Royalty goes to Gwinnett to see the other Braves play in August!‏

Welcome to the Peach State

After spending the night in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I returned to the Peach State to wrap up my weekend getaway down South. Since the Atlanta Braves had their game changed from a day game to a night game to accommodate ESPN, I decided to go to Gwinnett that afternoon instead. I knew all along that was going to happen. I didn't wait for the official announcement. I decided that it made more sense for me to fly back that Sunday night from Atlanta . I didn't want to get up extra early to go back home bright & early Monday morning since I had another busy day planned which included doing a lot more driving. As it turned out my pal Gio Gonzalez was pitching that night too since the Braves were playing the Nationals. As they say, you win some, you lose some. I made the best of the circumstances I was given.

On my way to Gwinnett which is a suburb north of Atlanta‎, I stopped off at a Waffle House where I got to enjoy a royal breakfast to start my day off right. It worked out well as I wound up pressing for time. They serve food good fast as they like to say. I was a satisfied customer. After I got done eating, I got back in the car & I  finished the drive to Lawrenceville which is the town in Gwinnett county. When I got off the highway, I had to drive a few miles to get to Coolray Field which is where the Gwinnett Braves play. They're the Triple A affiliate of their parent club, the Atlanta Braves. That day they were playing the Norfolk Tides, the Baltimore Orioles' farm team. 

 

Coolray Field, Home of the Gwinnett Braves 

Upon entry, I went to the guest services booth where I was greeted by a gentleman named Dan. He made me feel right at home. He thanked me for coming out to the game. I told him it was my first visit. He told me I'm happy you're here. After talking for a few minutes with him, I went on my merry way. He directed me to the team store since they didn't have the passport stamp at that booth anymore. He said they used to. He searched high & low before he asked a co-worker for assistance. That person told him they have it at the team store. I proceeded to go there. After I got validated, I went & I sat down behind home plate so I could relax & enjoy the game.

 

Here's my official stamp

Here I am getting ready for the game to start

As for the game I saw, the hometown Braves wound up blanking the Tides, 2-0. The Braves got a fine performance out of their starter, Mike Wright who threw seven shutout innings. The bullpen preserved the last two innings as the people who showed up got to go home happy.

After the game, I drove an hour or so to the airport which is located south of downtown. I had to maneuver around some traffic as I approached downtown Atlanta. I saw a sign that said a few lanes were closed, so I got off the highway as I noticed the traffic building up to a standstill & I drove around on the streets in the downtown area before I was able to get back on the highway to get to the airport. Since it took me longer than I expected, I decided to go right to the airport instead of stopping somewhere to have dinner along the way. I stopped off for gas right near the exit for the airport then I returned the Chevy Sonic I rented for the weekend to Hertz. I wound up driving 1,004 miles safely. I proceeded to check in for my flight on Delta Airlines. After I got through security, I saw a Bojangles' which is a fried chicken restaurant near my gate. I  decided it was "Bo time" if you will. That's what their slogan said. I sat down, relaxed & I enjoyed some more Southern Hospitality before it was time for me to depart for my flight back home. 

While I waited for my flight to leave, I got to follow the game I was missing at Turner Field in Atlanta on my phone using the MLB At Bat app. Since Gio was pitching I was following it very closely as I always do when he pitches. He struggled in the first inning. He then seemed to have settled down for the next two innings. Since it was time to take off, I couldn't follow anymore. When I landed at LaGuardia shortly after 11PM that night, I found out that Gio got roughed up. With that being said, in retrospect, I made the right decision after all. I would have loved to have seen him pitch regardless but the way it turned out I may have had more trouble sleeping.

Stay tuned for another special post I'm going to be that will recap that memorable Monday I had.

Thank you for reading ‎& following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty catches up with Gio Gonzalez at Wrigley Field at the end of June!‏

When I got to Wrigley Field on Friday, June 27th I was wearing my personalized Gio Gonzalez jersey that he gave me last September at Citi Field proudly. On April 2nd, I saw him warm up in the bullpen before his first start of the season as the Nationals came to Queens again to play the Mets. When he got done, he surprised me by throwing me up the ball he warmed up with. When I walked into the Friendly Confines, I went near the Nationals' bullpen to watch batting practice. I noticed Gio standing in the outfield. I yelled out to him. I thought he heard me. Apparently he didn't. After batting practice ended, I was surprised that he ran into the clubhouse with the rest of his teammates.

After the game, I decided to go out to the right field gate since that's where the Nationals' bus was going to load up from. My pal Scott Bultman who was there the night before told me that Gio didn't take the team bus. Someone told him that. Since Gio was scheduled to pitch game one of the doubleheader Saturday, I figured in order to see him I needed to wait for the team to come out. My persistence usually pays off. After waiting a short time, I noticed some players including Stephen Strasburg who boarded the bus. On the concourse area, I saw Gio standing around talking to a few people. I got his attention. He waved his hand hinting that he'll be out soon. It turned out that he was waiting for a car service to pick him up. 

Me & Gio Gonzalez outside Wrigley Field

After patiently waiting, Gio came out. He came right over to me & he showed me love. He shook my hand & he asked how I was doing. Since he was in a rush I had to make it quick. I got him to personalize the ball he threw me back in April. I told him I'll see him again in August. He told me to look for him Saturday even though he was pitching. True to my word, I did get to see him warm up. I gave him words of encouragement as he got prepared for the task at hand. Apparently, my words of wisdom work wonders. For the fourth straight time that I saw him warm up, he went out & pitched a great game. I wish I could see him pitch in person more often.

Gio Gonzalez warming up at Wrigley Field

Gio shined bright in game one of the day/night doubleheader that Saturday. He threw seven shutout innings as he gave up just two hits while walking two & striking out seven Cubs as he picked up the victory. The Nationals' bullpen combo of Tyler Clippard & Rafael Soriano each threw a scoreless inning to preserve the Curly W.

Being able to see Gio again made my visit complete. He's a down to earth person, I only want to see him do well. Despite his struggles from inflammation in his shoulder, it was nice to see Gio back on the mound where he belongs.

