Baseball game- 喜欢棒球的看过了啦

It’s time of the year for baseball game. Every week, my company will give out some free tickets to employees as benefits by lucky draw. Couple weeks ago, when we received same email from admin and asked us to put in our names, I told my colleagues that I never had the luck and never won one. But I would still have put in my name as otherwise the chance is zero.

现在又到了棒球季。每年这时候，我们公司都会每周拿出几场球票给员工做福利。用抓阄的方式以示公允。两周前，当我们收到执行秘书的邮件说让我们把自己的名字放入抓阄盒的时候，我还跟同事说，来了这么久，一次都没有摸到，一点运气都没有。但是每次，还是要把自己的名字放进去，否则连渺茫的机会都没有。

To my surprise, when they made the announce, guess what? I won! I won 4 tickets to the game on Sunday afternoon. hmmm, I guess maybe my complaint was heard? No wonder there is a saying in China that only crying kids have milk to drink. Lol.

非常出乎意料，到了公布的时候，你猜，居然我赢了！得到4 张免费球票，预计四百多美金呢！而且是周日下午的票。哈哈，看来抱怨真的起作用了。难怪国内有句话说“会哭的孩子有奶喝！” 太开心了。

It happens that my mom is actually here with me, she had never been to a stadium. Not to mention about baseball. In China, baseball is not popular at all, Actually I rarely recall ever hearing people around me playing baseball. I know it’s pretty big in Taiwan and Japan. But still least interested in China. My mom was thrilled, my husband is a baseball fan, he plays baseball game all the time at home, my mom has been seeing it, but she didn’t really understand it. So the opportunity was good.

非常正好，我妈妈也在这里。她以前从没有去过体育场看实况比赛。更不要说棒球了。棒球在日本和台湾是非常流行的。但在国内，棒球并不流行。甚至我身边的朋友没有人玩过。我妈非常兴奋。我老公是棒球迷，在家经常打棒球游戏。我妈看到他打，但是她完全不懂这项体育，尽管如此，她还是非常开心机会难得。

We urbered to the stadium knowing how crazy it will be with thousands of audience there. The area was really packed. We went there an hour early and figured maybe we could have some lunch first before we went to the stadium. But all the restaurants near that area was packed, the minimal waiting time was 30mins. We ended up going a little further out and finally found one. After lunch, we followed the crowds to the stadium. For security reason, all people need to be checked before you can go in. As soon as you were in there, you can see the stadium is featured with all baseball photos/milestones/kiosks, etc. When we found our seats, the game was about to start. Before official kickoff of the game, there was some pre-preparations-

我们打Uber 去的体育场。因为我们知道几万人（四万多）的时候那个挤法。那里到处都是人。我们提前一个多小时过去，想着先简单吃点午饭，可是连附件的每家餐厅都挤满了人。最短等位时间也要半个小时以上。最后，我们走了比较远的地方终于找到了一家。饭饱后，我们随着人流慢慢往体育场走。进入体育场是要经过安检的。进入体育场后，看到到处都是跟棒球有关的张贴，纪念品店，小吃等。等我们找到位子，比赛已经快开始了。在比赛正式开始之前，有些活动-

They invited some high school and college graduates to the stadium. 邀请本地高校和大学毕业生进入赛场。
They introduced sponsorship. 介绍赞助方。
They even invited a retired lieutenant general out of respect. 邀请退休的劳苦功高的中将到赛场。
And then of course, introduced each and every player. 逐个介绍每位球员
Finally singing national song. 最后唱国歌。

And here we off to the game. Boston Redsox did pretty well. Their opponent was Seattle Mariners. I lived in Seattle before, but never developed my love for their team due to short timing. I personally would always cheer for Red Sox, even though theoretically I shouldn’t’ have had taken side, but isn’t that the beauty of sport?

比赛开始了。波士顿红袜队的表现真不错。他们的对手是西雅图Mariners。我之前在西雅图住过一小段时间，但是由于时间短，并不足以让我成为他们的球迷。所以为红袜队喝彩是必须的。本来说不应该站队，但是这不也是比赛的一个魅力吗？

Other than watching the game, half of the time we were watching a family. It was a couple with 2 little kids, probably 2 and 5. The kids just kept on eating, and their parents kept on ordering food for them. The food at the stadium is pretty expensive, but very convenient, they carried the containers full off food and wondering around the stadium. You can just order it when they reach you. It’s pretty good business. They reminded me of my childhood, for kids, it’s all about food, but isn’t it part of the upbringing? I believe when they are older, they will start to enjoy and appreciate the game, but now it’s all about food and fun.

除了看比赛外，分了不少时间给我们前排的一家人。一对夫妻带两个小孩，大概2 岁和5 岁吧。小朋友一直在吃东西，他们的父母也一直在给他们买。在体育场里到处都是吆喝的小贩（工作人员），东西奇贵无比，但是非常便利。因为那些消费就顶着食物箱到处吆喝，走到你跟前你就可以买。生意好得不得了。这两个小朋友让我想到自己的童年，跟着大人出去，纯粹是为了吃。这也是童年的一个回忆。我相信这两小朋友，等他们稍大些，一定会开始享受和欣赏比赛，但现在，就让他们先和美食和快乐为伴吧。

My mom seemed to have good time. As she put it, even though I knew nothing about the game, it’s still good to be there in person. The chanting, cheering, selling/buying snacks and food, people walking around, etc, they are all part of the experience. I am glad that my mom had fun, so did we!

我妈妈也非常开心。如她所说，哪怕我什么都看不懂，但是能够亲身来到这里也很好了。听着现场的气氛，大家喝彩鼓励的声音，甚至小贩吆喝的声音，都是很不错的一种经历。我很开心我妈喜欢，我们也是！

People selling baseball program outside the stadium-

在体育馆外卖棒球程序的人-