GABA 2010 zooms right into the heat of summer by hitting the high altitudes. Yes, believe it or not, New Mexico and Colorado are the keys to baseball bliss. Here's Week 13:
Monday, June 28th:
Oklahoma City, OK (286 miles from Springfield)
Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA Rangers) vs. Omaha Royals (AAA Royals)
Buckle in… the miles are about to start really piling up. Monday’s the best day to plop down at Bricktown… every seat in the house is 7 bucks, and Choc beer is just a dollar. It was either that or the Hubba Bubba Bubblegum bubble blowing contest (a weekend RedHawks tradition), and in the rock-paper-scissors hierarchy of promotions, beer beats gum. Sorry, it just does.
Tuesday, June 29th:
Travel day. Priority one, sober up from all the Choc beer the night before. Priority two, get a gas card. The next two weeks of the GABA are going to make the first three months look like a walk to your neighborhood softball diamond. We’ll be taking donations for the “GABA Private Plane” for this section of the trip.
Wednesday, June 30th:
Midland, TX (434 miles from Oklahoma City)
Texas League All-Star Game
OK, I cheated. There, I said it. I got it off my chest. Midland is 2,000 light years from any other baseball-playing city on Earth, and we have to start heading west. And the Texas League clearly went along with the plan by scheduling its All-Star Game in Midland while we’re passing through. Sorry, RockHounds… we’ll see you in August in Frisco.
Thursday, July 1st:
Albuquerque, NM (433 miles from Midland)
Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA Dodgers) vs. Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA Rangers)
Have you ever wanted to schedule your own GABA? Listen (or read) closely. These four words are the secret – Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver. It’s one freakin’ huge country out there, and if you don’t catch those three teams at home on consecutive days, you’re gonna be doing some weird LA-to-Denver-to-Atlanta-in-three-days trip. The first three games I filled in for this insane baseball concoction were… repeat it, kids… Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver. And yes, the Isotopes are named for the Simpsons episode where the Springfield Isotopes relocate to Albuquerque.
Friday, July 2nd:
Colorado Springs, CO (378 miles from Albuquerque)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA Rockies) vs. Salt Lake Bees (AAA Angels)
The GABA hits a Rocky Mountain high – more than 6,500 feet above sea level. The Sky Sox are the only AAA affiliate the Rockies have ever had. Honestly, I’d type more, but I’m feeling a little light headed from the altitude, and I can’t get John Denver out of my head right now.
Saturday, July 3rd:
Denver, CO (72 miles from Colorado Springs)
Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants
Let’s see… in the last two months, we’ve seen two MLB games, and calling the Marlins “MLB” might be a stretch. Our oasis in the MLB desert is Coors Field, amazingly the fourth-oldest stadium in the National League. Think about that. The NL's relics are now Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium, and the two stadiums from the 1993 expansion (Marlins, Rockies).
Sunday, July 4th:
Travel day. Picture it - random service shop in Wyoming or Utah that’s actually open on the 4th. “Hi, our car needs an oil change, new tires, and about 300 other parts replaced.” “Why the overhaul, sir?” “Well, we’re gonna drive it 18,000 miles in the next three months to watch baseball games.” (Random service dude passes out.)
Oklahoma City, OK (286 miles from Springfield)
Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA Rangers) vs. Omaha Royals (AAA Royals)
Buckle in… the miles are about to start really piling up. Monday’s the best day to plop down at Bricktown… every seat in the house is 7 bucks, and Choc beer is just a dollar. It was either that or the Hubba Bubba Bubblegum bubble blowing contest (a weekend RedHawks tradition), and in the rock-paper-scissors hierarchy of promotions, beer beats gum. Sorry, it just does.
Tuesday, June 29th:
Travel day. Priority one, sober up from all the Choc beer the night before. Priority two, get a gas card. The next two weeks of the GABA are going to make the first three months look like a walk to your neighborhood softball diamond. We’ll be taking donations for the “GABA Private Plane” for this section of the trip.
Wednesday, June 30th:
Midland, TX (434 miles from Oklahoma City)
Texas League All-Star Game
OK, I cheated. There, I said it. I got it off my chest. Midland is 2,000 light years from any other baseball-playing city on Earth, and we have to start heading west. And the Texas League clearly went along with the plan by scheduling its All-Star Game in Midland while we’re passing through. Sorry, RockHounds… we’ll see you in August in Frisco.
Thursday, July 1st:
Albuquerque, NM (433 miles from Midland)
Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA Dodgers) vs. Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA Rangers)
Have you ever wanted to schedule your own GABA? Listen (or read) closely. These four words are the secret – Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver. It’s one freakin’ huge country out there, and if you don’t catch those three teams at home on consecutive days, you’re gonna be doing some weird LA-to-Denver-to-Atlanta-in-three-days trip. The first three games I filled in for this insane baseball concoction were… repeat it, kids… Albuquerque, Colorado Springs, Denver. And yes, the Isotopes are named for the Simpsons episode where the Springfield Isotopes relocate to Albuquerque.
Friday, July 2nd:
Colorado Springs, CO (378 miles from Albuquerque)
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (AAA Rockies) vs. Salt Lake Bees (AAA Angels)
The GABA hits a Rocky Mountain high – more than 6,500 feet above sea level. The Sky Sox are the only AAA affiliate the Rockies have ever had. Honestly, I’d type more, but I’m feeling a little light headed from the altitude, and I can’t get John Denver out of my head right now.
Saturday, July 3rd:
Denver, CO (72 miles from Colorado Springs)
Colorado Rockies vs. San Francisco Giants
Let’s see… in the last two months, we’ve seen two MLB games, and calling the Marlins “MLB” might be a stretch. Our oasis in the MLB desert is Coors Field, amazingly the fourth-oldest stadium in the National League. Think about that. The NL's relics are now Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium, and the two stadiums from the 1993 expansion (Marlins, Rockies).
Sunday, July 4th:
Travel day. Picture it - random service shop in Wyoming or Utah that’s actually open on the 4th. “Hi, our car needs an oil change, new tires, and about 300 other parts replaced.” “Why the overhaul, sir?” “Well, we’re gonna drive it 18,000 miles in the next three months to watch baseball games.” (Random service dude passes out.)
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