I had fun taking the kids to Little League Day at the Oakland A's game yesterday. Here are all the photos I took: https://www.everpix.com/public.html?id=mZ4VSgYs3q0YRmW9.
We got there early (10:30 for a 1:00 game) for the parade. I'm glad we did. After waiting in line, we went through a tunnel under the bleachers out into center field. While going through the tunnel we saw a scene right out of the movie Moneyball. Several Orioles players were taking batting practice in a makeshift cage right next to the ramp we were walking down. 6'3" Adam Jones and 6'5" Matt Wieters were easy to spot among them. They wrapped up just as we walked by, and one Orioles player (who I could not identify) gave a bat and gloves to a little leaguer right next to us!
Once on the warning track at center field, we walked around past first base, behind home plate and had a good look at the A's dugout. We walked right by the bullpen mound where Ryan Cook was throwing. In left field before we left, 6'8" Nate Freiman was shaking hands. (I have to reach up and his hand was still below his shoulders!) I wish I got a photo.
The parade of little leaguers was long enough that the front of the line was coming back out as we were going in, and was still going in as we came out. We took our time getting to our seats, and the parade was still going as we sat down! I'm convinced that Little League Day at the Coliseum, or at least this Little League Day, attracted many more kids than I've seen at the four Little League Day parades I've been to at AT&T Park.
Our seats were just infield from the right field foul pole, right next to the rail. The view was great from there. I usually try to get as close to the A's dugout as I can, but I certainly wouldn't mind sitting in these seats again.
The game itself was yet another lesson from the A's in never giving up. I'd say it was the second most exciting live baseball game I've ever seen. (And I've seen some good ones.)
And we capped it off by running the bases after the game. What a fun day.
[I wrote this while watching the A's tie tonight's game at 7 in the bottom of the 9th, coming back from being down 7-2. Two lessons in two days!]
[I posted the above while the game was tied in the 10th. The Angels scored a run in the 15th, and the A's matched it. Then Brandon Moss finally hit a 2-run walkoff home-run in the 19th. It was the longest game (by time) in Oakland A's history. Now that's a lesson in never giving up!]
