In Attendance for ballpark moments/milestones

[Gooseamania]

I thought it would be cool to hear from people who have been in attendance for ballpark specific moments/milestones or saw a baseball related moment or milestone at the ballpark. the only one i can think of that i was in attendance for was the game between the red sox and yankees at yankee stadium in 2004, the game where jeter flew into the stands catching a ball, it was also a great extra inning game.

[Lpeters199]

June 20, 1956, Briggs Stadium in Detroit, my first major league game. In the middle of Mickey Mantle's greatest year, I was fortunate to see him hit two home runs into the upper deck centerfield bleachers in consecutive at bats. The Detroit bleacher fans literally went crazy, jumping up and down and waving their arms. No other player has reached this territory even once. The closest was Larry Herndon, who hit the upper deck facing above the 440 ft. sign.

The second All-Star Game in 1960 at Yankee Stadium. This marked Willie Mays' first game back in New York since the Giants moved in 1957. He homered, stole third base, and went 3 for 4. That was a milestone to me.

Also in 1960, I witnessed Ted Williams' 499th home run at Briggs Stadium in Detroit. He crushed a line drive halfway up the upper deck in right, and the sound of the ball hitting an empty seat seemed as loud as the crack of the bat. One of the hardest hit balls I've ever seen, and almost a milestone.

[soberdennis]

Do you really want me to tell my story for the millionth time on this board?

[six4three]

I was at County Stadium for Hank Aaron's final home run - July 20, 1976.

Of course, being only July, we didn't know it was his final home run at the time. We thought it was just a Brewers win, which in 1976 was milestone enough.

[YankeeFanUK]

i had tix for the opening series at Pac Bell Park ( Giants/Dodgers ) in 00
saw Big Frank hit # 100 back in 93 at the Std

[tdinan]

Not all are milestones, but I've been lucky enough to be in attendance for a few memorable moments:

-Seaver wins #300 vs. the Yanks.

-Rizzuto getting knocked over by the Holy Cow on his Day.

-Dion James of Atlanta hitting a bird in midflight with a fair batted ball @ Shea.

-Tommy John's last game ever.

-Bryce Florie getting hit in the face by Ryan Thompson's liner. I was 3 rows away from the field @ Fenway and will never forget how horrible it was.

-Mike Mussina, 1 strike away from perfection vs. Boston. Hate Carl Everett.

-George W. Bush throwing out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium. Game 3, 2001 WS.

-Tino Martinez hitting 2 HR's against Pettitte in his return to Yankee Stadium.

-What looks to be Roger Clemens' last game. Game 3, 2007 ALDS. Also Joe Torre's last win as manager of NY. Possibly the Yankees last post season victory, though I hope not.

[Gooseamania]

well this is "milestone" is miniscule in comparison to some of the ones mentioned before, but i attended wrestlemania 19 at safeco field in 2004 when a safeco attendance record (which if i am not mistaken still stands today) of 54,097 was set.

[Gary Dunaier]

Not all are milestones, but I've been lucky enough to be in attendance for a few memorable moments:

-Seaver wins #300 vs. the Yanks.

-Rizzuto getting knocked over by the Holy Cow on his Day.

I was there for that one, too. ("That one" because they both took place on the same date - Tom Seaver won his 300th game on Phil Rizzuto Day.) Back in those days I used to pick up discarded ticket stubs and such, and I found a discarded parking pass that someone wrote "I Hate Tom Seaver" on the back of.

What else...

• Darryl Strawberry's major league debut, 1983.
• The George Brett Pine Tar game, 1983. At the time it happened I had no idea what was going on.
• The Colorado Rockies' very first two games, at Shea Stadium v. the Mets, 1993.
• The first game at Shea Stadium after 9/11.
• Bob Murphy Night, 2003.
• The last game the Montreal Expos ever won - Shea Stadium, October 2004. Back then - and we're talking less than four years ago - the Mets were so bad that for this game, I was able to get a pair of Field Box seats with waiter service and Diamond Club passes, face value $65 each, for $25 for the pair on Ebay. Oh, how times have changed...
• The Mets' clinching the 2006 National League Eastern Division championship.
• Ralph Kiner Night, 2007.
• The final three regular season home games at Shea Stadium.

If I remember any more, I'll get back to you.

