Baseball in KC!

September 18, 2023 – Monday – Overland Park, Kansas

 

7:30 and down to breakfast.  Not bad (for a change): Scrambled eggs (for M), sausages and fried potatoes.  The also offered biscuits and gravy – UGH!  Apparently, we haven’t gone far enough west to get away from biscuits and gravy.

 

We spent an easy morning, waiting to make our move to Kaufman Stadium for the baseball game this afternoon (starts at 1:10) between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians (no longer the Indians).  Parking at the ball park would cost us $30 ($20 for parking plus $10 for not having pre-paid), so we decided to take Uber instead of driving.  It may cost a bit more but the Uber drop-off/pick-up will be right at the gate (we think).  

 

OK!  Picked up by Uber, according to plan and off to Kaufman Stadium – about 20 minutes.  A bit expensive ($28) but worth it.  Our Uber driver was a Palestinian, and it was very interesting listening to his journey to the U.S. and his activities – working very hard – to support his three children in the U.S.  

 

Into the ball park and to our seats in Section 125 Row J Seats 10 and 11 – GREAT SEATS just behind home plate, a bit on the 3rd base side – sunny until about the 7th inning, then in the shade.  Kaufman is a lovely ball park and the food is top notch.  One of the concessions featured Ballpark brand of all-beef hot dogs; they were grilled, not steamed or boiled, and came in two sizes: junior (standard size) or jumbo (a foot long).  We opted for junior.  Even the popcorn was outstanding: fresh (take that, Dodger Stadium) and buttered. We also got a Frozen Lemonade, as it was SOOOOO hot!  R, being the trooper he is, lasted in his seat the entire ballgame. M, however, not made of quite as stern stuff, retreated a couple of times up a section to sit for an inning or two in the shade.  It was SOOOO hot in the sun!  The ballpark isn’t really new, but it has a quite amazing variety of concession stands, as well as wonderful waterworks in the outfield!  An amazing place, and so glad that we got to see it in person!  We’re thinking because it was a Monday and a day game, that the attendance wasn’t very high (also September, and the kids are back in school) but we enjoyed it very, very much!

 

The game was a surprise.  For various reasons, we have been down on baseball for several years and did not view the changes in the game with much enthusiasm but this game was exciting and interesting.  It was almost like the good ol’ days – base hits (only two home runs), doubles, a triple, stolen bases, hit-and-run plays, even a neat bunt, as well as the pitcher walking the bases full and then walking a run home!  And the pitch clock is effective, as the game moved right along.  The Royals trailed Cleveland 4 to 2 until the bottom of the 8th when they scored four runs.  Final score: Royals 6 Cleveland 4.

 

Getting our ride back was a bit of a challenge.  It took an inordinate time to make contact with Uber and an inordinate time for our driver to find us.  Uber is supposed to have a pick-up point at Kaufman Stadium but it seems to be a secret from their drivers.  But find us he did and we took off on a really hair-raising ride back to the hotel.  (I smelled marijuana in the car, and the music level was incredible, but we had the windows open, which helped a bit!). One interesting note:  We paid $30 to get back to the hotel, but the bandit “Uber” drivers who were waiting for people needing rides wanted $50; we declined the opportunity, opting to wait instead for the “real” Uber to find us a driver, which they did.

 

Settled down in the room for a breather, then out to d’Bronx (basically almost right across the street from the hotel) for pepperoni and mushroom pizza.  Not a fancy place but the pizza – made from scratch – was very, very good.  We ate half (of a 16-inch pizza) and took the rest back to the hotel, probably for breakfast.

 

In for the night, with two NFL games on TV.  M is very happy.

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