Royalty is returning to the Midwest for another Sports Travelers Reunion to start August!

Here's the game plan:

I'm flying to Detroit on Delta Airlines. I leave New York LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, August 1st at 6AM Eastern Time, I arrive in Motown 7:50AM Eastern Time if all goes well. Upon arrival, I'm renting a car for five days from Payless Car Rental. I plan to start my visit off with a pit stop to Bob's Big Boy which is a few miles from the airport so I can have a hearty breakfast to start my day off right. When I'm done, I'm going to drive to downtown so I can get ready for baseball that afternoon. After the game, I'll be driving towards Chicago. I'll be stopping off in Lansing, Michigan where I plan to see a minor league baseball game that night. Afterwards, I'll be continuing on to Portage, Indiana where I hope to get a good night sleep. Thursday morning I'll finish driving to the South side of the Windy City where I plan to plan to meet up with some other sports travelers at Guaranteed Rate Field. After that game, I plan to drive over to North side to see another game at historic Wrigley Field that night with more sports travelers. Friday morning I plan to stop off at The Point Pancake House in Gurnee, Illinois so I can have a royal breakfast to start my Friday off right before I take a ride back to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where I have a meet up arranged that afternoon at a local pub & grill called Oscar's. After that social gathering, we're all going to head over to Miller Park to see a baseball game together that night. After the game, I'm driving 200 miles to Dyersville, Iowa to sleep so I can be ready to go for the main event of this getaway. That being going to the site of the famous movie, Field of Dreams which I still haven't seen believe it or not. That will change that night when we're there. Before that we have a day filled with festivities that were arranged by Tim Parks, the founder of the MLB Passport Book including a cookout & a softball game on the actual field of the movie site. It's going to an amazing time for those of us of all ages who can find a way to get there. If anyone in the Stampeder group needs a ride or a place to stay, please get in contact with me. I'm here to help make it happen for you. Sunday I plan to see more sports travelers hopefully for breakfast before I head over to Clinton, Iowa to see another minor league game that afternoon. After the game, I plan to drive back towards Detroit so I can be in position to catch my flight home to NYC on Monday at 12:04PM. If all goes well I plan to land at LaGuardia Airport at 1:59PM if I don't get delayed for any reason.     
 
Wednesday August 1st Reds at Tigers 1:10PM Eastern Time

                                        South Bend Cubs at Lansing Lugnuts 7:05PM

Thursday August 2nd Royals at White Sox 1:10PM Central Time

                                      Padres at Cubs 7:05PM Central Time 
                            
Friday August 3rd Rockies at Brewers 7:10PM Central Time 

Saturday August 4th Field of Dreams Movie Site

Sunday August 5th Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Clinton LumberKings 12 Noon Central Time Doubleheader
                                                                                     
If you're interested in going on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join me & many other people I plan to meet out there.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is heading to Milwaukee for a Reunion of Sports Travelers in July!

Here's the game plan:

I'm flying to Chicago on Southwest Airlines. I leave New York LaGuardia Airport on Thursday, July 19th at 9:45AM Eastern Time, I arrive in Chicago at Midway Airport at 11:15AM Central Time if all goes well. Upon arrival, I'm renting a car for three days from Alamo Rent A Car. I plan to spend that Thursday in the Windy City. Friday morning I plan to stop off at The Point Pancake House in Gurnee, Illinois so I can have a royal breakfast to start my Friday off right before I take a ride up To Green Bay, Wisconsin to possibly take a tour of Lambeau Field if time allows before I go to see a minor league baseball game in Appleton that night. I'll be driving back to the Milwaukee area to sleep so I can be ready to go for the main event of this getaway. That being the 5th annual Ballpark Chaser Meet Up. See the link below for further details.
   
I plan to hang out with whoever isn't worn out from the day long festivities since I have to catch a flight home out of Chicago Midway at 6AM Central Time Sunday morning. I rather wait until I get home to catch up on sleep. I should land at 9AM Eastern Time if I don't get delayed for any reason.    
 
Thursday July 19th Cardinals at Cubs 6:05PM Central Time

Friday July 20th Dayton Dragons at Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 7:05PM Central Time
                            
Saturday July 21st 5th Annual Ballpark Chasers Meet Up                                                                      

                                  Dodgers at Brewers 6:10PM Central Time 

If you're interested in going on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join me & many other people I plan to meet out there.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is going to Chicago, Minneapolis & Milwaukee over Labor Day weekend!

2016 World Series Champions - Chicago Cubs

Here's the game plan:

The King, David Rothenberg aka Swag Man & I are flying to Chicago O'Hare Airport on American Airlines. We leave New York LaGuardia Airport on Friday, September 1st at 7:30AM Eastern Time, we arrive in Chicagoland at 9:09AM Central Time if we're not delayed for any reason. Upon arrival, I'm renting a car from Budget Rent A Car for the weekend. We'll be staying in Chicago for the day. After the doubleheader of baseball we have, we'll be driving towards the Twin Cities so we can be closer. I prefer to avoid any construction delays if possible. After the game in Minneapolis, we're driving to Madison, Wisconsin to spend the night before we continue on to Milwaukee Sunday. After the game there, we'll return to the Second City. We fly back home Sunday night. Our flight departs Chicago O'Hare Airport at 8:30PM Central Time. We're scheduled to land at 11:36PM Eastern Time at LaGuardia Airport if all goes well.    

Friday September 1st Braves at Cubs 1:20PM Central Time

                                     Rays at White Sox 7:10PM Central Time
                              
Saturday September 2nd Royals at Twins 6:10PM Central Time
                                                
Sunday September 3rd Nationals at Brewers 1:10PM Central Time

If you're interested in going or meeting up with us on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join us. We will be meeting some very special guests along the way which will only enhance the experience.  

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is hitting the road again to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Buffalo, Cleveland, & Pittsburgh over Memorial Day Weekend!

Here's the game plan:

I'm renting a car from Enterprise Rent A Car on Friday morning to start Memorial Day weekend off right.

I'll be driving up North of the Border to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Buffalo, Cleveland & Pittsburgh to see some Major League Baseball games before returning to NYC early Monday morning. My pal Mike Carroll aka Sabre Mike as we call him is joining me as is my pal John Newkirk. In addition, I plan to see our pals Andrew Kulyk & Peter Farrell aka USRT who live in Buffalo along the way either in Toronto and/or in Buffalo for dinner Saturday night. Furthermore, due to a change in plans, another sports traveler, Paul Nieuwland who lives in Mississauga, Ontario which is a suburb of Toronto won't be able to join us now. Moreover, Sunday we'll be joined by our pal, Scott Bultman who's driving from Indianapolis to spend the day with royalty in Cleveland & Pittsburgh. 
             
