with fans.  I took a look at the field and wandered around.  I saw a batting cage area so I decided to check it out.  The lady who was working as I walked in informed me that there was different areas for pitching and batting.  On the walls they had diagrams showing you differnet things like how to throw a curve ball or how to properly swing a bat.  I started talking to Chris, an employee of the area, and he explained to me all the different diagrams and how the pitching/hitting games worked.  He told me that this was his second season working there.  He was incredibly knowledgeable and was a good fit to work in that area. 

Walking around the park was interesting to people watch.  There were more people in business suits than I’d seen at all other parks combined.  I also noticed that it seemed to be a melting pot for baseball fans.  I noticed people wearing Tigers, Indians, Yankees, Red Sox gear.  I also noticed a lot of Montreal Expos hats which I thought were pretty cool.  The park was pretty empty so I made my way to the upper levels.  When a park is empty I like to see the view from the very top seat if possible.  I sat there for a bit and decided to find my seat.  As I was walking down I noticed that the second deck was like a giant party area.  When that place is filled later this summer I bet it will be a blast.  Another cool thing I noticed about the park is there are lounge areas everywhere.  There are tons of places to sit and enjoy a drink or eat your food at a picnic table. 

My seat for $2 was pretty amazing.  It was on the 1^st base line right in foul ball territory.  Several came over my way but I was unable to snag one.  My section was a ton of fun.  There was one super fan in front of me who was dressed to the 9’s.  He had a fuzzy red hat and scarf with a blinking Michael Jackson glove and he kept getting the crowd pumped up.  The section was also getting fired up by the camera man who was assigned to our area.  Anytime they did something on the jumbotron such as kiss cam or dance cam people in my area got on.  The mascots kept making their way to our area as well.  Up close I also noticed that they were kind of creepy looking but the children loved them. 

During the game the Nationals welcomed home a group of veterans that were give a suite.  The crowd absolutely erupted for a standing ovation that seemed to last forever.  It always makes me proud when I see a group of veterans being honored in that way. 

I really enjoyed my experience at the park.  It is extremely fan friendly and the people were really nice.  That is defiantly a park I would like to visit for a Saturday afternoon game. 

Keep On Smilin- It’s Baseball Season!

The Bronx Bombers

I left Philly pretty early in the morning.  I planned on posting a blog but the Wi-Fi in the hotel I was in went out and the guy said that they couldn’t get anybody out to fix it.  I started to head in the direction of New York but stopped at a place with internet.  I posted a blog and worked on my next one.  After spending some time I got back on the road and made my way to NYC.  I had previously talked to Gary Herman of Royalty Tours and he advised me to get there early and park on the street to avoid paying 30+ dollars for parking.  I found a spot a few block away from Yankee Stadium and made the journey.  I tweeted about this and several people informed me that the Bronx was a bad neighborhood.  It was 2pm and the game wasn’t until 8pm so I had some time on my hands.  I walked over to Yankee stadium and walked around the outside taking pictures.  I found the Yankees offices and tried to talk my way into getting in early.  The man told me I could try again later when more people there but I would probably get shot down because the Yankees were playing the Angels.

I walked back to my car and charged my phone while I talked to people.  Everybody kept staring at me like I didn’t belong.  I was really hoping my car would be safe for the duration of the game.  After my phone was fully charged I went back to Yankee Stadium.  I went into the Hard Rock Café and had a beer and looked over the menu.  Nothing really jumped out at me that I just had to try so I just decided to drink.  I hung out at the bar for a little bit but then decided to go on the patio.  I sat on the patio for a while just people watching.  Like any good American I love people watching.  I was amazed that the fans were at the park five hours before game time and they flooded the streets two and a half hours before first pitch.  After I had a few beers I made my way over to the McDonalds on the corner.  I figured I’d be better off to get something in my stomach now then pay insane prices inside the park.  As I ate my food I sat in the courtyard and watched the ticket scalpers try to work their magic.  It was very entertaining to watch and see the chain of command in their little world. 

When I left McDonalds I decided to check out what appeared to be a small bar called the dugout.  I walked in and it was flooded with people, which is expected before game time.  It didn’t take very long to get my beer.  The bar tenders were quick and efficient.  I walked towards the back of the bar and there was another room to the right.  A much bigger room with another bar and a lot more people.  They even had a little concession area that sold ballpark foods for way cheaper than ballpark prices.  I’m glad I stepped in there it was a pretty cool place.

I walked into Yankee Stadium and had to see the field.  The Stadium is more of a coliseum or an arena.  I asked an employee the quickest way to the field and they pointed me in the right direction.  I did my normal ritual and started to explore Yankee Stadium.  I had been to Yankee Stadium once before but it was a rather rushed experience so this time I was trying to enjoy myself.  I love seeing the baseball greats at every turn.  I really loved how they had pictures from decades of baseball around the entire park. 

My last time in Yankee Stadium I purchased a ticket at the ticket counter just before the game.  It was on the 500 level and cost me around $90.  It was an insane price and made me never want to sit in that area again.  This time around I got tickets from stubhub.com for the bleachers.  This was an excellent decision on my part.  The bleachers are where the true Yankee fans sit in my opinion.  They were so full of passion and it was truly contagious. 

