Game 7
As I mentioned last week, my ownership of Cleveland Indians season tickets combined with their deep run into the playoffs led to my attending my first three ever playoff games.
We drafted our playoff tickets just like we draft our season tickets, which meant that I had the fourth overall pick. The difference, of course, is that the regular season games are always played, whereas the playoff tickets might not be depending on how long the series lasts and who has home field advantage. This led to an interesting game theory question: do you go with games that are guaranteed to happen (e.g., ALDS Home Game 1 or Game 2) or do you try for later round games in the hopes your team advances that far? I hedge my bets. I took ALDS Home Game 1, which ended up being the first game of the series as the Indians locked down home field advantage against the Red Sox. My friend Ed and I agreed that we would take each other to the games we drew, so when he took World Series Game 2 and Game 7, I was locked in for those, if they happened.
First though, Ed and I had a date for the ALDS. On October 6, we enjoyed the gorgeous weather and saw the Indians pull out a taught 5-4 game that went down to the very last pitch, with the tying run on base.
It turns out play-off baseball is better than regular season baseball in a number of ways:
1. The park is sold out, which absent an odd home opener or two I hadn't seen since the sell out streak ended in 2001. Standing room tickets were sold, leading to larger than usual crowds in the concourses.
2. Basically everybody was very intently watching the game. During the game lines were short at the concession stands, because nobody wanted to miss a thing. Big chunks of the crowd stood up for every pitch.
3. Most of the promotional items they do between innings were omitted. They still did the Sugardale Hot Dog Race, but that was it. It was a big improvement.
This was a great time. The only question was whether or not I'd get to do it again. As it happens, the Tribe rampaged through the first two rounds of the playoffs and made the World Series, where they drew the Chicago Cubs. The Indians, of course, haven't won since 1948, whereas the Cubs had not even been to the World Series since 1945 ( the year we dropped the bomb on Japan) and had not won since 1908. A few numerologists noted that the 108 year gap corresponded to the 108 stitches on a baseball.
Ed and I went to Game 2 on October 26, which was the very first Game 2 to ever be played in Cleveland, as the Indians had never had home field advantage in any of their prior trips to the World Series. It was very cold, and rain was forecast, so I wore long johns (tops and bottom) as well as gloves and a watch cap. The game itself didn't help, as the Cubs handily won 5-1. The most notable thing about Game 2 was that there were a LOT of Cubs fans, and that there was a rich asshole in front of us wearing World Series branded Tribe gear from head to toe who had clearly never been at an Indians game before; he asked who Slider was. He then proceeded to complain about people standing up and generally made an arse out of himself.
Frankly, I didn't really expect that Game 7 would even happen when the Indians went up 3 games to 1. However, the Cubs fought back, and after an ugly Game 6 loss Ed and I prepared for Game 7. It was scheduled for November 2, and the weather ended up being gorgeous, with it being 70 degrees at game time. By now, the whole world knows that the Cubs won 8-7 in a game where the Indians fell behind twice, tied it twice and then left the tying run on second base in the bottom of the tenth. The Cubs broke their long running streak of ineptitude at 108 years, easily surpassing the Red Sox and White Sox.
You can see some pictures from Game 7 here, complete with commentary. The takeaways:
- Ed is a lifelong Indians fan and was sufficiently nervous that he did not drink the beer he bought before the game started. In the middle of the game he went and walked the concourse because he couldn't bear to watch, and at a few points when everyone stood to watch he simply sat and listened for the crowd reaction. Alas, his faith was not to be rewarded.
- I'd say that a good 60% of the crowd was Cubs fans. Given that the people next to me said they spent $2000/head for two seats, I guess I can't blame the Indians fans who flipped their seats, but it was disconcerting.
- As the game rolled along and Cubs started to look unbeatable, the numerous Cubs fans started to slowly lose their collective mind. Then in the sixth inning Rajai Davis took Aroldis Chapman deep to tie it. Every Tribe fan erupted (Ed and I hugged and then high fived every Indians fan in reach) while you could see the Cubs fans thinking "oh god, we really are cursed."
- Onion won the hot dog race, for those who care about such thing.
- The rain delay after the ninth inning was bullshit, it was barely damp. I will forever believe that it killed the Tribe's momentum.
- As we went into the bottom of the tenth with the Indians trailing, Ed bailed out to watch from the concourse so he could evac in a hurry if needed. I stayed to the bitter end and saw Michael Martinez ground out with the tying run on second to end it. At least their wasn't a Jose Mesa-like goat for this game. The Indians just ran out of arms against a better team.
- As I walked over the bridge to my car I could hear the Cubs fans inside the park singing Go Cubs Go! The crowd walking with me made not a sound.
- I will never play A Dying Cub's Fans Last Request again.
So, I didn't get to the Indians win. On the plus side, I got to see what is probably the most famous game in Cubs history, and a game that many commentators think was one of the best games of all time. After all, in all of World Series history there have only been four Game 7s that went into extra innings. Naturally, the Indians have lost two of them.
What a weird year. First I saw the Believeland premiere, then the Cavs won their Game 7 and I got to go to the parade. And then Game 7 of the World Series. If I ever write the "my top sports moments" post (or find it, because I could have sworn I had) these will all go on there. In all likelihood, I will never attend a more famous game in my entire life.
And note to self: if it happens again, use my season ticket privileges to buy some tickets and sell them at a mark up. If I'd done that this year, I could have paid for next season's tickets with money to spare.