Stay tuned as I will write a special post about the Friday night post game meal we enjoyed.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees the Mets play the Nationals in DC!‏

After the King & I spent the night at Days Inn in Somerset, PA we got up that morning & we ate breakfast there. When we got done, I drove 185 miles to Nationals Park to see the Washington Nationals play the Mets that Sunday afternoon, May 18th. We wound up parking the car in a ten dollar lot since free parking in DC is few & far between. We didn't want to risk having a problem so we decided to play it safe. We parked the car at 12:45PM. We then walked over to the ballpark. I went to the box office to see what the cheapest tickets they had were. They told me $25 each. Upon hearing that, I walked away. A few minutes later I found some people who had extra tickets. They wanted $20 a ticket. I told them I'll give them $20 for the pair. Thankfully they decided to give in to me. The King ‎& I proceeded to walk into the center field gate. We met up upstairs under the press box in section 312. I saw some empty seats in the last row which was row J. I wound up staying there for the whole game. Shortly thereafter, I got comfortable I heard a guy a few rows down in front of me get my attention.  It was Andy Morgan who follows me on Twitter. His twitter handle is @natsfan37. He was with his wife & young son. A few minutes later he came up to introduce himself. It was nice to meet him. I remember following him because he was a Gio Gonzalez fan. Gio had signed something for his son. We spoke & we exchanged contact information. He said he may try to come up to Citi Field in August when the Nationals come back. I told him to let me know. 
 

View from section 312

As for the game we saw, the Mets took an early 1-0 lead off of Nationals' starter Jordan Zimmerman when catcher Juan Centeno drove in a run with a single in the top of the second inning. The Nationals got even in the bottom half when Ian Desmond hit a solo homer to knot the score at one. The Nationals took the lead for good when Met killer catcher Wilson Ramos drove in a pair of runs with a double in the third inning & two more with a single in the fifth inning off of Mets' starter Zack Wheeler to go up 5-1. The Mets got two back in the top of the sixth but the Nationals added an insurance run in the eighth as they beat the Mets, 6-3. 

Near the end of the game, I got a visit from a fellow roadtripper & ballpark chaser, Ben Fallon who stopped by with his son Declan. We follow each other on twitter also. Ben's twitter handle is @steel6rings. We've met a few times in the last year. I want to thank him for taking time to visit me. He said he would have came by earlier but he got an unexpected upgrade to a suite just before the game started. 

On the way back home, the King & I stopped off at Burger King for a quick dinner in New Jersey on Route 1. We got back home around 11PM. 

Monday morning I returned the car to Avis then I went to work. I wound up driving 1,172 miles safely over the weekend.

Stay tuned for another special post that will highlight the visit to Citi Field by the two teams we saw open the season in Sydney, Australia.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees Gio Gonzalez in the bullpen as he warmed up for his 1st start of 2014!‏

Washington Nationals starting lineup

Gio Gonzalez blowing on his hands before his pre game routine

On April 2nd, after work I went to Citi Field to see the Mets host the Washington Nationals. That night my pal Gio Gonzalez was making his first start of the season. With that being said, when I got to Citi Field I went right to the bullpen area so I could be in position to watch Gio get ready for his start. He came out ‎& he did his pre game routine. He had his headphones on while he did so. He stretched, he ran then he did some long tossing. When he got done, he took his headphones off & proceeded to walk into the bullpen so he could finish by warming up on the mound there. As he walked in, I got his attention. He acknowledged me. I gave him plenty of words of wisdom. As he wrote on the jersey that he gave me last September & I quote "To Gary "Best Damn "True" Fan any Baseball player could ever ask for!!" True to those words, I gave him the encouragement he deserves to be the best he can be. I was wearing the jersey proudly. When he got done warming up, he caught me off guard when he threw the ball he warmed up with towards me. Thankfully I saw it coming & I reach out with my bare hand & I caught it. I was so happy. He made my night. He then proceeded to walk back towards the dugout to get ready for the game to start. As for me, I went upstairs to the royal court up in section 515 where I met up with the King, Vincent Ascanio & the rest of the bunch who showed up that night. 

Gio Gonzalez warming up in the bullpen at Citi Field

Gio following on a warm up pitch

Gio talking to his hand & the ball 

Gio pausing between warm up pitches

What he wrote on the jersey he gave me

Ball I caught that Gio used to warm up with

As for the game we saw, Gio got off to a rough start as he gave up a lead off triple to Juan Lagares who eventually scored the game's first run when David Wright drove him in with a sacrifice fly to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. The Nationals went ahead 2-1 in the third inning when Adam LaRoche hit a two run homer. They tacked on a few more in the fifth inning when Ian Desmond hit a solo homer then my boy Gio Gonzalez surprisingly did the same. I couldn't believe it. He apparently couldn't either as he raced home from second base when he realized he did hit a home run. I wound up jumping for joy. The Nationals scored another run later on a wild pitch as they went on to beat the Mets again, 5-1. Gio wound up going six innings. He gave up four hits & just the one run while he walked one & he struck out six to earn his first win of the season. I couldn't have written a better script myself. What a memorable night it was.

Stay tuned as I'm going to write a special post about the first weekend of the season which included some special guests.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty goes to Opening Day at Citi Field to see the Mets host the Nationals!

Sam Citron Outside the Rotunda at Citi Field

After shaking off the effects of jet lag, the King & I went to Citi Field Monday March 31st to see the Mets start their 2014 season against the Washington Nationals. Since I wisely took the day off from work, I got to the ballpark when the gates opened. I got to see my pal Sam Citron when I got to the Rotunda. It was great to see him again. When I entered the ballpark, I was hoping to see batting practice but since the weather wasn't ideal, they didn't have any. I was hoping to see my pal Gio Gonzalez before the game but I waited & waited but he never came out. I was able hang around until game time since I knew the usher who watches over the special seats that are located between the tarp & the Nationals dugout. 