Friday May 26th Columbus Crew at Toronto FC 7PM

Saturday May 27th Rangers at Blue Jays 1:07PM                                  

Sunday May 28th Royals at Indians 1:10PM

                              Mets at Pirates 8:05PM

Monday May 29th Brewers at Mets 4:10PM
           
If you're interested in going on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join Mike, John & I as well as the rest of the very special guests we're meeting along the way.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is heading to out to the Midwest to start the new baseball season!

Here's the game plan:

I'm renting a car from Avis for the first week of April.

I'll be driving out to Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Cleveland, Cincinnati & Columbus, Ohio to see some major league & minor league baseball to start the baseball season before returning to NYC early Friday morning in time to be at Opening Day at Citi Field that afternoon.

Sunday April 3rd Cardinals at Pirates 1:05PM Opening Day

Monday April 4th Giants at Brewers 1:10PM Central Time Opening Day

Tuesday April 5th Mets at Royals 3:15PM Central Time

Wednesday April 6th Red Sox at Indians 6:10PM 

Thursday April 7th Phillies at Reds 12:35PM

                                 Indianapolis Indians at Columbus Clippers 6:35PM Opening Night

Friday April 8th Phillies at Mets 1:10PM Home Opener

                           Erie Seawolves at Trenton Thunder 7PM
                
If you're interested in going on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join the King & I.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is heading to out to the Midwest to see baseball over Fourth of July weekend!

Here's the game plan:

I'm renting a car from Avis for the first week of July.

We'll be driving out to Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Reading, Pennsylvania & Washington DC to see some major league & minor league baseball over the weekend before returning to NYC late Monday night.

Thursday July 2nd Cubs at Mets 1:10PM

                               Rangers at Orioles 7:05PM

Friday July 3rd Marlins at Cubs 1:20PM Central Time

                          Orioles at White Sox 7:10PM Central Time

Saturday July 4th Orioles at White Sox 1:10PM Central Time

                             Marlins at Cubs 6:15PM Central Time

Sunday, July 5th Brewers at Reds 1:10PM

Monday, July 6th Trenton Thunder at Reading Fightin Phils 9:35AM

                             Reds at Nationals 7:05PM
                
If you're interested in going on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join the King & I.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty returns to Wrigley Field & Miller Park over last weekend of June!‏

On Saturday June 28th, after we saw Gio Gonzalez dominate the Cubs in game one of the day/night doubleheader, the King & I went to a place called Deuces & the Diamond Club in Wrigleyville with Tike & Dawn Narry. Tike went there the day before & he said they had great food. Once I heard that, I didn't question the choice. We weren't disappointed either. The King & I had burgers which were excellent. They came with sea salt fries too. We also enjoyed a few beers before headed back to Wrigley Field for game two of the doubleheader.

Tike arranged to get us a block of tickets together in aisle 524 which was just to the right of the press box. We had a nice view of the action despite a slight distraction from a pole that was blocking part of the view. That's the beauty of the old time ballparks from back in the day. We looked around the pole & we saw the game just fine.   

View from Aisle 524

As for the game we saw, the Nationals went on to beat the Cubs, 7-2. With the victory, Blake Treinen got his first major league win. In addition, we did get a visit from a fellow ballpark chaser who came to the game with some friends of his who drove from Toronto. I'm referring to Paul Nieuwland who I arranged to get Yankee & Met tickets for in NYC during the first week of July. It worked out well when he told me he was going to be at that game. As a result, we were able to make the exchange there. Shortly after he left us, the sky opened up & we had a 55 minute rain delay. Even though, we were undercover, we were forced to walk down to the walkway between the seats in the upper level since the rain was blowing so hard thanks to the gutsy winds. Luckily we were able to stay relatively dry. Once the rain cleared out, the game resumed. 

Tarp on the field during rain delay

After the game, we went back to the Flat in Wrigleyville where we spent the night. 

Sunday morning we got up, packed our bags & we all headed to Milwaukee‎ where we went to see the Brewers play the Rockies at Miller Park that afternoon. It should be noted that game was a personal milestone  for Tike. It was his 1,000th live baseball game. I'm glad that we were able to take part in his special occasion.

On the way there, we stopped off at The Point Pancake House for a royal breakfast. Tike & Dawn Narry drove their friends Josh & Stephanie Thurman along with  their son Brendan in a SUV that Tike rented for the day. They followed the King & I there. Scott Bultman who also stayed with us left earlier that morning. He went on his own to Milwaukee because he went to visit his family there before he went to the game. 

As for the breakfast we had, I got a skirt steak skillet which was delicious. It came with scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon & cheese all mixed together along with a few pancakes. Speaking of pancakes, Dawn ordered them. She was raving how good they were. I was so happy to hear that. Everybody else was satisfied with their generous portions of food as well. Like Tike, I aim to please. 

Skirt Steak Skillet

After we finished eating, we got back into our cars ‎& we drove to Milwaukee. We wound up meeting them at the ballpark because Tike wanted to stop at the airport to see if he could check in their bags first. 

When we got to Miller Park, the lines to go in were out of control. It was Scooter Gennett Bobblehead day for all fans. With that being said, they had a sell out crowd. What a nightmare it was to get inside. Finally after waiting a little bit, we got in.

Tike ‎& Dawn & their friends had seats downstairs while Scott, the King & I decided to sit in the upper level. During the game, Tike came up to visit us. 

View from section 422

As for the game we saw, the Rockies built an early 5-0 lead as they cruised to a 10-4 win over the Brew Crew.

After the game, we were hoping to meet up with Tike again for dinner but we couldn't figure out exactly where the restaurant they were going for dinner was. We wound up near the airport so the King & I decided to eat near there. We saw a place called Beer Belly so we went there instead. It worked out well as I got a pound of crab legs for dinner. The King had a prime rib. After we finished eating, I returned the Chevy Spark I rented for the weekend to Alamo. I only drove 186 miles but it served its purpose as it got us where we wanted to go.

