This is the 2nd part of my 2010 Road trip it starts at the second game I attended at Citi Field in NY on August 11, 2010 to a Game I attended in Indianapolis on August 16, 2010.

While I was getting ready to head to the train station to the stadium my phone rang  and it was Zack Hample. My friend Robert from Coors Field told him I was going to be in town and we should meet up. Zack said he would meet up with me before the game. Zack only stuck around for BP. This was a few days before his most recent books deadline. Zack has his own blog The Baseball Collector. Heres a link http://snaggingbaseballs.mlblogs.com/. It was realy cool meeting him and the rest of the Citi Field Ball Snagging crew. Here a photo of the group of us outside Citi Field. An below that a photo of Zack in Left Field Seats.

Photo and text courtesy of Zack. In the photo above, you’re looking at:

1) Greg Barasch, who recently joined the 1,000-ball club.

2) Gary, who has some pretty impressive stats of his own.

3) Brian (aka “puck collector”) who’s not too far behind Gary.

4) Zack!

5) Mateo, my Watch With Zack client from 7/27/10 at Citi Field.

6) Mike from Denver. I had just met him through a mutual friend: Robert Harmon of 762 fame.

7) Brian’s father Wayne (aka “father puck”) who’s holding up his copy of the new Sports Illustrated article about Zack.

 

 

Mets pitches warming up along the 3rd base line during BP. A few minutes after this photo was taken. I caught a ball that was fouled off and bounce on the warning track and into the stands.
A look at the 2 LED scoreboards they have at Citi Field.

A view of Citi  Field during warm ups before the game.
The starting line ups for The Aug. 11th game between The Rockies and Mets.
Both Pitches heading to the dugout after pre game warm ups in the bullpen. Starting Pitchers were Jeff Francis for the Rox and Jonathan Niese for the Mets.
                        Jonathan Niese throws 1st pitch to Dexter Fowler.
                           Jeff Francis throws his first pitch to Mets Short Stop Jose Reyes.
                Mr. Met visits the upper deck and trows out a few tee shirts to the fans.
                                       A photo of Citi Field during the 4th inning.

 

                                      Jeff Francis Pitching in the 4th inning.

 
The Mets 2 runs were scored in the first inning by an Angel Pagan 2 Run HR. The Rockies 1st Run was score by a Chris Iannetta Sac Fly to center scoring Tulo in the 7th at that point it was 2-1 Mets.

 

Melvin Mora rounds 3rd after hitting a 8th inning Grand Slam Home Run, Scoring Helton, Tulo and Cargo.

Tulo Crosses the plate for the 3rd run from Mora’s HR.

                                 Cargo high fives Melvin Mora after his trot around the bases.

                                                Making the score 5-2 Rockies
                 Dexter Fowler make final out hit by NY Mets Centerfielder Carlos Beltran.
The scoreboard at the end of the game. The Rockies Win 6-2.After the Mora Home Run Clint Barmes single scored Brad Hawpe. Bringing the score to the 6-2 final.

Rockies celabrate their 6-2 win over the Mets.

The Rockies winning did make the train ride back to the Island a lot easier. Everybody on the trains were very cool and realy intrested about Colorado and the Rockies. A few even said how “The Rockies have a very good team and the Mets need some work”. Not my Words that was from a Mets fan on the train. Had a lot of fun and good conversations on baseball.

                                                    August 12, 2010

That day a very unusual thing occured. Do to a late start from LI and NY traffic we got to the game in the 2nd inning the Rockies were already down 2 runs when we got there.

 
Above is Jason Hammel Pitching in the 3rd inning.

 

This is a view from My seat on the left field side of the stadium. Thanks to Mike M for the great tickets that also included acces to many of the clubs in Citi Field which is where we spent most of the game. It was realy cool to see things I normaly do not see at stadiums. especially with such uneventful game for the Rockies. 

This was the day after Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez was arrested outside the Mets clubhouse for punchinhg his father in law. Here is a fan showing support for him.
A view of the Jackie Robinson Pavillion from the inside of Citi Field.

The scoreboard at the end of the game the Mets Won 4-0. That evened the 6 games the 2 teams played this year to 3-3. It made the Rockies 3-4 on this road trip and 1-3 with me in attendance. Some would say it was a rocky road trip.