Me waiting to see Gio

When they announced the players in the special pre game ‎introductions I saw Gio from a distance. When they went back into the dugout, I yelled out to him. He acknowledged me by giving me a thumbs up before he headed into the clubhouse. It wasn't the same as getting a handshake but he did see me wearing the personalized jersey he gave me in the same spot back on 9/11 when the Nationals were in town last September.
 

Opening Day at Citi Field

Remembering Ralph Kiner 1922-2014

It should be noted that there was a special ceremony to remember former Mets broadcaster Ralph Kiner who passed away at age 91 during the off season. Ralph played ten years for the Pittsburgh Pirates‎ during his hall of fame career. He joined the Mets as a broadcaster when the team came into existence back in 1962. Ralph was always fun to listen to. He was notorious for botching up players' names when he was on the air. For example, he referred to the Late Gary Carter as Gary Cooper when he played for the Mets back in the mid 80's into the early 90's. Ralph also was known for having own post game show called Kiner's Korner where he interviewed players from the winning team after the game. Mets baseball won't be the same without hearing Ralph's voice. Thanks for the memories. In his honor, the Mets will be wearing a special patch all season. 

1st Pitch 1:13PM delivered by Mets' starter Dillon Gee

Since ‎the game was getting ready to start, I decided to watch the top of the first inning on the field level before I headed up to the royal court in section 516. When I finally got upstairs I got to see the usual people we know that go to see baseball games on a regular basis. They included Vincent Ascanio, Rich Wolber, Michael Abrams as well as some Mets season ticket holders who were back for another season. 

View from Royal Court in Section 516

As for the game we saw, the Mets started the season with a bang right off the bat after starter Dillon Gee retired the Nationals in the top of the first after allowing a single. The Mets got a clutch two out three run homer from left fielder Andrew Brown to take an early 3-0 lead against Nationals' ace pitcher, Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals responded as first baseman Adam LaRoche hit a two run homer to slice the Mets' lead to one at 3-2 in the second inning. The Mets tacked on another run as Eric Young Jr. hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2 after two innings. Stephen Strasburg settled down as he didn't give up any more runs. He left after going six innings while striking ten in the process. The Nationals got him off the hook when they scored twice in the seventh inning to tie the game at four. The Mets regained the lead, 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning when center fielder Juan Lagares lead off with a home run off former Yankee farmhand Tyler Clippard. The Nationals showed resiliency as they tied the game again at five as Denard Span drove a run with a two out double off Mets' closer Bobby Parnell. The game went into extra innings. The Nationals got a sacrifice fly from shortstop Ian Desmond to go back ahead, 6-5 in the top of the tenth inning. They got some insurance runs thanks to a three run homer by Anthony Rendon who made it, 9-5. The Mets made a comeback in the bottom of the tenth as they got a two out walk that was followed by a two run homer by David Wright to pull the Mets within two at 9-7 but reliever Jerry Blevins got Curtis Granderson to strike out looking to end the game. The Nationals picked up where they left off the second half of last season as they fought hard to earn the 9-7 victory.

After the game, the King, Vincent Ascanio & I took the subway to the World Trade Center where we got the Path train to go out to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. We saw the Devils take on the Florida Panthers that night.

As for the game we saw, the Devils like the Mets got off to a fast start. They score three unanswered goals in the first half of the first period. The Panthers scored late to cut the lead to 3-1. In the second period, the Panthers made it 3-2. The Devils regained their two goal cushion as they found the net to go up, 4-2 but the Panthers came back to get within one again at 4-3 after two periods. Early in the third period, the Devils got a shorthanded goal to go up 5-3. Then they finally put the game away with another goal midway through the third period as they held off the persistent Panthers by a score of 6-3.

Stay tuned for a special post that I'm going to do about my pal Gio Gonzalez who started game two of the new baseball season. 

Thank you for reading ‎& following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees the Jets play the Falcons on MNF with another fellow roadtripper!

After landing in Atlanta back on Saturday, October 5th, I drove to Tennessee where I spent the weekend. Monday morning October 7th, I woke up & I planned to drive back to Atlanta for Monday night football as the Jets were on the road in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome. When I checked out of the Knights Inn in Cookeville, Tennessee, I went to Cracker Barrel which was nearby for breakfast to start my day off right. I enjoyed my Uncle Herschel's favorite which consisted of scrambled eggs, hash brown casserole, biscuits that came with sawmill gravy along with grits & a piece of farmed raised grilled catfish.

Uncle Herschel's Favorite at Cracker Barrel

After I finished my hearty breakfast, I drove towards the Great Smoky Mountains. I wound up taking a ride
back through Knoxville then I went to Pigeon Forge but when I saw how far out of the way I went, I decided to turn back so I could get to Atlanta. I arranged to meet up with another fellow roadtripper, Mark Chesna who lives about an hour from downtown Atlanta. It should be noted that Mark has been to over 2,700 live sporting events in his life. In addition, he's been to quite a number of countries in different parts of the world. I wanted to meet him earlier than I did. I called him with a progress report. It turned out he was kind enough to wait for me at the CNN Center by the food court. I finally found a parking spot on the street by a meter. Since I arrived around 6:45PM I just needed to feed the meter until 7PM which cost me $2. That was better than paying $10 or $20 in a parking lot and/or garage. In that regard, things turned out well. I wound up walking to the CNN Center which was maybe 10 minutes away. I went by the food court where Mark was holding a table for me. Upon arrival, we said hello to each other. We finally got to put a face with a name. For the past year, Mark & I have been in contact thanks to social media & modern technology. Since time was of the essence, I wound up going to Arby's for dinner. I had a roast beef sandwich with fries & a drink. It worked out well. When I finished eating, Mark & I walked towards the Georgia Dome. We ran into a scalper that Mark recognized on the street. He asked me what I wanted to pay. I told him $20. Surprisingly he was willing to meet my asking price. He had a few seats in the end zone in the upper level. I wasn't thrilled at first but after trying to wiggle my way out of the deal, we gave him $20 a ticket. We continued walking to the Dome.