We then headed to the terminal to catch our flight home on Southwest Airlines. Since our flight was leaving around the same time as Tike & Dawn's, we did see them ‎& we said our goodbyes.

Stay tuned as I plan to do a special post that will highlight our adventures in July.

‎Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is reuniting with other fellow roadtrippers in Chicago & Milwaukee over the last weekend of June!

Here's the game plan:

The King, our pal Vincent Ascanio & I are flying from LaGuardia Airport Friday morning, June 27th on Southwest Airlines to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We depart at 6:30AM Eastern Time & we land in South Milwaukee at 8AM Central Time. Upon arrival, I'm renting a car from Alamo for the weekend.

We'll be driving to Chicago where we'll be meeting up with some very special people. We're going to spend a few nights in Wrigleyville before we return to Milwaukee on Sunday. We'll be seeing baseball in legendary Wrigley Field & Miller Park. We fly back home Sunday, June 29th at 8:05PM Central Time & we're scheduled to arrive back at LaGuardia Airport at 11:15PM Eastern Time.

Friday June 27th Nationals at Cubs 3:05PM

Saturday, June 28th Nationals at Cubs 12:05PM & 6:15PM Day/Night Doubleheader

Sunday, June 29th Rockies at Brewers 1:10PM
                
If you're interested in going on this unique getaway just let me know so I can arrange to have you join us.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is on the road again over the first weekend in June!

Here's the game plan:

The King is renting a car from Dollar Rent A Car for the first week of June.

We'll be driving us out to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Reading, Pennsylvania & Baltimore to see some major league & minor league baseball over the weekend before returning to NYC late Monday night.

Saturday June 7th Brewers at Pirates 4:05PM

Sunday, June 8th Phillies at Reds 1:10PM

Monday, June 9th Richmond Flying Squirrels at Reading Fightin Phils 9:35AM

                             Red Sox at Orioles 7:05PM
                
If you're interested in going on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join the King & I.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 9/23 in review

Monday night after work I came home & I made myself dinner before I went around the corner & did my laundry.

Tuesday night after work I went up to the Bronx to see the Yankees play the Tampa Bay Rays as they were wrapping up their last home stand of the regular season with a three game set before they went to Houston for the final weekend. It was also farewell to Mariano Rivera as he was retiring at the end of the season. When I got off the subway I went to the Court Deli Restaurant & I bought myself a corned beef sandwich to take into Yankee Stadium.

When I got to the Stadium there was a mob of people looking to go inside. It was Mariano Rivera bobblehead doll night for the first 18,000 fans who entered the ballpark. Due to a transportation issue, the bobbleheads weren't at the ballpark when the gates opened. While they waited for them to arrive, the Yankees gave out a voucher to those who were able to get inside before they ran out of them. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't one of the lucky ones. I wasn't alone. There were many disgruntled fans at the guest services booth inside gate 6 in right field when I was trying to get my ballpark pass-port book stamped. I really didn't care if I got a bobblehead doll or not. There were plenty of other people who did but they got turned away when they ran of the vouchers which people were able to exchange during the game once they made an announcement that they finally arrived. I heard rumors that the people in the legends seats got theirs delivered to them by Yankee Stadium employees. Everyday people like myself got treated like second class citizens. That's just the way it is. In all fairness, they should given out the bobbleheads to all fans in attendance. That way if you were able to come to the ballpark that night you got rewarded with a bobblehead doll. That is the case in some ballparks but not here in the Bronx. After I survived the chaos in the Great Hall, I took the elevator upstairs like I always do.

When I finally arrived at my seat in section 420B row 7, I was greeted by William Frank Guthrie & Larry Peim who were present & accounted for that night. They both got vouchers since they were able to get to the ballpark early. However, they still had to go all the way out to left field to pick up their bobblehead dolls. I was told the line was wrapped around the ramps. It was a total inconvenience for those who indeed got the vouchers. With that being said, I'm glad I didn't get one. In that regard, I consider myself lucky. It wouldn't have been worth the hassle to miss part of the game just to get the bobblehead doll even if it was Mariano Rivera. I heard they were instantly being sold on e-bay for $65-$100 each. I wouldn't have minded getting the money for it if I was able to get one. I mainly came to see the game first & foremost. If I got a bobblehead it would have been a bonus for me.

Speaking of the game, it didn't start off well for the Yankees as the Rays scored three runs off of Yankee starter Hiroki Kuroda in the first inning which included a lead off home run by Matt Joyce. It was a pop up that landed on the porch in right field. The Rays added insult to injury as they went on to beat the Yankees, 7-0. By doing so, they pushed the Yankees closer to the brink of elimination.

Wednesday night after work I returned to the Bronx for game two of the three game series between the Yankees & the Rays. Before I went into the Stadium, I stopped off at Burger King for dinner.
When I made up to my seat that night, I was joined by my pal Rich Wolber aka Staten Island Rich & fellow sports traveler Charlie O'Reilly who was also there.

As for the game we saw, the Rays had their hitting shoes on again as they beat the Yankees, 8-3. David Price started the game for the Rays & he threw seven strong innings allowing just two runs. He was aided by teammate Evan Longoria who hit two home runs, a three run blast in the sixth inning & a solo shot in the ninth for good measure. As a result, the Yankees were officially eliminated from the postseason for only the second time in 19 years. The other time they were knocked out was in 2008 that was the last year of the old Stadium that was across the street. The irony this time is that Andy Pettitte & Mariano Rivera are both retiring.

Thursday night after work I decided to pass up the opportunity to see Mariano Rivera's last game at Yankee Stadium. Instead I decided to go to Citi Field since the Mets were also home as they opened a four game season ending series with the Milwaukee Brewers. By doing so, I got to say hello to my pal Sam Citron upon entry to the Rotunda. In addition, I decided to have dinner at Shake Shack out in the area beyond the Apple in center field. It was a wise decision since there was nobody on line like they're normally is. I wound up getting myself a double cheese burger, an order of fries & a vanilla shake for $21.50. Thankfully I had some Citi Tuesday cards left over so I decided to splurge. It was really good but I don't think it's worth the money they charge for it. When I got done, I walked around to the other side of the ballpark then I took the elevator up to my usual perch on the promenade level. On this night I sat in section 515 along with Alan Gimpel, Frank Anichiarico, Pat Gorman, Vincent Ascanio & Manny Morales. Of course the King was also present & accounted for. In addition, later in the game I got a special visit from another ballpark chaser who happens to live on the Upper West Side here in NYC. I'm referring to David Schaffer who came up to meet & greet me. He said he was sitting downstairs on the field level with people he went to college with at Albany back in the day. I want to personally thank him for coming up. It was an absolute pleasure to meet & greet him. We got to exchange different travel stories from some of our adventures over the years. I hope our paths cross more often in the future.