Signs outside CitiField.

                                   August 16, 2010 Victory Field Indianapolis, Indiana

                         Home of the Indanapolis Indians. They Played the Rochester Chiefs

                               The Indians are the triple a affiliate of the Pittsburgh pirates.

 

                Another one for the Ranter. Can’t be a baseball game with out the hosers.
A view of the Stadium from the birm in right field.

  A sign hanging over the concourse.

The centerfield wall celebrating the Indians being at Victory Field 15 years.

                                            Indians Mascot Rowdy.

A view from my seat on the 3rd baseline in the 5th inning. Thanks Chris for the tickets.

 

 The scoreboard at the end of the game was not a good one for the Indians losing to the Chiefs 11-4. This game was definatly not a pitching battle.

Here is a view of Victory Field after the game outside the center field gates.

After all the games I was going to attend were done I had one more piece of baseball history to check out. It is an old abandon stadium on the outskirts of Indianapolis. This stadium was the old home of the Indianapolis Indians. Bush Stadium was built in 1931 by the Indians owner Norm Perry and was called Perry Stadium During WWII it was renamed Victory Field. After the stadium was sold to the City of Indianapolis it was renamed after a MLB baseball player Donnie Bush. It remaned Bush Stadium till the Indians moved to there new stadium in Downtown Indianapolis Victory Field.

Some of the masonary work on the front of Bush Stadium.

Outside wall of the stadiums 1st baseline.Covered in Ivy. Bush stadium. In 1987 the field was also used in the movie eight men out. Where it was used to depict Cominsky Park and Crosley Field.

The back of the center field wall and old scoreboard.

My first look of the field after a peek through a gate that was in left field. To my suprise there were hundreds of cars parked on what once was a baseball field.

                          The old will call ticket window a reminder of what once was.

 

First look over the wall to see the field and stands. In 1984 the field was used for the Pan American games which where held in Indianapolis.
After almost 60 years of being home of the Indianapolis Indians it was turned into a dirt race track for midget race cars. An was renamed the 16th street speedway.

 

Bush stadium is now being rented by Pick a Part from the City of Indianapolis. Thats why there are cars all over what was the field. Bush Stadium is on the list of Historical places.An is why it is still in existence today.

 

Both these photos are a look from behind the leftfield wall an the leftfield stands.
This is a view of the stands and homeplate area photographed while standing on the roof of my truck over looking the left field wall. Before someone from pick a part approached me to see what I was doing. then I left.

All facts and dates about Bush Stadium courtesy of wikipedia.

After checking out Bush Stadium I headed to Downtown Indy for a little urban hiking. Her are a few places I past by on my hike.

 Lucas Oil Stadium Home of the Indianapolis Colts. I think they use this as a airplane hanger in the off season realy intresting looking building.

This is the NCAA National Headquaters located just outside of downtown Indianapolis.

This was the sunset while I was driving back to Denver somewhere in central Kansas.

Normaly I am not a fan of driving through Kansas But This sunset on my way home was a incredible end to my trip.

 
  This was a great trip. I drove over 4000 miles in the 2 weeks I was gone. I visited 2 MLB Ball Parks. 3 Minor League Parks and caught 3 BP Baseball. Got to meet many players in both the Majors and Minor Leagues. I would like to Thank My Family and friends across the country that let me stay at there homes and/or got me tickets to games.

 

Thanks to Viviene for letting me stay at your house both going to NY and heading back to Denver. Chris for getting me tix to the Indians game, Mike M in NY for tix to the 8/12 game, Rich Woodworth for getting me tix for the 8/10 game. The whole Gioia family for letting me stay at there house and for dealing with my crazy schedule while I was in NY. Everybody that headed to Millers Ale House to meet up with me even know I did not make it there. Catcha next time.

 

My Next Cross Country adventure is in the planning stage and will take place at the end of June when the Rockies Head to The New Yankee Stadium. Thats unless the plans get postponed due to a new endeavors in life that may be taking place in the next few months. More info to follow.

                           To All the Rockies Fans Keep Believing. I know I will.