Mark Chesna & I at the Georgia Dome

When we got there, we walked inside & we walked around the concourse. This was my first visit since 2002 so I didn't mind refreshing my memory of the building.

I was wearing my Gio Gonzalez jersey. As a result, I got some comments from people as I walked around. The best one was from a Latin gentleman who was so happy when he saw the name Gonzalez on my jersey. Mark said the guy must have thought it was a Tony Gonzalez jersey since he plays for the Falcons. It was hilarious. Regardless I enjoyed showing my Gio pride off.

After walking around we decided to go up to section 302 row 15 where my pal Ira Lieberfarb aka Ira from Staten Island was sitting which was in the corner of the end zone. We wound up lucking out into a few seats next to him. It turned out that his seat was better than what we had. It worked well as we got to enjoy the game with him.

As for the game we saw, the Jets lead most of the game. It should be noted they were up 27-14 in the fourth quarter with 12 minutes to go when the Atlanta faithful started to head to the exits. Typical Atlanta sports fans. Quite amazingly, the Falcons stormed back to take a 28-27 lead late in the game. The Jets did get the ball back with some time left. Geno Smith lead the Jets back as he put them in position to win the game. Thanks to the right foot of kicker Nick Folk who booted a 43 yard field goal at the gun which gave the Jets a 30-28 comeback victory. It was a perfect way to end this memorable weekend down South.

It should be noted that during halftime, the Falcons honored former running back Gerald Riggs as they put him in their ring of honor.

After the game, Mark & I walked back to the car that I rented for the weekend. I wound up giving him a ride to the train station where he left his car. We proceeded to say our goodbyes. We both enjoyed each other's company. I want to personally thank Mark for joining me while I was in the area.

Stay tuned for another special post that will go into detail about my return to the Big Apple.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty catches up with Gio Gonzalez at Citi Field in September!

After I saw my first football game of the new season on Sunday September 8th, I returned to Citi Field for baseball during the week of 9/9 as the Mets played the Washington Nationals then they hosted the Miami Marlins.

Gio Gonzalez warming up in bullpen on 9/9

As a result, I got to see my boy Gio Gonzalez of the Nationals not once, not twice but on three different occasions. Monday night after work I stopped off at Taste of Dolly's for some pizza on my way to the game. When I got to Citi Field I saw my pal Sam Citron who greeted me upon arrival at the Rotunda entrance. I proceeded to go up to the field level then I went out to the bullpen area so I could see Gio warm up since he was pitching that night. I saw him working out in the outfield. He was wearing his head phones & listening to music which is part of his pre game pitching routine. In the meantime, I was charging my phone while I kept my eyes on Gio as he was doing stretching exercises. Once I saw him start walking towards the bullpen, I took out my charger & I went down to get his attention before he started throwing off the bullpen mound. When he came in, I yelled out to him. He looked up & said how are you? I told him, I'm great. I didn't want to distract him since he was zoning in on the task on hand. When he was throwing off the bullpen mound & I blurted out to him to throw strikes. When he got done warming up, I yelled out again before he left the bullpen to head back to the dugout. I said go get 'em Gio.

I proceeded to go upstairs behind home plate in section 515 where the rest of the royal court who were on hand were sitting. Among them we had a special guest as Bob Kelly made another appearance after he came to visit the King & I twice in August. It was a pleasant surprise to see him again. He's a Met fan even though he lives in Virginia Beach. He said he goes to some Nationals games. I told him I enjoy going there when I can fit it into my busy schedule. We also had Alan Gimpel, Michael Abrams, Frank Anichiarico, Martin Caamano & Charlie O'Reilly there with us as well.

As for the game we saw, Gio was my main focal point. He was given a two run lead before he even threw a pitch thanks to Denard Span who hit a home run to lead off the game which was followed by a home run by Ryan Zimmerman. Gio gave up a walk to Daniel Murphy after he got the first out as Eric Young Jr. led off popping up to second base. Gio put it in cruise control as he retired the next 17 Mets. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Zach Lutz pinch hit to lead off. He hit a soft bloop that landed barely on the chalk on the foul line behind first base & short right field. It wound up being the only hit Gio gave up as he dominated the Mets, 9-0. His teammates hit five home runs to back his golden left arm. He wound up walking Lutz who stayed in the game in the ninth inning. Gio wound up going the distance throwing 110 pitches to earn his 10th win of the season. He came within inches of throwing a no hitter. Apparently Gio heard me & he followed what I said to do. Did he ever. We almost saw history. So close yet so far.

Gio Gonzalez & I at Citi Field on 9/10

Tuesday night after work I went straight to Citi Field for game two of the four game series with the Nationals. I went down by the tarp by left field to watch batting practice. I noticed Gio was out in the outfield. I went down to the railing & I got his attention. He acknowledged my presence. I knew when batting practice ended he would come over. In the meantime, I met up with a young man named Tony Wong. He likes to collect baseball cards & get autographs. He remembered seeing me back in April when everybody mobbed me when Gio came over to see me. I told him nobody is better than Gio. He was raving about him too.

Gio came by as expected, he came over to me first & he shook my hand. I asked him if he heard me when I saw him in the bullpen. He said he did. I told him how much I hate Zach Lutz for costing him a place in baseball history. As he always does, he downplayed it. I know deep down it definitely hurt him to come so close. I wound up getting a bunch of pictures he took with me signed. In addition, he signed my scorebook from the gem he threw the night before. He also signed my passport books. I asked him about the jersey. He promised he'll get it for me. He told me to meet him further down between the tarp & the dugout. I waited until game time but Gio didn't come back out.

I stopped off at Blue Smoke to get some ribs for dinner before I went upstairs to sit with the royal court in section 515 again. This time I was joined by Manny Morales, Phil Butleman, Alan Gimpel & Al Linderman.
As for the game we saw, the Nationals continued their power surge as they hit three more home runs as they beat the Mets again, 6-3 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Jayson Werth, Adam LaRoche & former Met Scott Hairston hit one pinch hitting.