As for the game we saw, the Brewers went on to beat the Mets, 4-2 in front of a sparse crowd who showed up that night. It was nice & relaxing to be there as opposed to the Bronx where it was jam packed due to Mariano Rivera's last game at Yankee Stadium.

Rose honored at Citi Field before the game

Friday night after work I returned to Citi Field for game two of the four game series with the Brewers. This time after I saw Sam I went up to field level. I stayed there before the game started because a lady I know from going there all the time named Rose was being honored as for being team member of the year. She's such a nice person who definitely deserved to be recognized & she was. When she walked back into the stands I got her attention from a distance. After that, I went upstairs & I bought myself a few slices of pizza from Two Boots which is really good as well.

When I finished eating I went up to section 515 where I met up with Alan Gimpel, Al Linderman, Pat Gorman, Frank Anichiarico & Michael Carson.

As for the game we saw, the Mets fell to the Brewers again, 4-2. After the game, the King, Bryan Gilligan, Frank Anichiarico & I went to Donovan's Pub where we met up with Charlie Casiano, the King's brother for a post game meal.

Saturday afternoon the King & I got to Citi Field early because it was season ticket holder appreciation day. We got to partake in a gathering in the center field area where they served us food & soft drinks. It was a nice social get together. When we got done we went upstairs to section 516 where we met up with some special guests. I'm talking about the King's father, Miguel Casiano who was celebrating his 83rd birthday along with his son & the King's brother, Charlie. In addition, Pat Gorman, Manny Morales, Marc Beck & Alan Gimpel were on hand for the festivities.

As for the game we saw, the Brewers beat the Mets again, 4-2 in ten innings as former Met Carlos Gomez delivered the game winning hit to give the Brewers the lead & Yuniesky Betancourt got a hit to provide insurance just in case.

After the game, we went to Donovan's Pub again to celebrate the special occasion which turned out to be a family reunion as Susan Casiano, their sister joined us for the post game celebration. It turned out to be quite a day.

Mike Piazza gets inducted into Mets Hall of Fame

Sunday afternoon the King & I returned to Citi Field for the last time this season as the Mets closed out the season by honoring former Met catcher Mike Piazza who was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame that afternoon. As a result, there was a rare capacity crowd on hand to salute him.

As for people we knew, we had Mike Carroll, Michael Carson & Alan Gimpel there with us. In addition, a few fellow ballpark chasers who I met at Citi Field in the beginning of August were back. I'm referring to Stephanie aka Snarky Mamacita & her boyfriend Todd Dupee. It was nice to see them both again.

As for the game we saw, the Mets managed to salvage a game after losing the first three games of the series. The Mets took advantage of a few costly errors by the Brewers in the bottom of the eighth inning which helped the Mets score a pair of runs as they beat the Brewers, 3-2 to end the season on a high note.

Stay tuned for a number of special posts that will go into detail about my adventurous month of October.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty meets up with fellow roadtripper Dave Block aka the Gratitude Guy in Milwaukee!

After the King & I survived the 15 inning marathon game at Citi Field on Fourth of July, we made our way out towards Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We went to McDonald's to get some food to take out after the game. We ate it in the car as we finally got to escape from New York.

We wound up stopping in Maumee, Ohio which is just outside of Toledo just after 2AM Eastern Time. We stayed at Days Inn. By doing so, we had 340 miles left to drive to Milwaukee on Friday July 5th. Thankfully we were gaining an hour due to the time zone change. We got some sleep and then we woke up in the morning & we went to Waffle House which was nearby before we got back on the highway finish the mission.

We finally arrived in Oak Creek, Wisconsin which is a suburb of Milwaukee around 4:30PM Central Time. It's also right up the road from the airport. We went to MainStay Suites where we met up with fellow roadtripper and huge fan of ours, Dave Block aka the Gratitude Guy. Dave was able to get us a royal deal at the hotel so we all got to split the expense. It worked out really well. He had arrived earlier in the day as he flew in from San Diego where he lives to join us for the weekend. As a result, he was able to check in to the hotel early. We went inside and we dropped off our bags.

Branded Steer

Once we got situated, we went next door to have a pre game dinner at the Branded Steer, a Wood Grill Rotisserie & Saloon before I drove us all to Miller Park which was ten miles away to see the Brewers host the Mets. As for our meal, it was excellent. We ordered chicken wings which were delicious as an appetizer. I then had wood grilled salmon for my main course. The King ordered pork chops and Dave had ribs. We were all very satisfied customers. It was a perfect way to cap off a long tiring day.

Prince at Miller Park

When we got done, we went to Miller Park. We got there with just enough time to spare. We wound up sitting in the upper deck in section 423 behind home plate. We sat down and we relaxed. Shortly thereafter, we got a surprise visit from our pal Marc Beck from NYC who was also at the game with his wife and daughter. It was so nice of him to come up and spend some time with us.

As for the game we saw, the Mets and the Brewers played another long game. The Mets eventually won, 12-5. Zack Wheeler pitched and he struggled to get through five innings. He did pick up the win. In addition, he also got his first major league hit in the third inning. The bottom line is a win is a win. After suffering the day before at Citi Field, we'll take it. Quite amazingly, we drove 895 miles to see it.

Stay tuned as I'm going to do another special post as our weekend getaway continued through the Midwest.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is heading out to the Midwest over Fourth of July weekend to see some baseball!

Here's the game plan:

I'm renting a car from Dollar Rent a Car by LaGuardia airport for Fourth of July weekend.

The King and I will be leaving from Citi Field after the Mets/Diamondbacks game on July 4th at 1:10PM, then we'll be driving to out to Milwaukee, Chicago & Cincinnati, Ohio to see some major league baseball over the holiday weekend before returning to NYC very late Sunday night/Monday morning.

Friday, July 5th Mets at Brewers 7:10PM Central Time

Saturday July 6th Pirates at Cubs 3:05PM Central Time

Sunday, July 7th Mariners at Reds 1:10PM Eastern Time

If you're interested in going on this exclusive getaway royalty style just let me know so I can arrange to have you join me.

