Thursday, August 7

Blue Ribbon Ballpark

Summer fare should include enjoying the perennial culture of local baseball. Whether little league or majors, there is something wonderful about paying $3.50 for a 'regular' Diet Pepsi or a bag of in-the-shell peanuts. And when there's a gentle breeze at sunset, so much the better.

Our new park replaced the older (and closer) field, where fewer seats, poor neighborhood and run-down construction motivated fans to vote it out. But there's little sense of nostalgia and history in the new location yet.

On the east side of the park is the Stockton Arena (a big rodeo is scheduled for Sept.) and to the south is a marina on the Deep Water Channel that backs into downtown.

Tickets are inexpensive if you're a senior and can come on Wednesdays. You can win $100 each week in their Bingo game along with other give-aways. You can visit with friends (the main reason most people go, I think). You can get beaned by a foul ball. You can take your kids and grandkids and let them have a taste of real, honest-to-goodness, hot-dog-loving America.