Gio Gonzlez & I at Citi Field on 9/11

Wednesday night after work I went right to Citi Field again. This time I was determined to get the jersey from Gio. Once again I saw him after batting practice. While I was waiting for him, I saw another young man named Joe Ceraulo. He told me his father George works at Citi Field. He was telling me great things about Gio. He said & I quote "he's the nicest man in MLB." I couldn't agree more. He took a picture of Gio & I. I returned the favor by taking a picture of him & Gio. When Gio came over he asked me if I was coming to the game tomorrow meaning Thursday afternoon. I told him I can't, I'm working. He told me he'll get you the jersey he promised me. He told me to meet him again between the tarp & the dugout. Since it was 9/11 it was a horrible day. Gio said he was having a rough day when I asked him how he was doing. The team spent some time at Ground Zero.

Me & Gio Gonzalez on 9/11 with the jersey in my hand

Despite being down most of the day, Gio true to his word this time went into the dugout & a little while later he came out with the jersey for me. He had asked me if I wanted it personalized. Of course, I said yes. I told him to write whenever he wanted to on it. When I got it I opened it up & I read what he wrote. It said & I quote "To Gary, Best Damn "True" Fan any Baseball player could ever ask for!!" Then he signed his name. I couldn't thank him enough for getting it for me. He felt the same way. He greatly appreciates all my support that I've given him since I met him for the first time back in May 2009 in Sacramento. I've been wearing the jersey everyday as a tribute to him. It's a size 44 so it helps me keep my weight off.

Here's the back of the jersey Gonzalez #47

I put it on & I went upstairs to sit with the royal court. Before I did, I stopped off & I bought myself a filet mignon steak sandwich from Pat LaFreida's. It was as good as advertised. I'm glad I treated myself to it.
When I finally got settled in section 515, I was joined by Phil Butleman, David Sack, Tommy & Frank Anichiarico.

What Gio wrote on the jersey he gave me 

As for the game we saw, the Nationals once again shutout the Mets, 3-0. Dan Haren threw six shutout innings and four relievers combined to silent the Mets' bats. Ryan Zimmerman hit a solo homer & Anthony Rendon hit a two run double in the eighth inning to put the game away.

Stay tuned for a special post that I'm going to do that will recap the weekend I had as the Mets played a four game series with the Miami Marlins as I try my best to continue to play catch up.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty spends the last weekend in July in Washington DC watching baseball & soccer!

Saturday morning July 27th I got up early so I could take public transportation out to Avis on Long Island in New Hyde Park which is right near where I used to live. I decided to rent a car for the weekend so I could see the Mets play the Nationals in our Nation's Capitol. In addition, I went to see a soccer game too. More importantly, I was hoping to see some people I know who live down there.

I wound up getting a Chevy Impala which was equipped with an XM radio. With that being said, I had the luxury of listening to all kinds of different music and sports. It worked out really well. Since they gave me a car with a half a tank of gas, I had to stop to get more on my way down. I did that at a familiar place. I went to Wawa's in Elkton, Maryland.

I ran into some pockets of traffic along the way but luckily I was able to park the car on the street for free within walking distance of Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals. I was considering parking by RFK Stadium where the DC United play soccer since I was going to see them after the baseball game. I would have taken the Metro to Nationals Park. Since I was pressed for time, I decided to drive straight through.

Prince Outside Nationals Park

The King and our pal Vincent Ascanio were already down in Washington because they went to the day night doubleheader that was played on Friday. They stayed over in the area. By doing so, they got to the ballpark early. As a result, they were able to get to $5 tickets at the box office a few hours before the game started. They were able to get me one as well. As I like to say, teamwork makes the dream work. I wound up parking the car at 2:46PM. I called the King and he met me at the gate at the ballpark at 3PM. He passed me out the ticket. Shortly thereafter, I met up with a young lady named Neva outside the ballpark by the team store. She was with her cousin and a friend of hers. They couldn't make the game due to a prior engagement. She met me because I arranged to get a picture signed that she had taken with Gio Gonzalez at one of his foundation's functions. I told her I was going to do my best for her. True to my word, I did indeed. When I saw Gio at Citi Field at the end of June, he signed it. Being the special person he is, he said he remembered her when I asked him. When Neva found out that I got it signed, she was lost for words. She was so happy. She couldn't thank me enough. She told me I made her entire summer. I didn't do anything special. I just asked Gio to sign the picture I printed out in color for her. Thankfully I was able to see him in order for him to do so. When I told her I got it for her, she wanted to know how she could get it. I told her we can meet at the ballpark. True to my word, we did. Ironically the other day she told me she bought a frame for it. That put a big smile on my face. Thanks to me, she now has an autographed framed picture of her and Gio. It's amazing how a small gesture can go so far in someone else's life. With that being said, I feel so good. I know I made a difference just by being who I am.

Gio Gonzalez on cover of Nationals' program

After we spoke briefly, I walked into the ballpark so I could see the game. I stayed downstairs for the first inning then I went upstairs to stand under the press box with the King by section 312. Shortly thereafter, we got a surprise visit by our friend Joe Rossi who came down for the game with a few buddies of his. As always, it was a pleasure to see him again. Later in the game, I got a visit from another person I knew. I'm referring to fellow ballpark chaser David Cordell who came by with his son Sam. Ironically they saw Gio Gonzalez before the game on the field. Since they have season tickets for the Nationals, they were able to take part in a special meet the players event. David said and I quote "Gio signed autographs for everybody who was there." I wasn't shocked at all. That's the Gio I know & love as a baseball player and a fellow human being. He's an inspiration to others. David also told me that his son Sam who is autistic was going to Gio's Special Camp in August. Sam is a lucky child even though he has a disability. He's blessed with great parents. David's wife, Janice who I met at Citi Field in April is a baseball fan too. She stayed at their seats while they came over special to see me. I want to personally thank David for being so kind & thoughtful.