It's going to be a blast so why not come for a "royal" ride.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees the Yankees play the Red Sox and also goes to Philadelphia to see more baseball over the weekend!

Friday night after work I went up to the Bronx to see the Yankees open up a three game weekend series with their division rival, the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Before I went inside, I stopped off at Burger King for a light dinner with my pal Vincent Ascanio who I met there.

The beardless King

After we ate, we went to the Stadium and we met up with our pal William Frank Guthrie who was also there along with our other buddy Pat Gorman. Shortly thereafter, I did a double take. The beardless King was present & accounted for. Wow, what a difference a day makes. He was sitting with our friend Bryan Gilligan at the time.

As for the game we saw, the Yankees got back a few players who were out due to injuries. I'm referring to Mark Teixeira who was making his season debut at first base and former Red Sox Kevin Youkilis who also returned to the line up. After getting swept by the Mets in the Subway Series, the Yankees were hoping to get back on the beam. They had their ace, CC Sabathia on the mound. CC answered the call as he pitched seven and a third innings allowing just one run and he struck out ten. The Yankees got a few run scoring singles in the second inning off Red Sox' starter Jon Lester to take a 2-0 lead. They added another run in the fifth inning as Kevin Youkilis got a clutch two out single to make it 3-0. The Red Sox broke up the shutout in the seventh as Mike Napoli doubled in a run to make it 3-1. The Yankees answered back as Brett Gardner drove in a run to make it 4-1. Mariano Rivera came on in the ninth inning and he closed it out to earn his 19th save of the season and his 628th of his career.

After the game, Bryan drove the King and I to Donovan's Pub in Woodside, Queens so we could have our post game meal together. I contacted the King's brother Charlie and he joined us for the festivities as did our pal Frank Anichiarico. It was so funny because Charlie didn't recognize him at first. Once things settled down, we sat and enjoyed our food and drinks.

Charlie Casiano  & The beardless King

Saturday during the day I was able to clean up the house and then I went out and I did my laundry as well. When I got done, I made dinner for myself. After I ate, I went up to Yankee Stadium for game two of the series between the Yankees and the Red Sox. It was a rare Saturday night game in the Bronx because Fox was doing the game.


When I got up to my seat in section 420B, I saw William Frank Guthrie who was there again. I was pleasantly surprised. I barely made the first pitch due to the horrible service that the MTA provides us on the weekends here in NYC.

As for the game we saw, the Red Sox got even. In the third inning, they got a grand slam from Mike Napoli which capped off a five run outburst which set the tone against starter Phil Hughes. The Yankees broke the shutout in the fourth inning as they got a run courtesy of a sacrifice fly from catcher Chris Stewart to make it 5-1. In the eighth inning, left fielder Daniel Nava hit a three run homer off reliever Adam Warren to make it an 8-1 game. In the ninth inning, the Red Sox tacked on three more including one on a home run from Stephen Drew as they cruised to an 11-1 victory.

Sunday morning the King and I played softball. Our pal Bryan Gilligan met us at the field along with our pal Frank Anichiarico. Bryan then drove us all to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia where the Phillies were hosting the Milwaukee Brewers. Our friend Frankie Centola mailed us four tickets for the game. We wound up meeting up with his brother Nicky who was also there. It was nice to see him again.

As for the game we saw, the Phillies jumped on the Brewers in the first inning after they had two outs. Jimmy Rollins doubled, Ryan Howard walked and red hot Domonic Brown hit a three run homer to right field to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. John Mayberry Jr. followed with a single, catcher Erik Kratz doubled him in to make it 4-0. Third baseman Freddy Galvis then tripled to make it 5-0. Pitcher Cliff Lee flew out to finally end the inning. The Phillies added two more runs in the second inning as Cliff Lee cruised along until the eighth inning when he gave up four hits that were sandwiched by a double play ball. He was taken out after throwing seven and two thirds. He dominated the Brewers as he struck out eleven of them. The Phillies' bullpen managed to hold off a late Brewer surge as the Phillies won the game, 7-5.

After the game, Bryan drove us back to Yankee Stadium for the rubber match between the Yankees and the Red Sox. We got back with time to spare for the scheduled 8:05PM start. Unfortunately due to the threat of rain in the area, the start of the game was delayed. They finally decided to start the game 45 minutes late at 8:50PM. They over reacted because it didn't rain while they covered the field.

As for the game we saw, it was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when the Red Sox scored the game's first run. Mike Napoli hit into a fielder's choIce that plated the run against Yankees' starter Hiroki Kuroda. In the top of the fifth inning, third baseman Jose Iglesias hit a solo home run to left field to make it 2-0. In the top of the sixth, David Ortiz hit a blast to right centerfield to extend the lead to 3-0. A few batters later, the sky opened up. As a result, the tarp was put back on the field. Since it was almost 11PM at that point I decided to leave so I could get home since I had to go to work in the morning. The King decided to hang around since he had nothing better to do. They wound up resuming the game 37 minutes later. They finished the top of the sixth inning in a matter of minutes he said. Shortly thereafter, the rain returned. With that being said, they decided to call off the game. Since it was official, the Red Sox got a 3-0 rain shortened victory.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty does the Chicago/Milwaukee shuttle to start the Labor Day weekend Part 1!

New Video Board at Wrigley Field

Friday morning the King and I went to Dollar Rent A Car to return the car I rented for the day to take him to Philadelphia after he officially finished his last day of work at the Post Office at Grand Central Station.

After we returned the car, we took the courtesy shuttle bus to LaGuardia airport which is right nearby. We got dropped off at the Central terminal where Air Tran Airways is located. We arrived there with plenty of time to catch our 7:25AM flight to Milwaukee.

You may be asking why did we fly into Milwaukee instead of Chicago since we were going to Wrigley Field first. Well when cost cutting is top priority you need to look at all your options to make them work out so it can be affordable, effective and efficient. Since I have so much experience from all the traveling I've done over the years I know driving an extra 80 miles or so each way won't hurt me especially when I can save some money in the process.

We usually fly into Chicago O'Hare airport but this time I decided that when I saw the additional cost of the flights coupled with renting of a car in Chicago compared to Milwaukee it was a no brainer to do it the royal way. We did this once before a few years back so I knew exactly when I needed to do to make it happen without a hassle.

