Things that bother me in baseball

[DownUnderDodger]

Presuming that only those who'll reply are over 21, which beers do you folks drink at ballparks? Me, I prefer the bleacher seats, which are non-alcoholic. I really should start visiting other stadiums though. I'm wondering if they'll let me into Fenway with my Yankee gear on. I hear they even offer "free beer" to Yankee fans.

If I have a beer I drink whichever beer is on offer - I am not that fussy. But it would be a local, not imported beer, unless only imported is available.

Fosters in USA is brewed to USA standards, such as alcohol content, which I think is about 4.3% (correct me if I am wrong), whereas in Oz it is 4.9% Fosters is a brand made by Carlton and United Breweries, who have many brands. My favourite is Victoria Bitter....known as VB, which I like to call Vitamin B as prescribed by Dr Carlton.

Bristol Boy - there is huge outcry here from fans that the Sydney Cricket Ground has decided to sell only light (meaning low alcohol - 2.5%) beer at all games. Many say they won't go anymore because they cannot get full strength (around 4.9 -5.1%) beer. I wonder why it is that people feel they need to drink, and many get drunk, at a sporting event. Why pay big dollars to get into a ground (and it is not cheap to go to the cricket) just to get drunk. You can do that in the pub or in your own home, as the games are always televised.

[BristolBoy]

Bristol Boy - there is huge outcry here from fans that the Sydney Cricket Ground has decided to sell only light (meaning low alcohol - 2.5%) beer at all games. Many say they won't go anymore because they cannot get full strength (around 4.9 -5.1%) beer. I wonder why it is that people feel they need to drink, and many get drunk, at a sporting event. Why pay big dollars to get into a ground (and it is not cheap to go to the cricket) just to get drunk. You can do that in the pub or in your own home, as the games are always televised.

Difference being I can get into the County Ground for free, the beer's cheaper than at the local and we all really love cricket. Relaxing at the ground is better than sitting in a loud pub with awful music and worse patrons. Remember, the SCG is an international-sized stadium, GCCG seats all of about 2000. Different situation entirely really

[Appling]

Fans that have two favorite teams- that’s like sacrilege. I don't even care if they aren't rivals, if you are a real fan; you devote yourself to one team and one team only.

I grew up in the 1940's on the South Side of Chicago. In the late 1940's (1948 & 1949) both the White Sox and the Cubs had terrible teams. My buddies and I remained loyal CWS fans, pulling for them to win as many games as possible -- but as a practical matter most of us also "adopted" some other team with a more realistic chance of "winning it all". This still seems perfectly reasonable to me, under the circumstances.

My adopted team was the Boston Red Sox. I loved their hitters: Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, Vern Stephens, Billy Goodman -- and of course Ted Williams. It was heartbreaking to see the BoSox lose that playoff game to Cleveland in 1948, then lose to the hated Yankees in 1949. But hey, at least the Red Sox had a chance to take the flag!

My best friend was also a White Sox fan but his adopted team was the Yankees. Made for interesting "discussions"!

When Paul Richards created the Go-Go Sox they became much more competitive. My need for an "adopted" team (or "back-up plan") then disappeared.