I never really remember who wins minor league games I go to. It's an outdoor bar. 2 beers, some conversation with friends, and mediocre baseball being played in front of me, for $12? Sign me up, and I promise I won't pay terribly close attention.

I am very lucky. My wife has always been a fan.

I am very lucky. My wife has always been a fan.

I am very luckier; my wife was never a fan until she met me. Since she grew up in NJ, she might well have been a Y*nk** fan if she had been a fan. And then we couldn't have gotten married. Or ever spoken to each other.

Fortunately, she didn't follow baseball P.D., so I could make her an Orioles fan.

so I could make her an Orioles fan.

You'd do that to someone you love?

If I was at a minor league game where the beer was free I wouldn't even remember what sport it was, let alone who won the game.

Fortunately, she didn't follow baseball P.D., so I could make her an Orioles fan.

Depending on when that was, couldn't it be considered an abusive realationship? :)

About ten years ago, I was visiting a client in the RDU area, and they had some event at a Durham Bulls game. They had lots of extra seats, so I was invited along. It began raining heavily at the beginning of the evening. We all ran for the shelter of the beer tent, and of course, ordered beer. After about 45 minutes, the beer guy left, because his shift was over or some such thing. It was five more minutes before it occurred to me to try the taps, then an hour of free beer for everyone before someone finally turned them off. I did not forget what sport it was, but I do not recall if the game was ever actually played.

Despite the quality of baseball played, I have almost always had a better time at minor league games than at major league games. Going to Staten Island to watch the team play across from the NYC skyline was about as good as it gets.

My wife has this annoying affinity for Papelbon (and closers in general). She noticed the change in his windup/delivery this year without any prompting from me.

My wife used to keep score for our softball games. Top that! She doesn't follow the game but will call me when she hears some headline that she thinks would matter to me. Sometimes the call will be on the lines of "The Phils just traded some guy. They got a pitcher, I think. Or maybe a catcher." But at least I can then look at Transaction Oracle to get Dan's take. :)

My wife was ignoring me back when we were in HS but by chance she came to one of the ballgames. She didn't know I played and as I was in the on deck circle made a sarcastic remark about my hitting prowess.

I cranked a 2-run shot and on the way back to the dugout tipped my cap as her girlfriends shrieked and she glared.

She hates how often I tell that story.....

Going to Staten Island to watch the team play across from the NYC skyline was about as good as it gets

I took the Staten Island Ferry for the first time a few months ago and I noticed that baffling little ballpark on the water. Is that the place you're talking about? I really want to go there, even though I'll be obligated to root against the home team since they're called the Yankees. Do they sell beer? How much does it cost?

I cranked a 2-run shot and on the way back to the dugout tipped my cap as her girlfriends shrieked and she glared.
So that was the inspiration for Teddy Roosevelt's famous saying.

11...Great story, HW.

Going to guess it wasn't the last time she made a sarcastic remark about you...

Edmundo:

Wiseguy.

Doc:

Um, no. My wife is full of sass. Of course, I am not exactly a slouch.

I have bored the Lounge with how we met in 8th grade. I made a rude remark that caused her to turn three shades of red. She despised me for some time after that and when asked would state through pressed lips that I was a "vile and loathsome creature" or something similar.

But persistence won out!

P.S.

She began attending the games regularly and I went on a torrid hot streak. When I ever so carefully approached her at one point she firmly declared that she was there for the good of the school since my efforts were helping the team win. But she was most defintitely not there for ME SPECIFICALLY. Because, of course, I was a vile and loathsome creature unworthy of a civilized person's attention.

Or something like that. I was too busy staring at her to notice what she was saying...................

Our (my wife and I) first date was Hou at Mil at Miller Park (Wade Miller and Todd Ritchie). She knew I was an 'all-in' fan of the game. She had previously ignored baseball her previous 26 years on earth.

After the 8th inning: Me: Do you wanna go? Her: No
After Brewers tie it after 9: Do you wanna go yet? No
After 10: No
After 11: No
After the 12th: No
After the 13th: No, quit asking.
After Glendon Rusch drove in Eric Young to win the game for Mil: Now we can go.

14 innings, impressive! My wife now loves going to the ballpark.

since we moved to L.A. my gf has become a complete dodger fan, talks about joe torre like he's her uncle, is nuts about manny, and worships vin scully. except for the fact that she'll root for the dodgers against the cards, she is the perfect woman.

14 innings? That's GREAT! Wow...

My gf (a former Dodger fan) has been keeping score for years and it's pretty swell going to games regularly with her. I'm a lucky Polish Sausage.

My sweet thing isn't a baseball fan, but she has her moments. Once, taking the bus out of New York City, we were crossing the George Washington Bridge and I pointed out of the window and said, "There's Yankee Stadium." She immediately shook her fist at it. I've never been so proud.

My wife drives me nuts edition

It's a short trip.

-- MWE

My wife goes once a year, on July 4 for the fireworks. Fortunately, she tolerates my obsession the rest of the year.

-- MWE

What with the price of gas and all, that's probably a good thing.

Re: [11] Good lord, Harvey, there are diabetics in the audience, you know. ;-)

My wife doesn't care for baseball at all but will accept to go to a game or two every year. She always ends up having fun. The funny thing though is that she can never tell when the game actually begins unless I tell her...

Lassus:

??

Sorry. Does not compute

14 innings, impressive! My wife now loves going to the ballpark.

I can't figure out what's more impressive - your wife staying 14 innings, or Glendon Rusch driving in the winning run.

Lassus:

??