As Chuck Booth, travel expert and Guinness Book of World Records holder of seeing all 30 current MLB ballparks in 23 days says and I quote "Milwaukee is the cheapest city to rent a car in." I remember that being the case the few times I've had to rent there in the past. I know when he reads this he's going to be proud of me. He does extensive research like me and he knows many tricks of the trade.

As for the King and I, we landed in Milwaukee nice and early thanks to Air Tran Airways for making sure we got our money's worth and then some. We saved some money flying there and we even got in early too. We landed at 8:35AM Central Time which was ten minutes before our expected arrival time. In addition, the airport in Milwaukee is nice and relaxing compared to Chicago O'Hare which is gigantic and very crowded all the time.

After we got ourselves together we walked over to Hertz to pick up the car I reserved. As a Club Gold member I had my name in lights on the board which was pretty cool. I wound up getting a small car, an Chevy Aveo which was perfect for this getaway since it was just the King and I. It looked like a matchbox car but it served it's purpose and that's all that matters.

We left the airport and we headed towards Chicago to go to Wrigley Field. Since we had a lot of time to kill we decided to avoid the tolls and the construction on I-94 so we stayed on US 41 when it split up with I-94 right near Six Flags in Gurnee, Illinois which is about halfway to Chicago from Milwaukee.

We stopped off at The Point Pancake House which is a great place to have breakfast and/or lunch since they only stay open from 6AM-3PM everyday. It should be noted that the sign outside said that they're excited to now offer gluten free pancakes. Being able to go there was an added bonus of flying into Milwaukee to start the journey.

As for me, I had my usual pork chops and made to order eggs breakfast along with pancakes and a cup of fruit. It was excellent.

After we finished eating we got back into the car and off to Wrigley Field aka baseball heaven we went. We arrived in Wrigleyville as they affectionately call it just before Noon Central Time. With the game starting at 1:20PM there we had plenty of time to get ready. We walked around the outside of the ballpark as well as the inside. The ballpark is one of a kind. This was my 75th game there. I've seen at least one there every year since 1988. I can't wait to go back next year again.

As for the game we saw, the Cubs played the San Francisco Giants who are battling for first place in the West division. As for the Cubs aka the lovable losers it's been a lost season. They started poorly and they never recovered.

The Cubs quite amazingly jumped out to a fast start as they lit up Giants starter Madison Bumgarner for five runs in four innings as they built up a 6-1 lead. The Giants made a comeback but they fell short as the Cubs held on for the victory, 6-4. Alfonso Soriano lead the way with a few hits including a home run and he drove in three runs to pace the baby bears on this day.

After the game, we went back to the car which was parked in the neighborhood on the street. We drove on the local streets as we angled towards US 41 and I-94 so we could go back to Milwaukee to see the Pittsburgh Pirates play the Brewers at Miller Park at 7:10PM.

We arrived at 6:52PM on the street which was within walking distance from Miller Park. We once again avoided paying to park.

The King and I walked over to hopefully get to the game on time. Since we didn't have tickets the challenge was really on. Upon arrival, I found someone who had an extra ticket he wanted $10 so I told him I'll give him $5 and thankfully he took it. A few minutes later, another guy had a sheet of paper and he wanted a beer inside. I called the King over. The guy told him just give me $5 so he did and we raced in just in time for the 7:10PM first pitch. We watched it from downstairs then we went up to the upper deck to our usual perch right behind home plate.

As for the game we saw, the Pirates who have been reeling lately continued their slide as the Brewers turned up the offense on them. In the bottom of the first inning, Corey Hart hit a two run home run to cap off a four run inning to set the tone for the rest of the evening as the Brewers cruised to an easy 9-3 decision. It should be noted that Pirates' starter and former Yankee Jeff Karstens left the game due to an injury.

When he got hurt it gave the King and I some time to get ourselves some brats which are a tradition in Milwaukee. They were so good.

Despite the lack of a competitive game on the field, the Brewer game experience can't be beat. Between the famous Sausage race they have, Bernie Brewer and roll out the barrel they entertain people of all ages.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Chicago/Milwaukee as well as the rest of this classic weekend getaway.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty is going back to Chicago and Milwaukee over Labor Day Weekend!

Here's the game plan:

Friday, August 31st

The King and I are flying into Milwaukee General Airport in the morning. We leave NY LaGuardia airport at 7:25AM Eastern Time. We arrive on Air Tran Airways in Brewtown at 8:40AM Central Time. Upon arrival, I'll be renting a car from Hertz for the weekend.

As for the games we're planning to see, they are as follows:

Giants at Cubs 1:20PM

Pirates at Brewers 7:10PM

Saturday, September 1st

Giants at Cubs 12:05PM

Pirates at Brewers 6:10PM

Sunday, September 2nd

Giants at Cubs 1:20PM

Peoria Chiefs at Kane County Cougars 6:30PM

Monday, September 3rd

Peoria Chiefs at Kane County Cougars 1PM

Twins at White Sox 6:10PM

Tuesday, September 4th

We're flying home from Milwaukee.

Our flight leaves Milwaukee at 7:45AM Central Time and arrives at NY LaGuardia at 10:49AM Eastern Time.

This is going to be another royal blast to the Midwest.

If  you want to join us let me know so I can help make it happen.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 6/27 in review

"Bay Day" at Citi Field

After going home Monday night after work, I was well rested to head up to the Bronx after work Tuesday night to see the Milwaukee Brewers visit the Yankees for the first time since 1997.

If you remember the Brewers used to be an American League team. In 1998, they switched over to the National League.

The Brewers were in first place when they arrived in the Bronx. With that being said, I expected to see a good game. It turned out I was wrong. The Yankees went on to destroy the Brewers, 12-2.

They looked more like a Little League team as my boy Vincent Ascanio who was in the house along with his pal and big fan of royalty, Michael Longo in the "royal box" said.

We go to games hoping to see well played ones. From the Brewer standpoint, this was a disgraceful performance.

At least the company was good and that's all that really matters to me in the end.

Wednesday night I back to the Bronx to see if the Brewers could resemble a major league team. They were slightly improved. This time they lost 5-2 to the Yankees.

The highlight of this night was once again not on the playing field.

I managed to meet up with a few of the Ballpark Boys who were visiting Yankee Stadium. The King and I met Jack Wilson and Kellan Larsen. When they saw the King's notebook of games attended this year and his lifetime totals, they were in stunned disbelief.