As for the game we saw, the Nationals hit three home runs off Mets' starter Dillon Gee that afternoon. Ian Desmond & Denard Span hit back to back homers in the second inning and Bryce Harper hit a two run homer to back the great pitching that day by starter Dan Haren who was finally on his game. As a result, the Nationals went on to beat the Mets, 4-1. It should be noted that the King, Vincent & I left the game in the bottom of the eighth inning when the sky opened up. The game wound up being delayed an hour and two minutes. They were going to Baltimore to see the Orioles play the Red Sox at Camden Yards on their way home & I decided to go to see the DC United play the New England Revolution in a soccer match at RFK Stadium.

When I got to the parking lot, I heard the end of the baseball game I left. Nothing special happened so I'm glad I did what I did. I parked in Lot 8 since Neva told me that's where the supporters hang out before the game. Mother nature dampened the party atmosphere somewhat. Since I needed a ticket for the game, I decided to go inside so I could relax before the game started once I got one. I wound up buying a ticket outside from someone for $15. It worked out well since the seat was located by mid field so I had a good view of the action. By going there, I was able to say that I've now seen three different sports in RFK Stadium. In 1996, I saw a Redskins game and in 2005, 2006 & 2007 I saw 20 Nationals' games there. It was great timing because the week before I read that they're building a new stadium for the United so their days are numbered at RFK. That sealed the deal for me. I decided I'm definitely going to see that game. In addition, I needed a break from baseball.

Prince at RFK Stadium for DC United

As for the game I saw, I finally saw my first ever goal in an outdoor soccer game in the 8th minute as Luis Silva of the United scored to make it 1-0. In the second half, the Revolution, got even and then some as they went on to beat the United, 2-1. The best part of the game was that at 9PM it was over. They play two 45 minute halves in running time. They usually add on some extra time but in general soccer matches are played in a timely fashion. On this night, I was tired and hungry so I wanted to take care of my body. After the game, I did just that. I drove to Jessup, Maryland where I spent the night at Knights Inn. They also had a Country Pride restaurant there which was open so after I checked in, I went there & I had a hearty dinner.

Live action from DC United game

After I got a good night sleep, I went back there for breakfast. When I got done, I went to Nationals Park to see the Nationals wrap up their weekend series with the Mets. I bought a $5 ticket at the box office & I went inside when the gates opened. I was hoping to see Gio Gonzalez again but there was no batting practice so I was unable to see him. I plan to catch up with him at Citi Field in September when the Nationals return to NYC.

Prince at Nationals Park on Sunday

As for the game I saw, the Nationals took batting practice during the game as they went on to whip the Mets, 14-1. Wilson Ramos hit a grand slam to lead the offensive explosion.

As for the traditional President's race, Abe Lincoln aka Honest Abe won that.

After the game, I drove back home. On the way back, I stopped off at Golden Corral where I helped myself to happiness in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. It was a perfect to end off another memorable weekend.

Stay tuned for my w/o 7/29 in review as I slowly but surely play catch up. Please bear with me.

Thank you for reading & following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees Gio Gonzalez as the Washington Nationals return to Citi Field to play the Mets to end June!

Friday night after work I raced out of my office at 5:30PM in Midtown Manhattan so I could go right to Citi Field to catch the end of batting practice. More importantly, my main goal was to see my boy Gio Gonzalez again. When I arrived at the ballpark, I went out to short left field. I noticed Gio with his red glove standing out there. I was all excited. I got myself in position by going all the way down to the first row near where he was standing and I yelled out his name. He looked over and I he acknowledged me. I patiently waited until after batting practice ended. I told me the people around the area that Gio will come over. When it did, Gio started to walk off the field towards the dugout. I proceeded to yell at him again. Once he saw it was me, he backtracked and he came over to me. He shook my hand and we started to talk briefly. I asked him to sign a few pictures for me. One was for a young lady that met Gio at one of his functions that his Foundation did recently. Her name is Neva. I met her on Twitter. She's apparently less fortunate in life than some of us. I told her to e-mail me the picture of her and Gio which she had in her profile picture on Twitter. She listened to me and she did so. When I got it, I printed out in color for her. I didn't make any promises to her. I told her I'll do my very best to get Gio to sign it for her.

Since I'm a persistent person who doesn't except no for answer, I was determined to come through for her. True to my word, I did indeed. When Gio saw the picture of her with him, I asked him if he remembered her. He said he did. I told him she said hello. In addition, another young lady I met on Twitter is also is a big fan of Gio. I told him she said hello too.

Me & Gio Gonzalez at Citi Field

With that being said, Gio made my night complete and then some. First of all, he personally signed a picture I took with him back in April at Citi Field with his bobblehead box that he signed for me. Secondly, he told me he reads my blog and he said and I quote "you travel more than anybody." Thirdly, I asked him about getting a game worn jersey from him. He told me and I quote "I'll get you one, what color do you want." I told him white gets too dirty. I also said I don't care for the red and/or blue alternate ones. I said I want a gray one. I like traditional uniforms. The Nationals' road jersey reminds me of the old Montreal Expos' design before they relocated to our Nation's Capitol back in 2005. It has Washington in script across the front in red and red numbers on the back. Gio said and I quote "I'll personalize it for you." If and when I get it, I plan to wear it proudly to all the games I go to.

I can't wait to arrange to get the jersey from Gio. That's my next mission. I did give him a folder with my contact information again and some pictures of him and I for his own personal collection.

I told him I was coming over the weekend too. Saturday since I had to do my laundry in the morning I got to Citi Field too late to even attempt to see him again.

Gio Gonzalez warming up in the bullpen 

Sunday I knew he was pitching so the only way I could see him was to go out to the bullpen area. I got there in time to see him stretching out in the outfield. He was zoned in at the time. He was listening to music as he got himself ready for the game at hand. Once he took out his ear plugs and he headed towards the bullpen, I got his attention and he acknowledged my presence. I proceeded to watch him warm up in the bullpen. I took some pictures before I went upstairs to my seat in section 516.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty closes out the month of June with a two city baseball doubleheader!

Back on Sunday June 30th, I rented a car for eight days so I could have it for the Fourth of July weekend getaway I had planned. I wound up getting a royal upgrade when I went to pick up the car. I wound up renting a Hyundai Sonata which was equipped with XM radio from Dollar Rent a Car by LaGuardia Airport. I would have rented from Avis but it was cost effective and more convenient to go to Dollar this time.

By getting the car when I did, I was able to avoid the extra expense of the outrageous holiday weekend pricing. With that being said, it always pays to plan ahead. You snooze, you lose. That's just a word to the wise. Royalty knows the tricks of the trade all year round.

In early June, I found out that the Baltimore Orioles were playing the New York Yankees on Sunday night baseball at 8:05PM. As a result, I decided to rent a car from Dollar a day earlier than I originally planned too. That way I could drive the King and our pal Bryan Gilligan to Baltimore after we all went to Citi Field to see the Mets play the Nationals in the afternoon.

As for the Mets/Nationals game, we were joined by my buddy Tolu Robertson who stayed over to see his Nationals play again at Citi Field. After he saw the Mets beat his team Saturday, he was hoping to see them get even on Sunday. Thanks to my pal Gio Gonzalez who started the game, they did indeed. With that being said, stay tuned for a special post that I'm going to do about Gio. He always warrants & gets plenty of royal treatment on my blog.

Gio Gonzalez vs. Zack Wheeler

As for the game we saw, the Nationals whipped the Mets, 13-2. Zack Wheeler made his first home start for the Mets that day. He looked good in the first inning then the Nationals proceeded to toss him a beating much to delight of Tolu & I because Gio was the benefactor of the much needed offense after a rough beginning.

Since the game was well in hand and Gio was done for the day after he pitched seven strong innings there was no need for us to stay to the bitter end. The score was 10-0 Nationals when we checked out of Citi Field. In retrospect, it turned out to be the right move because we had some pockets of traffic which caused delays as we drove to Baltimore. I did my very best to get us there on time but that wasn't possible given the circumstances. I did drop off Bryan & the King so they could get inside ASAP. They wound up missing a few batters. As for me, I missed the whole first inning. That's the way it goes. You can't win them all. I tell it like it is so there's no need to lie. It is what it is.

As for the game we saw once we got settled in, the Orioles led 4-0. The Yankees sliced the lead in half late in the game. As a result, the Orioles called on their closer Jim Johnson who's been shaky thus far this season after he pitched so well for them last year to close it out. Thankfully for the Oriole fans on hand he was able to seal the deal without too much difficulty. By doing so, the Orioles completed a three game sweep of the Yankees. It should be noted not everyone in the building left happy. There were a good number of Yankee fans present and accounted at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Stay tuned for the special post of my latest encounters with Gio Gonzalez of the Washington Nationals.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty w/o 5/27 in review (Subway Series Edition)

Gio Gonzalez pitching on Memorial Day

On Monday 5/27 Memorial Day was observed. The King & I stayed home during the day. We wound up watching the Nationals play the Baltimore Orioles that afternoon in our Nation's Capitol on TV. Gio Gonzalez was pitching so I was all excited. Unfortunately he didn't pitch that well. He got roughed up. He gave up four runs in five and two thirds innings. The Nationals lost the game, 6-2.

After the game, I made dinner before we went out to Citi Field for the first installment of this year's Subway Series between the Mets and the Yankees. Each team was hosting a two game series this time around due to the realignment that took effect this season. With that being said, the Mets were home Monday & Tuesday and the Yankees were home Wednesday & Thursday.

In game one at Citi Field, we were joined by our pals Phil Butleman, Alan Gimpel, Manny Morales, Marc Beck & Michael Abrams who has seen 927 consecutive Yankee home games in section 516. In addition, we had musical entertainment thanks to the Hooligan's who were present & accounted in section 513.

Furthermore, it should noted due to the outrageous pricing structure that the Mets implement, they weren't able to sell the game out. They announced a crowd of 32,911. They were a handful of empty sections scattered throughout the ballpark. As a result, they got what they deserved. We'll wait & see what happens next year. The bottom line is you can only push the envelope so far before people decide enough is enough. Apparently, the Subway Series has lot its luster.

As for the game we saw, the Yankees scored first in top of the sixth inning to take a 1-0 lead off starting pitcher Jonathon Niese who like his counterpart, Phil Hughes pitched well. The Mets tied the game at one as third baseman David Wright hit a lead off homer in the seventh inning off Hughes. The Mets got the eventual game winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning off of reliever David Robertson as second baseman Daniel Murphy delivered a clutch two out hit which enabled the Mets to win, 2-1.

Tuesday night after work I went to Checkers for my pre game meal. I wound up meeting up with the King there. After we ate, we got on the 7 train and we went back to Citi Field for game two. Upon arrival, we were greeted by our pal, Sam Citron. He told us, I hope they play tonight. The weather was horrible which wound up delaying the start of the game by 91 minutes. As a result, we decided to hang out in the Caesar's Club for a while as we waited out the rain delay. Once they said the game was going to start, we headed up to section 516.

We had company as David Sack was there with his friend Andrew. We also had Martin Caamano, Michael Carson, Mike Klein who came because his softball game was cancelled & Michael Abrams who came back for more.

Before the game started, the Mets did a video tribute to Yankee closer Mariano Rivera who's retiring at the end of the season. He then proceeded to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to former Met closer John Franco. It was a nice touch by the Mets to do that.

Mariano Rivera throws out ceremonial first pitch

As for the game we saw, we had a great pitching match up that lived up to the hype for a change as the Mets had Matt Harvey starting against Hiroki Kuroda for the Yankees. The game was scoreless again until the top of the sixth when the Yankees got a clutch two out run scoring single by Lyle Overbay to take a 1-0 lead. The Mets couldn't score against Kuroda who shut them out for seven innings. David Robertson threw a scoreless eighth inning. As for the Mets, Matt Harvey continued to impress as he went eight strong innings. He allowed the lone run and he struck out ten Yankees. In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Mets faced Mariano Rivera who came in looking to close it out. The Mets got a lead off double from Daniel Murphy to get the inning started. David Wright followed with a single to left center that tied the game at one. He went to second base on a throwing error so he was in scoring position representing the winning run. Lucas Duda came up next and he delivered the game winning hit as the Mets beat the Yankees again, 2-1 in front of an announced crowd of 31,877 which was slightly smaller than the night before. It should be noted that not only did Mariano blow the save, he also didn't record an out for the first time in his career.

Wednesday night after work I went up to the Bronx as the Subway Series continued at Yankee Stadium. Before I went inside, I stopped off at Foodtown which is a supermarket in the neighborhood. I decided to get a ham & swiss cheese sandwich to take into the ballpark with me for dinner.

When I got up to our seats in section 420B I was greeted by our pal Phil Butleman who was present & accounted for. I sat down and I ate it. When I was done, I got ready for game three of the series. It should be noted that the 7 Line Army, a group of 300 Met fans were in the building as part of their Bronx invasion. They were all dressed in orange t-shirts out by the left field foul pole on the terrace level. They were very vocal from start to finish. They had a blast. For a sample, here's a video they did on You Tube. It includes a tribute to the King. Click on the link and see it for yourself.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kCsglxQ4t4g&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkCsglxQ4t4g%26feature%3Dyoutu.be

As for the game we saw, this time the Mets picked up where they left off the night before at Citi Field. They batted around as they knocked out Yankee starter David Phelps who recorded just one out. He got belted as the Mets built a 5-0 lead before the Yankees took their first at bat against Mets' starter Jeremy Hefner. The Mets added another run in the third inning thanks to a solo homer by Marlon Byrd which made it a 6-0. The Mets tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning as Lucas Duda doubled in a pair to make it 8-0. The Yankees broke the shutout in the bottom of the fourth when Brennan Boesch hit a solo homer to make it 8-1. The Yankees chipped away as they scored a few more in the sixth inning to make it 8-3. The Mets made it 9-3 in the top of the ninth. The Yankees came back with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning but they came up short for the third straight night, 9-4 in front of an announced crowd of 43,681 which also was short of a sellout. The Yankees unlike the Mets charge the same price regardless of the opposition but since most of their seats are so pricey, it's hard for them to sellout most of their games.


Thursday night after work I returned to the Bronx for the fourth and final game of this year's Subway Series. This time I went to Burger King for my pre game meal. After I ate, I walked over to the Stadium. I went up to my seat in section 420B where I was greeted by our pals Steve Tepperman & Manny Morales who were also there. Since the Mets won the first three games, the question was would they be able to win again and sweep the series. Read on and you'll find out the details.

As for the game we saw, the Mets got on the scoreboard first as Marlon Byrd hit a two run home run after Yankee starter Vidal Nuno issued a lead off walk to Lucas Duda start the second inning. In the bottom of the third inning, the Yankees broke the shutout as Robinson Cano hit a solo homer off Met starter Dillon Gee to cut the lead in half, 2-1. Gee went on to retire the next fifteen Yankee batters in a row. With one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, Mets manger Terry Collins surprisingly took Gee out of the game with the Mets ahead, 3-1. Gee was in total control. He threw only 88 pitches and he stuck out twelve Yankees before he departed. Apparently he didn't want to take any chances. The Met bullpen combo of Scott Rice and Bobby Parnell shut the Yankees down the rest of the way as the Mets did indeed sweep the Yankees. By doing so, the King was forced to back up his bold statement. He said and I quote "if the Mets sweep the Yankees, I'll shave off my beard."

Stay tuned for the rest of the week in review as I recap the weekend and the King's temporary new look.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty meets up with roadtripper David Cordell who came to Citi Field with his family to see the Nationals play!

Nationals Lineup

Saturday afternoon I went to Citi Field to see game two of the three game series with the Washington Nationals which started at 3:05PM thanks to Fox. With that being said, the King and I couldn't possibly see a second game so we went home after the game. We ate dinner and relaxed.

I wound up meeting up with a guy I met in Washington a few times at Nationals Park. The first time we met was last September and then I saw him again on Gio Gonzalez bobblehead doll day. His name is David Cordell. His Twitter handle is @dcinwashington. He's originally from England and but he's taken a liking to the game of baseball. He came up to see the Nationals play on the road with his wife Janice who's originally from Bellmore, Long Island and their son, Sam. It was great to see him again. It was also nice to meet his wife and their son.

As for the game we saw, Gio Gonzalez started for the Nationals. With that being said, I'm glad it worked out that I saw him after batting practice Friday night. When I did see him he was complaining about the weather, he said and I quote "it's too windy." Saturday afternoon was more of the same. As a result, Gio had trouble with his control. He threw a lot of pitches but he was able to get in & out of trouble for the first three innings. He didn't allow a run and he had a 3-0 lead thanks to home runs by Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper. In the fourth inning, Gio got himself into trouble. The Mets batted around as they scored five runs off Gio who walked three including Lucas Duda who had two pitches land behind him. I was sitting with my pal Manny Morales who was there. He was with his buddy Marc Beck who thought Gio was throwing at Duda. I told Marc he wasn't. Gio was just wild. He has a tendency to lose control when he's on the mound. This was one of those times. Gio got through the fourth inning but that was it for him. Thankfully the Nationals got another home run, this one was a three run blast by Adam LaRoche which gave the Nationals a 6-5 lead. I jumped for joy because it got Gio off the hook for the loss. In the seventh inning, John Buck tied the game again at six with a clutch two out double. It was short lived because Bryce Harper led off the top of the eighth inning for the Nationals by breaking the tie as he hit his second homer of the game which gave the Nationals a 7-6 lead. Former Yankees Tyler Clippard & Rafael Soriano held the Mets in check as the Nationals held on to beat the Mets, 7-6.

Stay tuned for another special post that will recap the doubleheader we saw with another special guest on Sunday.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman