Rocky Dogs vs. Fenway Franks.
From 1998 to 2000, this native New Englander lived in Denver while working for Verio. There were not a lot of Red Sox fans in Denver, which is crazy about its Rockies (and even more crazy about its Broncos).
During the summer of 2000, a friend offered me two tickets to a Rockies game and suggested I take my son Sam, who was six years old at the time. I struggled about what to do, because I wanted Sam’s first baseball experience to be in Fenway Park. But I have always said that I am a baseball fan first and a Red Sox fan second, so I decided to take him to Coors Field for his first game.
We arrived at Coors Field, the gorgeous ballpark of the Colorado Rockies, and I quickly realized that this was no Fenway Park. Coors Field is incredibly kid-friendly. There is a playground in left field, huge concourses, big seats with cup-holders, and lots of amenities. The tickets we were given included admission to a restaurant that overlooks the field.
Sam and I took the elevator up to the restaurant level to check it out. We were seated by a huge window with a great view of the field. A waitress gave us menus and asked if we wanted drinks before our meal. I felt completely out of place. Waitress? Menus?
Sam and I were sitting there in jeans and t-shirts with our gloves on our laps. The gloves we’d be using to try to catch errant foul balls. The gloves that were not saying, “Please cover us with cloth napkins.”
I looked at Sam, looked out the window at the field below, and asked, “What do you think, Sam? Do you want to eat here in the restaurant? Or do you want to go down to our seats and get some Rocky Dogs?”
“Let’s go get some Rocky Dogs,” he quickly replied.
We politely excused ourselves, left the restaurant, found the nearest Rocky Dog vendor, and ate our dinner with our gloves – and paper napkins – in our laps.
I don’t remember much else about that game. I’m not even sure who won. Coors Field is a beautiful facility. Greater Denver is very kid-friendly. But after Verio was sold, it was time for me to move my family back to Boston and my Red Sox. Our Colorado friends were shocked, saying things like “You’re leaving Colorado? Nobody moves here from New England and then moves back!” I enjoyed Denver, but it wasn’t home. If the Rockies were playing anyone else but the Red Sox in the World Series, then I’d probably root for the Rockies.
I don’t think that the World Series will be a close contest like the ALCS was. We’ve already seen the best two teams in baseball compete, and the Red Sox won that series. If the Rockies manage a split in Boston, then I don’t think the series will return to Boston. The Coors Field humidor may help balls stay in the park during the warm summer months, but watching the Red Sox bat during a game in chilly October in Coors Field will be like watching batting practice. After last night’s 13-1 win, it’s 1-0 Sox over Rox. I’m sticking with my prediction of Sox in four.
