Play Ball

On Wednesday night, August 7, Katie, Heidi, Heidi's brother Gibby, and I went to Philadelphia to watch the Phillies play the Atlanta Braves. Through Gibby's contacts at work, he got free tickets for a suite, with VIP free parking up front also. 

Katie with the tickets.
The four of us drove up to the game together.

Heidi, Gibby and Katie in front of the third base gate at the ballpark before the game. This is the parking lot we got to use, just across the street from the third base gates.

Heidi, Katie and me all decked out in Phillies shirts. There were over 44,000 people there that night, and almost everyone had some kind of Phillies clothing on.

Walking to the gates. After entering the gates and being searched and patted down, there are special stairs to the VIP Suites.

In front of lucky suite number 13.

Each suite comes with a waiter/waitress to get you whatever you need.

Here is a picture of the suite as you first get in. Lots of nice stuff in  here.

The inside of the suite looking back to the door. there are a couple of TV's, bar, sink and refrigerator.

Checking out the outside seats at the suite. There are about a dozen outside seats for each suite here.

Here is a view looking at all the suites on this level.
There are more suites on a higher level.

The crowd beginning to thicken as game time gets closer.

Photo op of Heidi and Katie.

And one of the three of us Menasco's.

Katie waiting to use the private bathroom as Gibby checks-out some of the things in the suite.

You have to show your ticket everywhere, and certain tickets let you in certain places. For example, to get on the level with all the suites, you have to have a ticket for that level. Also to get to the Hall of Fame, where this picture is taken, you have to have a certain type of ticket. The walls are covered in baseballs, like in this picture of Katie.

The bullpen behind center field.

This place near the bullpen sells crab fries. I have never had crab fries, I think they are fries with Old Bay seasoning all over them. People here in the mid-Atlantic are obsessed with Old Bay. They put it on everything- and usually put WAY too much on it all.

A view from the stadium, through the parking lot, of the downtown Philadelphia skyline.

Here's another view of the Philadelphia skyline from a little different vantage point in the stadium.

This is a very family-friendly ballpark with tons of employees/volunteers to help with anything. If people cuss, you just report it and they will throw the bums out.

Here is the view of the field from our outside stadium seats in the suite, just past third base. That is perfect for Katie, she really likes the third baseman. I am sure it is strictly because he is such a great player and not because he has a nice-looking butt, right Katie?

Before the game and around the fourth inning, these maintenance guys come out and rake the infield to make it all nice and pretty again. They also did it late in the game.

Gibby posing for a picture in front of the suite before the game.

This video is just a panoramic view from our seats before the game.

This video is of the giant bell in center field that rings and sways back and forth, whenever a Phillie hits a home run. One of the Phillies hit a home run in one of the early innings of the game.

A short video of the end of the game, when the Phillies got the winning run in the 9th inning.

In this video you can hear the bell ringing because the Phillies won, and you can see the replay of the winning hit.

Games over, everybody go home!

Heidi showing off the kitchen area after the game.

Katie at the railing in front of Roy Oswalt's picture,  just outside our suite. Oswalt was the starting pitcher tonight.

Katie posing next to the picture of her favorite third baseman.
We had a great time and the game was exciting clear to the last out.

The End