They're in the midst of a dream trip seeing a game in every major league ballpark this summer.

These four 18 year old boys are from Seattle, Washington. They just graduated high school and they're driving all over the country. They started on June 11th and they plan to finish the excursion on August 4th at Safeco Field.

They have a website, http://boysofsummer2011.com/ and you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter @BallparkBoys_11. Check out their schedule and hopefully you meet up with them if they come to a ballpark near you.

Thursday night I went home after work since the Yankees wrapped up their series with the Brewers that afternoon. In case you were wondering the Brewers got swept away.

I felt bad for my Brewer fan club out in Milwaukee. They were there in spirit though. Unlike others, royalty remembers.

Friday night after work I went to Citi Field for part two of this year's Subway Series as the Yankees came to Queens to visit the Mets.

As for the game, the Mets lost to the Yankees, 5-1 in front of a record crowd of 42,020 which included standing room. This was the first time I remember the Mets selling standing room for a game.

Royalty had company as Vincent Ascanio was present and accounted for. So was Martin Caamano. Last but definitely not least an old friend, Mark Kozminsky who I grew up with stopped by seat in section 516 row 3 to say hello before the game. It was great to see him again after all these years.

Saturday afternoon I went back to Citi Field for more. This time the Mets scored two runs and they lost again, 5-2 in front of a new record as 22 more people showed up at the ballyard. This time they announced a crowd of 42,042.

At least we had additional company there with us. Besides Vincent Ascanio and Martin Caamano who were back too, we had our good friend Manny Morales as well as Manny Bonilla and Arjun Lal too.

Sunday afternoon I went back to Citi Field hoping the Mets could find a way to salvage a game and avoid being swept.

It was a long day thanks to mother nature and stupid decision making by the Mets and/or the umpires. This game should have started earlier since it barely rained and it had stopped raining. They decided to wait longer because of the threat of more scattered showers in the area.

The game finally got started at 2:39PM. The Mets did everything they could to torture us some more.
Luckily they managed to breakthrough on Yankee closer Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth inning. They got the tying run across the plate to tied the game at 2.

The game went into extra innings as the Mets finally found a way to win thanks to a game winning single by Jason Bay in the 10th inning at 6:04PM. Jason Bay finally decided to earn a micro fraction of his pay. It's about time.

As Mets radio announcer Howie Rose says after a Met win and I quote, "put it in the books."

Well another week in the life of royalty is also in the books.

If you want to take part in the "royal" experience in the future, please contact me so we can make it happen. It doesn't hurt to ask. I don't make promises I can't keep. If I say I'm going to do something consider it a done deal. I'm upfront and honest.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty returns to Miller Park unexpectedly thanks to mother nature!

View from Section 422

After suffering through the brutal weather Saturday night, the King and I knew the weather forecast was not going to be any better in Chicago on Sunday.

With that being said, we knew that the Brewers were also home and they were guaranteed to play their game because Miller Park has a retractable roof.

We also knew that we had enough time to get back to O'Hare airport to catch our flight home that was scheduled to depart at 8:15PM Central time.

After we got a good night sleep, we decided to take the smart way out this time. It turned out to be a great decision because Andrew Van Cleve contacted me and he said the Cub game was postponed due to rain.

As much as we wanted to go back to Wrigley Field one more time, it just wasn't meant to be.

I really wanted to see Andrew again and fellow roadtripper Bob DeVries and his fiancé Charlie Cahill were also planning to join us.

In addition, the Giants were planning to start the "Freak" Tim Lincecum.

Instead we drove towards Milwaukee. On the way, we stopped off for breakfast at The Point Pancake House in Gurnee, Illinois which is located right near Six Flags Great America and a nice shopping mall area called Gurnee Mills. It's also only 35 miles from Wrigley Field and 50 miles from Miller Park.

What a way to start our day. I had a breakfast that consisted of the following: Two center cut thick pork chops with apple sauce, two eggs, two pancakes and a bowl of fruit all for a mere $8.95. What a meal it was.

After breakfast, we proceeded to drive to Miller Park to see the Brewers play the Pittsburgh Pirates again at 1:10PM. We barely got there on time.

We wound up sitting upstairs in section 422 right behind home plate.

We got ourselves situated and we started keeping score of the game like we always do when we attend a game.

All of a sudden, a gentleman in the row behind us starting talking to the King. He noticed his notebook that he uses to keep score of all the baseball games he attends for the season.

This guy was very impressed he said. As the game went on, we spoke back and forth.

I joined in the conversation and we wound up exchanging contact information. His name was Pablo Amaya. He said he's from Milwaukee. He was with his girlfriend Allison as well as some other friends. They said they got into the parking lot at 10AM.

They had a great time together. I want to thank them all for keeping us company as they helped us make the most of our altered game plan.

I plan to take in touch with Pablo who said he has an orchestra that plays classical music. He said they've played in NYC in the past. He said he's looking to coming back again next year. I told him to let me know so we can get together.

I told him that I hope to get back to Green Bay some day to see another Packer game. I also said I want to go to see the Wisconsin Badgers play too. Pablo is a big Packer fan and surprisingly he hasn't seen them play at Lambeau Field yet. He did say he saw them when they played at County Stadium back in the day.

I look forward to returning to Milwaukee in the future. If and when we do I'll make sure I contact Pablo so he can join us.

After the game we drove back to Chicago O'Hare airport to catch our flight. We got there with plenty of time to spare. Upon arrival, we found out our flight was delayed due to the horrible weather throughout the day in the area.

We eventually took off at 9:45PM and we land around 12:45AM at New York LaGuardia airport. I proceeded to take the King home fast then I took him to the subway so he could get to work for 2AM. He barely made it. Ironically around that time is when I finally got home.

I got a few hours of sleep and I went off to work.

Another memorable weekend lived up to the hype.

In the future, if and when you're ready to go somewhere please let me know so I can make it happen for you.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty returns to Wrigley Field and Miller Park in the middle of May!

Here's the game plan:

Friday, May 13th

The King and I are flying into Chicago O'Hare airport in the morning. We leave NY LaGuardia airport at 8AM Eastern Time. We arrive on American Airlines in the Second City at 9:40AM Central Time. Upon arrival, I'll be renting a car for the weekend.