Before the game even started they had to play the National Anthem.  As it was playing and I was paying my respects I noticed that two gentleman who were sitting next to me did not stand up.  I was offended by this so I said something trying to be respectful as well as not disrespect the anthem.  When it was all said and done and people were sitting down I asked the guy why he didn’t stand up.  He then explained to me he is a Jehovah's Witness and that it was against their religion to stand up for the flag but he meant no disrespect.  I was perfectly fine with that answer.  I believe that my generation is a generation of tolerance.  I’ve been around the world a time or two and I understand that your beliefs are your beliefs and people should respect that.  It’s also something I enjoy about this trip, I get to learn things like this regarding different cultures in American society.  I talked to him a while longer and found out his name was David.  He really didn’t want to offend me so he explained in detail why he didn’t stand up.  I know Jehovah’s Witnesses have a reputation for being a little over bearing but it wasn’t like that at all.  I gave David my contact information so he could read my blog at the end of our conversation.  The following day he emailed me a more detailed explanation of his beliefs on this subject.  I thought that was amazing and I will share with you what he wrote.  “Flagsalute. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that bowing down to a flag or saluting it, often in conjunction with an anthem, is a religious act that ascribes salvation, not to God, but to the State or to its leaders. (Isaiah 43:11; 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:21) One such leader was King Nebuchadnezzar of ancient Babylon. To impress the people with his majesty and religious ardor, this powerful monarch erected a great image and compelled his subjects to bow down to it while music, like an anthem, was being played. However, three Hebrews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—refused to bow to the image, even on pain of death.—Daniel, chapter 3.

In our age, “nationalism’s chief symbol of faith and central object of worship is the flag,” wrote historian Carlton Hayes. “Men bare their heads when the flag passes by; and in praise of the flag poets write odes and children sing hymns.” Nationalism, he added, also has its “holy days,” such as the Fourth of July in the United States, as well as its “saints and heroes” and its “temples,” or shrines. In a public ceremony in Brazil, the minister general of the army acknowledged: “The flag is venerated and worshiped . . . just as the Fatherland is worshiped.” Yes, “the flag, like the cross, is sacred,” The Encyclopedia Americana once observed.

The aforementioned encyclopedia more recently noted that national anthems “are expressions of patriotic feeling and often include an invocation for divine guidance and protection of the people or their rulers.” Jehovah’s servants are not being unreasonable, therefore, when they view patriotic ceremonies involving the flag salute and national anthems as religious. In fact, when commenting on the refusal of children of Jehovah’s Witnesses to give homage to the flag or to swear the oath of allegiance in U.S. schools, the book The American Character stated: “That these daily rituals are religious has been at last affirmed by the Supreme Court in a series of cases.”

While not joining in ceremonies that they view as unscriptural, Jehovah’s people certainly respect the right of others to do so. They also respect national flags as emblems and recognize duly constituted governments as “superior authorities” serving as “God’s minister.” (Romans 13:1-4) Hence, Jehovah’s Witnesses heed the exhortation to pray “concerning kings and all those who are in high station.” Our motive, though, is “in order that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with full godly devotion and seriousness.”—1 Timothy 2:2.”

As I said before the bleacher section was a ton of fun.  At one point there was a Boston Red Sox fan that was getting kind of rowdy.  There was a confrontation of some sort and the entire bleacher section erupted on this guy.  There were a few people who took it kind of far by throwing their beers on him but other than that it was kind of fun.  Eventually security came by and escorted the fan out as he flipped off the Yankee fans.  They ended up escorting out several more people who were sitting in that general area as well.  During the commotion the Yankees scored several runs.  The fans were amazing, and on their feet every time something exciting happened.  They showed Time Tebow on the giant screen and everybody booed him.  I got a good laugh out of this.  New York Sports fans are intense.

I was set to meet Gary and pretty excited about it.  He’s a seasoned sports traveler and has tons of knowledge to pass on to anybody who wants it.  He goes to over 400 sporting events a year and knows the east coast intimately.  We talked for a while and he gave me plenty of helpful tips.  As we were talking Douglas “Chuck” Booth came over to say hi as well.  Chuck is the world record holder for the fastest 30 ballgames.  He had previously seen a game from start to finish in all 30 MLB ballparks in just 24 days.  This season he was trying to do it in 20 days but after a few setbacks he is on pace to do it in just 23 days.  Either way you look at it, it’s nothing short of amazing.  We took our conversation down into the concourse so we wouldn’t disturb the people around us.  We sat there and exchanged stories and travel tips.  I gave chuck the information for my contacts with the Cleveland Indians and the awesome people at www.didthetribewinlastnight.com for his visit to Cleveland.  After a while we parted ways but I hope to see those guys again. 

I am trying to collect an actual ticket from each ballpark and not just one I download from stub hub.  I was telling this to somebody when Dima Raskolnikov overheard.  He asked more about my journey and then offered me his ticket.  He introduced me to his group of friends.  They were nice people and I was glad to have met them.  I walked around to get one last look at Yankee Stadium when I stopped on the 100 level to watch the rest of the game.  There was a young boy who was trying to get pictures and I told him to sneak up into an area where the ushers were trying to keep people out of.  I told him that he was a kid and nobody was going to stop him from trying to get a picture.  His father agreed with me and we started talking.  I told him about my trip and an idea that I had thought of earlier that day.  I would love to start a nonprofit group that helps soldiers returning home from tours of duty to chase their dreams like I’m doing.  I think it would be an incredible adventure and I love helping soldiers.  If anybody is reading this and can help please contact me.  The man I was talking to explained to me that he creates TV shows including reality TV and I may have a wonderful concept.  We traded business cards and said that we would be in touch with each other. 

I enjoyed my visit to Yankee Stadium this time a lot more than my previous visit.  I met a lot of great people which is what I enjoy most about this adventure.  I was asked last night on a radio interview that I did who had the nicest fans.  Off the top of my head I said Cincinnati but after some thought it was the Yankees fans. 

View Pictures Here

Keep On Smilin- It's Baseball Season!