Sorry. Does not compute

He thinks your story is too sweet.

While we were dating, my wife would occasionally go to games with me. Mysteriously, after we got married, she stopped coming. Of course with the price hikes and having kids, I don't go that often either.

I have always been a huge fan of Calc's wife. I heard she is smoking hot.

Mysteriously, after we got married, she stopped coming.

you really wrote this?

Depending on when that was, couldn't it be considered an abusive realationship? :)

Heh. In response to both you and Randy:

Actually, she complains to me about the bait-and-switch. It was the mid-90s (starting in 94, to be specific), and she was tricked into thinking they were going to be a good team for a long time. Went to the ALCS in 96-97, and she was really excited. And, uh, well, 'nuff said.

Shock:

Thanks.

So, what's the typing symbol sequence to state that as pained as I am about the Brewers I take small solace in not being a fan of the Mets?

So, what's the typing symbol sequence to state that as pained as I am about the Brewers I take small solace in not being a fan of the Mets?

I think :-) stands for "Thank god I'm not a Mets fan!", nothing else can explain its ubiquity.

I didn't know they had invented home runs at the point Harveys was in high school.

BW:

Now THAT'S funny.

You need to give these boys lessons

Of course, I am not exactly a slouch.

Don't sell yourself short, you're a tremendous slouch.

When I was first dating my wife she lived in Chicago. 100% no interest in the game. On one of my visits (I was living in Connecticut) I convinced her to go to a game (White Sox, Cubs were on the road). First game she'd ever been to.

Bleacher seats, lower right field, kindof a rainy day, lots of empty seats. Sox were playing the Angels; Jack Howell came up and I happened to turn to her and say "You know, if anyone was going to hit a homerun in our direction, it'd be a guy like this."

Next pitch he cracks one, clearly going out, about half a section to our right where there's just a bunch of empty seats. Me, another guy, and a kid about 10 or 12 converge as the ball arrives. We crash into each other, then we all stand up and look at each other: no one has the ball.

Then I see the guy looking over my shoulder; I turn around, and my now-wife is standing there back at our seats with the ball in her hand, with the cutest "Are you guys looking for this?" expression on her face.

Fans yelled for us to throw it back. I did not comply. :)

Over more than a decade I've still only partly converted her. Though, ever since she watched the Red Sox - A's 2003 ALDS -- and saw the play where Byrnes collides with Varitek at the plate and then gets tagged out because he was busy shoving Varitek rather than going back to tag home -- *every* time she sees Byrnes, whether playing or announcing, she scowls and says some version of "I hate that guy."

My (now ex-) wife enjoyed going to games when the Yankees were in town, because of the energy in the stadium. Can't say as I blame her (my loathing of Mystique and Aura are well-known and well-grounded), but I couldn't drag her to the park for any other game. I could have picked a better match - hopefully the next SO will tolerate my obsessions a bit better :)

The guy who runs my kickball league is a big Red Sox fan, and has converted his wife. Last Yankees series he and I spent most of the kickball game huddled around the scorer's table as his wife would text him updates throughout the baseball game.

Mrs fra paolo is a soccer fan. :(

She went to her first game ever during a SABR convention, and was bored silly.

Young Alejandra, however, enjoys the ballpark. Especially Mister High Standards' choice of adjectives.

Byrnes wasn't tagged out because he was busy shoving Varitek. He was tagged out doing his "Walter Brennan in the 'Real McCoys'" imitation.

Mrs fra paolo is a soccer fan. :(

My condolences.

My ex used to placate my desire to go see a game once a year or so but she would bring along a book and read it while the game was going on. After a couple of years I stopped taking her and took her mother instead who enjoyed the games immensely. One time I took her stepfather because he was getting a bit jealous and he proceeded to get drunk and flirt with the coca-cola vendor by buying all of the soda from her tray. I never took him to a game again.

The last time I took a date to a baseball game was two years ago. It was the Indians-Angels game in Milwaukee and my date got really drunk almost immediately. Wisconsin football fans have a bit of a tradition with the wave. They do the slow-motion wave and the fast forward wave along with the regular wave. So my date takes part in all the different kind of waves and when they get to the fast forward wave she forgets that she has a beer in her hand and splashes the whole beer all over herself. The whole section is in tears, kids are take pictures on their cell phones, others are calling their friends about her. Afterwards she got pulled over for drunk driving and spend the night in jail.

Mrs fra paolo is a soccer fan. :(

That's cool

It was the Indians-Angels game in Milwaukee

huh?

The last time I took a date to a baseball game was two years ago. [...] Afterwards she got pulled over for drunk driving and spend the night in jail.

home team confusion, I'm sure.

He was tagged out doing his "Walter Brennan in the 'Real McCoys'" imitation.

ya gotta love a guy who:

a- in 2009, knows Walter Brennan; and

b- appreciates the nuances of The Real McCoys.

About the only baseball player my wife has ever recognized is John Kruk. She called him "that Crud dude."

Generally, though, I can't stand watching sporting events with her; she constantly wants to discuss current events, or knitting, or somesuch, especially in the late innings of a close game, or the final minute of a UNC-Duke game.

It was the Indians-Angels game in Milwaukee

I forgot about whatever caused this to happen. Was that when Cleveland had the two-week-long April snowstorm a couple years ago?

My wife was a baseball fan when I married her, because her mother was a baseball fan (Altanta Braves, courtesy of the SuperStation). Being out here, there is not much of a chance to go to a game, but we did go to the 1997 Paradise Series between St. Louis and San Diego, and she did the arragements when we flew up to San Fran for a game in 2004