We plan to spend some quality time with fellow roadtripper Andrew Van Cleve and his family while we're there. Andrew has arranged to get us tickets for the three Cub games we'll be seeing there. In addition, we'll be driving up to Milwaukee to see the Brewers play at Miller Park.

Andrew has a great website and blog, here's the link, it's also on my blog list:

http://www.anygame-anywhere.com/

As for the games we're planning to see, they are as follows:

Giants at Cubs 1:20PM

Pirates at Brewers 7:10PM

It should be noted we're planning to meet up with another road tripper Bob DeVries and his fiance Charlie Cahill too. I had the privilege of meeting these great people over Christmas weekend when I was there for the Jets/Bears and Blue Jackets/Blackhawks doubleheader. Bob said he wanted to join us as we make our way to Milwaukee to see Miller Park again. It will be a treat to have him along with us.

Saturday, May 14th

Giants at Cubs 6:10PM (a rare night on a Saturday night no less)

Sunday, May 15th

Giants at Cubs 1:20PM

After the game we're flying home.

Our flight leaves O'Hare Airport at 8:15PM Central Time and arrives at NY LaGuardia at 11:25PM Eastern Time.

This will be another blast courtesy of Royalty.

When you're ready for a sample you know who to contact.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 9/27 in Review

Monday night after a rough day at work thanks to a lack of sleep I got a blessing in disguise thanks to mother nature. I was on my way to Citi Field when the King called me to tell me the Met game was postponed and rescheduled for a 4:10PM doubleheader Wednesday.

With that being said, I went home to catch up on some much needed rest.

Tuesday night I went to Citi Field to see the Mets play the Brewers who were making their first visit to Citi Field since April 2009 when the ballpark opened.

The Brewers like the Mets were wrapping up a disappointing season.

As for the game I saw, the starting pitchers Randy Wolf of the Brewers threw 7 good innings giving up just 2 runs. For the Mets, Mike Pelfrey pitched well giving up 3 runs in 7 and a third innings of work.
Neither starter got a decision in this one though as the bullpens took over and they wound up deciding the outcome.

The Mets were trailing 3-2 going to the bottom of the ninth inning when they made a rare dramatic comeback at Citi Field. Ike Davis led off with a double, after Nick Evans struck out, Josh Thole singled hard to left field advancing Ike Davis to third base. Second baseman Ruben Tejada wound up being the hero when he delivered a game winning double to left center field as Davis and pinch runner Luis Castillo scored all the way from first base with the winning run.

The Mets won, 4-3!

Wednesday night I arrived at Citi Field in time for the second game of the doubleheader since I was working until 5:30PM.

After a wild and long first game which the Brewers won, 8-7, I had plenty of time to relax for a change and I had dinner before arriving at Citi Field for the 8:16PM first pitch.

In the nightcap, the Brewers wound up winning again. This time by a 3-1 score.

The Brewers starter Dave Bush pitched six shutout innings to earn the victory. For the Mets, R.A. Dickey pitched well allowing one run over seven innings when Mets moronic manager Jerry Manuel decided to pinch hit for him.

In the end, the all time saves leader, Trevor Hoffman, came in to get the last three outs in the ninth inning to notch his 601st career save. Royalty doesn't put much stock in saves.

Astute baseball observers like myself know that as long as you need a "closer" these days, the best in the business is Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees.

Thursday night with mother nature potentially causing havoc again, I went back to Citi Field hoping she would cooperate and this time she did.

The Mets continuing to play out the string of their disappointing season, they secured another losing season when as they lost to the Brewers, 9-2!

Friday night which marked the start of the final weekend at Citi Field was a memorable one as the Mets once again won in their final at bat.

This time catcher Josh Thole was the man in the spotlight as he hit a game winning home run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Mets a thrilling 2-1 victory over the visiting Washington Nationals.

Saturday afternoon I was back at Citi Field for a short visit knowing that our friend Bryan Gilligan was going to drive the King and I 200 miles south to Baltimore, Maryland afterwards so we could see another baseball game at Camden Yards at 7:05PM.

With that being said, we wound up leaving Citi Field at 3:33PM after the Nationals batted in the top of the seventh inning. The game was tied at 2 when we left the building.

When we got into the car and started to make our way down south, the Mets took the lead 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning when David Wright hit a three run homer.

In the eighth inning, pinch hitter Chris Carter hit a two run home run to extend the lead to 7-2 and that's the way it ended.

Thanks to Bryan's great driving we arrived in Camden Yards just in time for the 7:06PM first pitch.

We decided to sit downstairs to get a "birds eye" view of this one. I've been to Camden Yards at least once every year since it opened back in 1992. It was the original retro ballpark model. It's like a modern day Wrigley Field. If you haven't had the privilege of going there yet to see a baseball game I strongly suggest that you do so in 2011. Needless to say, if you need any assistance in order to make it happen, Royalty is here for you when you're ready to do so. Just say the word.

As for the game, we saw a nice fast well pitched one between the visiting Detroit Tigers and the hometown Baltimore Orioles.

Both teams were playing out the string and we still saw a good crisp ballgame which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Tigers took an early 1-0 lead when third baseman Brandon Inge hit a solo home run.
The Orioles tied it up when right fielder Nick Markakis blasted a solo shot of his own.
Catcher Matt Wieters added a long sacrifice fly to give the Orioles the lead which they didn't relinquish.
The Orioles won, 2-1! The game ended two hours after it started at 9:06PM.

On the other hand, we only saw 6 and a half innings in two hours and 22 minutes at Citi Field.

Sunday I went back to Citi Field for the last time in 2010 as the Mets and Nationals took 4 hours and 14 minutes before they decided enough was enough.

Mets manager Jerry Manuel who was managing his last game waited until the 14th inning to make his smartest decision of the day. He decided to get the game over with. He brought in seldom used and highly overpaid pitcher Oliver Perez who hopefully has seen his last game as a Met despite the fact they owe him 12 million dollars for next year.

With the game tied at 1, Ollie proceeded to hit a batter and walk three others to eventually force in the winning run to give the Nationals the 2-1 victory in 14 innings.

Thank you Ollie for all the fond memories!

After spending a long windy day at Citi Field, the King and I were finally off to the New Meadowlands Stadium to see the Giants smother the Bears, 17-3 in primetime!

For all the details of that game, please check back. I'll be doing a special post.

As always, thank you for reading and following along.

I hope in the future you'll be part of the story. If you want to be, you just need to let me know and I'll make it happen.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman