Dirt

It's always a challenge for me to decide what exactly I want to buy when I get a gift card. For the past month I've had a gift card for Amazon.com burning a hole in my pocket and with no clue whatsoever as to what I should buy. After spending a week browsing through some of their Cincinnati Reds offerings I settled on this nice piece to add to my Red's man cave. This 4"x6" plaque issued by Steiner Sports has a great shot of Great American Ball Park with some infield dirt embedded. I wasn't sure what to expect when I finally received the plaque in the mail, but now that I have it, I'm glad that I ordered it. While some of you may say "It's just dirt", I would respond by saying, yes it's dirt...but not just any dirt. It's dirt that's been trod upon by my home team who I watch and cheer on every season as I too celebrate in their heartaches and triumphs. Dirt from a game that's as much a symbol of America as apple pie. Sure it's dirt, but it's also baseball.

The Grass is Always Greener...When it's FAKE!

Another relic I have from Riverfront Stadium (aka Cinergy Field) is this 9 inch by 9 inch piece of AstroTurf that was used prior to it's removal and installation of grass just before Cinergy Field's demolition after the 2002 season. This is a nice oddball piece in my collection, and while I wish I would have been able to snag a piece with the foul line on it, I guess beggars can't be choosers. I am hoping to eventually get some game used dirt from both Riverfront and Great American Ballpark, which I think would complement this turf nicely. I don't suppose anyone would know where I could get a brick from Crosley Field or an usher's uniform used at Crosley?

Very First Giveaway at Great American Ballpark

It's always a day of celebration when a new ballpark opens in this great nation of our (unless you live in Miami where the owners believe in screwing the hard working citizens of the city to make a buck while providing the fans with a team that's sub par). Cookie cutter stadiums from the 70s and 80s have given way to retro stadiums reminiscent of the golden era of baseball. The massive and overwhelming concrete bowls of Riverfront, Three Rivers, Veterans and Busch were soon replace by intimate ballparks such as Camden Yards, Jacobs Field, Coors Field and Arlington. When the Reds left Riverfront at the end of 2002 (then known as Cinergy Field) to move into Great American Ballpark, it was a expected to be a new day, a new beginning for a team that had fallen on tough times and was no longer an annual contender in the post season. While that hasn't necessarily panned out, it has brought back the feel of classic baseball along the riverfront in the Queen City.

Great American Ballpark hosted it's first Reds game on March 31, 2003. On a day that was to celebrate a new beginning for baseball for Cincinnati, it was a complete disaster as the Reds lost to Pirates 10-1. The Reds lone run in the game came about in the bottom of the third when Jimmy Haynes was walked in. Anyway, to celebrate the momentous occasion, the Reds handed out these souvenir balls to the fans in attendance. While not the greatest of stadium giveaways, it is a nice change of scenery from the bobbleheads that have been commonplace within the recent decade. Definitely a keeper for my collection.

1966 Topps

This is probably one of my least favorite sets Topps released in the 60s. I'm not saying I hate the set. In fact, I like the clean design and nice photography...especially the photos of the old ballparks that have long been torn down. I guess, compared to the 1965 Topps set, or even the 1968 Topps set, this one is just uninspiring. I never expect perfection from Topps and I know that there will be hit and miss years for them. I guess 1966 was just one of those miss years. My favorite card from the 1966 Topps set would have to be the Rose. Sure, it's a classic batting stance photo that's all too commonplace even for today. But to me the real beauty of the card is the background. Seeing Crosley field as the backdrop is just amazing. I know the stadiums of today try to replicate the look and field of the ballparks of ages past, but they just fall a bit short. Granted I wouldn't trade Riverfront Stadium for Great American Ballpark, but I might trade Great American for Crosley Field if only for a moment.

Another pickup for the Man Cave

So I made another purchase for the man cave yesterday. I was able to snag a panoramic print of Great American Ball Park and I should be receiving it in the mail within the week! Now all I need are a few more prints, a couple of pennants, and another autographed jersey and I should be all set. On another note, it's hard to imagine that the 2011 baseball season is coming to an end (hopefully tonight - GO RANGERS!) and for a season that was to hold much promise for the Reds, it just wasn't the case. But I'm curious to know from my readers... is there anything that happened this baseball season that makes it more memorable than any other? Curious about your thoughts.

I just bought me a ballpark!

Well, a little replica of one anyway. One of the things I miss about living in Cincinnati is the fact that whenever there's a giveaway at the ballpark, the only way for me to pick it up is to either get a ticket to the game and drive four hours down I-71 or go to ebay and buy it from someone else. Option one I only use sparingly if it's a game I really want to see since I limit myself to going to watch a game at a ballpark only a couple of times a year. I was very happy to finally snag this on ebay over the weekend since I've always wanted to add this to my memorabilia collection. I still have a few bobbleheads and a seat from Crosley Field to pick up, but after that, it's strictly cards from that point forward. Stadium giveaways are so sweet!