Fittingly our MLB Stadium tour kicked off in our hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, as the Mets came to town to take on the Braves for the 2014 home opener. Having been to Turner Field several times in prior seasons, we were not as concerned about snapping pictures and taking in the surrounding sites that the city has to offer, as we will most certainly prioritize on our future stadium endeavors. The evening kicked off with a nice tailgating experience with our fellow Atlantans, Robert and Amanda Faillo. After throwing down some traditional tailgating eats, we made our way into the stadium. On our way we noticed the new Hank Aaron memorial commemorating his 715th home run that was hit exactly 40 years to this day, when Hammerin' Hank broke The Babe's 39 year-old record. Upon entering through Turner Field's somewhat thorough security check, I was met by a staff member who decidedly thought it necessary to go through every nook and cranny of my camera bag, much to the dismay of those waiting in line behind me and much to my dismay as I certainly felt like a tourist in my own city. I was soon met by an already partially intoxicated member of the crowd who thought it was quite funny, which it was, to utter the following words so that everyone in line could hear: "Mr. Ca-non! Lettttt's Gooooooooooooo!" Turner Field is a nice ballpark, only opened 17 years prior, the city has made moves to relocate the team to Cobb County in the next few years. Sadly, this move will utterly change the historical feel that now exists at the Ted, once home to the old Fulton County Stadium. Moving the rich history to Cobb County, for the sake of ticket holders is a compromise in any true Braves fan's book. Nonetheless, Turner Field is a beautiful park, consisting of an open area where those looking to stretch their legs or grab some food and drink can do so while not having to miss a moment of action, play can be viewed from a massive screen that sits out in an open pavilion area referred to as Fan Plaza or the Grand Entry Plaza. Outside of the entry gates contains a part of the field also known as Monument Grove, where fans can gaze upon and partake in various photo opportunities of the statues and memorabilia that has contributed to the history of the organization. Continuing on, fans can grab a decent meal and watch from the comfort of the outfield in Turner Field's own Chop House. Head on up to the top deck and glance at the Chick-fil-A cow as he simulates the signature Braves Tomahawk Chop. Other areas of mention at this park are Atlanta's own Coca-Cola's Sky Field, Scout's Alley and a must see for all Braves historians, the Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum and Hall of Fame. Turner Field really is a nice park; clean and comfortable. Braves fans are the most solid of any of Atlanta's major sports teams. Tonight's game featured a nice pregame ceremony to Hank Aaron, for which he was in attendance for, in regard to his accomplishments, as mentioned above. Also in attendance was baseball Commissioner Bud Selig and Al Downing, the Dodger pitcher who gave up the historic 715th home run, who fittingly threw out the first pitch. Tonight the Braves will be wearing the throwback jerseys that Aaron was wearing when he broke the record. The night's pitching matchup between the newly acquired and red hot, Aaron Harang and the Mets Bartolo Colon, proved to sway in Colon's favor as the the Braves offense offered up zero support for Harang's 1 earned, 1 hit, 4 BB, 110 pitch effort. However, things got very interesting in the 9th as the the Mets' wildly inconsistent Jose Valverde entered into the game in a non-save situation. He proceeded to load the bases by granting singles to J. Upton and Uggla, while also committing an error which saw Andrelton Simmons reach safely. The stage was set for an epic finale, as the the Braves' Jason Heyward stepped into the batters box facing a 2 out, bases loaded situation. Having brought the at-bat to a full count, Heyward got ahold of the 7th pitch of his at-bat, driving it to deep, straight away center field, where the game ended on a fly out to the warning track. The Braves were blanked by the Mets, 0-4 this night in baseball history. The Castner's take America: 0-1 |
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