[Yoda]

I saw Michael Barrett punch AJ in the face

[Yoda]

I was there for that one, too. ("That one" because they both took place on the same date - Tom Seaver won his 300th game on Phil Rizzuto Day.) Back in those days I used to pick up discarded ticket stubs and such, and I found a discarded parking pass that someone wrote "I Hate Tom Seaver" on the back of.

What else...

• Darryl Strawberry's major league debut, 1983.
• The George Brett Pine Tar game, 1983. At the time it happened I had no idea what was going on.
• The Colorado Rockies' very first two games, at Shea Stadium v. the Mets, 1993.
• The first game at Shea Stadium after 9/11.
• Bob Murphy Night, 2003.
• The last game the Montreal Expos ever won - Shea Stadium, October 2004. Back then - and we're talking less than four years ago - the Mets were so bad that for this game, I was able to get a pair of Field Box seats with waiter service and Diamond Club passes, face value $65 each, for $25 for the pair on Ebay. Oh, how times have changed...
• The Mets' clinching the 2006 National League Eastern Division championship.
• Ralph Kiner Night, 2007.
  
• The final three regular season home games at Shea Stadium.

If I remember any more, I'll get back to you.

That hasn't happened yet!

[JeepingBaseball]

That hasn't happened yet!

I was just about to say that

[six4three]

Yeah, but he's probably already got the tickets.

There haven't been any available for a very long time.

[SparkyL]

1. Chambliss' HR to win the 1976 ALCS
2. Game 1 WS win in 1977
3. Cone's perfect game in 1999
4. 1999 WS clinching game 4
5. Chad Curtis' walk-off HR to win 1999 WS Game 3
6. Tino's grand slam in 1998 WS Game 1
7. "Get you tokens ready . . . " clinching game 5 in the 2000 ALCS
8. Clemens/Piazza bat throwing - Game 2, 2000 WS
9. Clinching game in 1978 ALCS
10. Mickey Mantle day in 1996
11. Joe DiMaggio day in 2000
12. Jeter's only grand slam (to date)
13. Pres. Bush - 2001 Game 3
14. Brosius' game tying HR - 2001 Game 5

[TnNYYfan]

I saw A-Rod hit his 500th homer in Yankee Stadium last summer.

[jC...]

I saw quite a rarity. I was in attendance for the only time in Major League Baseball history that Darren Dreifort of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Britt Reames of the Montreal Expos were the starting pitchers for their respective teams against each other. There....BEAT THAT!!!!

[Gehrig27]

-Don Mattingly Day 8/31/97
-Roger Clemens' 1,000 strikeout as a Yankee 8/18/07
-Willie Randolph hits walkoff homerun vs. old Dodgers, Old Timers Day 7/25/98
-8 Yankee home runs vs. White Sox 7/31/07
-Carl Pavano actually pitching a major league game 5/6/05

sorta cool: after a 96' Yankee game I saw Cecil Fielder leaving the stadium with a very young and fat Prince.

[Yoda]

I was just about to say that

I hope the poor chap didn't give himself the goocher!

[Mattingly85MVP]

I had tickets to Yanks vs. Jays Aug. 12th 1994- the day the players went on strike
Don Mattingly Day- Aug 31 1997
Todd Pratt's walk off series ending HR vs. Diamondbacks- NLDS Game 4 1999
Had tickets to Yanks vs. White Sox 9-11-01
Game 4- 2001 World Series- Tino ties it w/ a 2r HR in the 9th w/ 2 outs, Jeter wins it with a walk off hr
Melky Cabrera leaps over the wall and robs Manny of a HR in 8th inning- 6/6/06
Clemens' 350th win- July 2nd, 07
ARod hits 498th HR- vs. TB July 22nd 07
Rocket's last game pitched- Game 3, 2007 ALDS

[Kentucky Bomber]

1st game ever, June 1959: Marv Throneberry homers as a Yankee. Now that's special. Mick homered, too.

Game 3 1962 WS, Yanks win 3-2. Mantle and Mays face each other for last time, both stink out the series.

1963 Jim Hickman of the Mets hits for a natural cycle

Game 3 1964 WS, Mantle walks off with his 16th WS homer becoming the all-time leader (still is with 18; I don't want to hear about this post-season leader crap)

1965, the 1st Mickey Mantle day. Robert Kennedy enters the field, Joe DiMaggio heads to the other side of the diamond.

1967, Yanks home opener, Billy Rohr of the Sox pitches 8 2/3 hitless ball, Elston howard singles up the middle. Closest I've ever come to a no-hitter.

1968, as Sterling and Waldman tell you every night, the last Yankee triple play till now, Dooley Womack catches a line drive, throws to Bobby Cox at 3rd, who throws to Mantle at 1st.

1971, Bobby Murcer homers in 4 consecutive at-bats in a doubleheader.

1973, the last game at the old Stadium before refurbishment (and I'll be there for the last one period)

1976 go to games 3 and 4 of the WS, freeze my rear end off.

Rod Carew's 3000th hit, whenever that was. Went to 2 consecutive games to see that.

Game 1, 2000 WS, the longest game by time in WS history.

Last season I'm at AT&T Park with tickets I'd bought months before, Bonds is tied with Aaron. He barely gets the ball out of the infield. Of course he hits it the next night. Another reason for him to rot in Hell.

My 2 LA almosts. My wife and I went out for a drive one Sunday morning and were coming back on the 110 freeway past Dodger Stadium. It was almost game time and we thought we'd take in the game, but turned on the radio and found out it was a sellout. Dennis Martinez pitched a perfect game. Then in 1988 my wife left town for business so I went up to the Ddodger Stadium parking lot to see if I could scalp a ticket for the WS. I determined not to pay a ridiculous price, which was what was being asked, so I went home and saw Kirk Gibson's insane walkoff home on TV instead.

[Reds41]

Pete Rose's 3000th hit on May 5, 1978 off of Montreal pitcher Steve Rogers.

[jaycee]

I was at shea for mike piazzas first game back as a padre in 2006. Nice video tribute & loud ovation. I went in july 2001 when it was about 100 degrees at shea vs the brewers. al leiter pitched. Also for the '86 reunion in 2006 along with unfortunately the last mets game of 2007

[YankeeFanUK]

im making my first trip to Cincy in August for a 3 game series at the GABP so im hoping Griffeys put on the 60 day and i get to see # 600

[btown12]

Kevin Millwood's no-no at the Vet, that's the best for me so far.

edit: being there for the divison clincher last year was the best, not as much of a milestone though, although I guess it is.......maybe?.......ah who knows.

[chinese home run]

I was at Camden Yards the night Eddie Murray hit his 500th home run in 1996.The game was delayed by rain for about 2 1/2 hours and by the time he hit it- which was around midnight- the park was about half full. If I'm not mistaken, it was exactly one year to the day after Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive game record.

This one really doesn't qualify, but I remember being at Cinergy Field the night David Wells pitched his perfect game with the Yankees in 1998. The scoreboard there kept a progress report going- "perfect through seven innings, perfect through eight," until they announced he threw a perfect game.

[StanTheMan]

Never really thought about it... but I've been pretty lucky.

I was at Camden Yards the night Cal Ripken tied Lou Gherig, and the next night as well, when he broke the record.

I (my parents, really) gave a 1987 World Series Ticket to a friend of mine, and he said at that time he would be in debt to us forever. Giving me tix to the two Ripken games? Yep... We're even.

I took this photo from my seat in the right field corner... right as 2129 changed into 2130. The other is obviously the next night. They are scans, but translate to the computer pretty well.

2130.jpg 2131.jpg


Other Games

1982 World Series Games 1 and 6
1985 World Series Game 3
1987 World Series Game 3
2006 World Series Game 4
2006 World Series Game 5

Bob Gibson Day
Lou Brock Day

Mark Whiten hits 4 HR's in Cincinnati September 1993... or was it 94? My buddy (the same one from above) knew Tim Costo and some other Red's players, and Costo got us tickets to this doubleheader. Not only did we see 4 HR's, but my buddy catches a foul ball that game hit by, you guessed it... Tim Costo. We chatted him up after the game and asked him about a foul ball he hit down the first base side in his second at bat. Like a robot, he says "slider up and away, I was looking down and in, and was late on it, nearly missed it, etc. recalling EVERYTHING".. it was freaky.

I sat in row one at Wrigley for a Cubs Expos game (tickets from my buddy again... this time from Brian Barber, lefty pitcher) and we show up and talk to him down in the bullpen. He says they have no batboy that day, and my buddy jumps the wall and gets a uniform on. I move down and sit in the front row at the edge of the dugout right next to the chair while he freaking BATBOY'S. Not much of a milestone, but fun as hell!