We drafted our playoff tickets just like we draft our season tickets, which meant that I had the fourth overall pick. The difference, of course, is that the regular season games are always played, whereas the playoff tickets might not be depending on how long the series lasts and who has home field advantage. This led to an interesting game theory question: do you go with games that are guaranteed to happen (e.g., ALDS Home Game 1 or Game 2) or do you try for later round games in the hopes your team advances that far? I hedge my bets. I took ALDS Home Game 1, which ended up being the first game of the series as the Indians locked down home field advantage against the Red Sox. My friend Ed and I agreed that we would take each other to the games we drew, so when he took World Series Game 2 and Game 7, I was locked in for those, if they happened.
First though, Ed and I had a date for the ALDS. On October 6, we enjoyed the gorgeous weather and saw the Indians pull out a taught 5-4 game that went down to the very last pitch, with the tying run on base.
It turns out play-off baseball is better than regular season baseball in a number of ways:
1. The park is sold out, which absent an odd home opener or two I hadn't seen since the sell out streak ended in 2001. Standing room tickets were sold, leading to larger than usual crowds in the concourses.
2. Basically everybody was very intently watching the game. During the game lines were short at the concession stands, because nobody wanted to miss a thing. Big chunks of the crowd stood up for every pitch.
3. Most of the promotional items they do between innings were omitted. They still did the Sugardale Hot Dog Race, but that was it. It was a big improvement.
This was a great time. The only question was whether or not I'd get to do it again. As it happens, the Tribe rampaged through the first two rounds of the playoffs and made the World Series, where they drew the Chicago Cubs. The Indians, of course, haven't won since 1948, whereas the Cubs had not even been to the World Series since 1945 ( the year we dropped the bomb on Japan) and had not won since 1908. A few numerologists noted that the 108 year gap corresponded to the 108 stitches on a baseball.
Ed and I went to Game 2 on October 26, which was the very first Game 2 to ever be played in Cleveland, as the Indians had never had home field advantage in any of their prior trips to the World Series. It was very cold, and rain was forecast, so I wore long johns (tops and bottom) as well as gloves and a watch cap. The game itself didn't help, as the Cubs handily won 5-1. The most notable thing about Game 2 was that there were a LOT of Cubs fans, and that there was a rich asshole in front of us wearing World Series branded Tribe gear from head to toe who had clearly never been at an Indians game before; he asked who Slider was. He then proceeded to complain about people standing up and generally made an arse out of himself.
Frankly, I didn't really expect that Game 7 would even happen when the Indians went up 3 games to 1. However, the Cubs fought back, and after an ugly Game 6 loss Ed and I prepared for Game 7. It was scheduled for November 2, and the weather ended up being gorgeous, with it being 70 degrees at game time. By now, the whole world knows that the Cubs won 8-7 in a game where the Indians fell behind twice, tied it twice and then left the tying run on second base in the bottom of the tenth. The Cubs broke their long running streak of ineptitude at 108 years, easily surpassing the Red Sox and White Sox.
You can see some pictures from Game 7 here, complete with commentary. The takeaways:
- Ed is a lifelong Indians fan and was sufficiently nervous that he did not drink the beer he bought before the game started. In the middle of the game he went and walked the concourse because he couldn't bear to watch, and at a few points when everyone stood to watch he simply sat and listened for the crowd reaction. Alas, his faith was not to be rewarded.
- I'd say that a good 60% of the crowd was Cubs fans. Given that the people next to me said they spent $2000/head for two seats, I guess I can't blame the Indians fans who flipped their seats, but it was disconcerting.
- As the game rolled along and Cubs started to look unbeatable, the numerous Cubs fans started to slowly lose their collective mind. Then in the sixth inning Rajai Davis took Aroldis Chapman deep to tie it. Every Tribe fan erupted (Ed and I hugged and then high fived every Indians fan in reach) while you could see the Cubs fans thinking "oh god, we really are cursed."
- Onion won the hot dog race, for those who care about such thing.
- The rain delay after the ninth inning was bullshit, it was barely damp. I will forever believe that it killed the Tribe's momentum.
- As we went into the bottom of the tenth with the Indians trailing, Ed bailed out to watch from the concourse so he could evac in a hurry if needed. I stayed to the bitter end and saw Michael Martinez ground out with the tying run on second to end it. At least their wasn't a Jose Mesa-like goat for this game. The Indians just ran out of arms against a better team.
- As I walked over the bridge to my car I could hear the Cubs fans inside the park singing Go Cubs Go! The crowd walking with me made not a sound.
- I will never play A Dying Cub's Fans Last Request again.
So, I didn't get to the Indians win. On the plus side, I got to see what is probably the most famous game in Cubs history, and a game that many commentators think was one of the best games of all time. After all, in all of World Series history there have only been four Game 7s that went into extra innings. Naturally, the Indians have lost two of them.
What a weird year. First I saw the Believeland premiere, then the Cavs won their Game 7 and I got to go to the parade. And then Game 7 of the World Series. If I ever write the "my top sports moments" post (or find it, because I could have sworn I had) these will all go on there. In all likelihood, I will never attend a more famous game in my entire life.
And note to self: if it happens again, use my season ticket privileges to buy some tickets and sell them at a mark up. If I'd done that this year, I could have paid for next season's tickets with money to spare.