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 goes to Harry Caray's Restaurant in Chicago!‏

After the King & I went to the Cub game on June 27th at Wrigley Field, we went back to the Flat where we stayed in Wrigleyville. We met up with Scott Bultman as well as Tike & Dawn Narry there. We got refreshed then we all walked over to the subway & we took the train to the loop which is considered downtown if you will in Chicago. We got off ‎& we walked a few blocks to Harry Caray's Restaurant to have dinner. Tike had made a reservation for us. We wound up meeting his friends Josh ‎& Stephanie Thurman along with their son, Brendan who joined us after they spent the day sightseeing. When we walked in, we had a drink by the bar. While doing so, Tike came across a guy he met last year when he was in Chicago. This guy he initially met on Twitter. His name is Joe McCune. He happens to be a San Francisco Giant fan who lives in Chicago. Tike asked the people there if we could have a table for nine instead of eight. That way he could join us for dinner. After a short wait, they were able to accommodate all nine of us. 

As for dinner, we ordered our food which included some different appetizers that consisted of toasted ravioli, calamari & antipasto. As for the main course, I had a chicken parmigiana which came with spaghetti. ‎The King had a ribeye steak on the bone. Tike & Dawn had been there last year too so they knew the food was excellent. Joe is a lawyer he said. He's been there many times. He told us the food choices were outrageous. Whatever you ordered, you couldn't go wrong. When the food arrived, we found that out. It was really a tremendous meal that we had.

In addition, we had some great conversations around the table. We estimated that between all of us that we have seen over 14,000 live sporting events. 

The King & I with a caricature of Harry Caray

After enjoying the food ‎& the company there, we weren't done for the night. After we left the restaurant, Joe who lives in one of the Marina City buildings a few blocks away, took us up to the 60th floor so we could get an aerial view of the City of Chicago. What an unexpected surprise that was. He was more than happy to show us the view. We got to see the Sears Tower, the new Trump Tower as well as an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding areas. We had a beautiful breeze blowing which added to this breath taking experience. If Tike never found this gentleman on Twitter, none of this would have happened. It just proves that if you make an effort to do something in life you never know what can come of it. In this case, a common interest in the Giants lead to guided tour for all of us. I want to personally thank Tike & Joe for making this happen. 

Aerial View of Sears Tower from Marina City in Chicago

After we got back downstairs we said good bye to Joe & the Thurman family for the night. The rest of us walked back to the subway & we took the train back to the Flat to go to sleep.

Stay tuned for a special post that will recap the rest of that memorable weekend in the Midwest.

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 enjoys its annual visit to Wrigley Field at the end of June during its 100th Anniversary celebration!‏

On April 23rd, the Cubs played the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. That day was the official anniversary of the first game played there in 1914. With that being said, the Cubs are celebrating all season long by having what refer to as the Party of the Century. Unfortunately for the Cubs & their loyal fan base, there hasn't been much to celebrate over the past century. Sad to say, the last time the Cubs got to the World Series was in 1945. As for the King & I, we've gone there together at least once every year since 1988. Despite their losing history, there's nothing like seeing a baseball game at the Friendly Confines as it's known. However, things are suppose to change next season. Major renovations are in place to face lift the ballpark. We're not looking forward to it but on the positive side, the address will remain the same. As for the on field results, l hope they change too. Time will tell on how things turn out.

Back in September when the schedule was released, I looked it over to see when would be the best time for us to return to Wrigley Field. After thorough analysis, the series against the Nationals at the end of June seemed to be the most logical choice. When they decided sometime in February to make Saturday June 28th a day/night doubleheader that sealed the deal. Their decision was based on potential traffic issues due to a Pride Parade that was scheduled to take place that Sunday. 

With that being said, our friend ‎& fellow roadtripper, Tike Narry who lives in the Bay Area decided to consult his wife Dawn about a possible road trip for that weekend. Last year Tike arranged to rent out a flat in Wrigleyville for him & a bunch of his buddies when they went to Chicago for a similar type weekend. Tike get permission from Dawn so he decided to contact the person who he dealt with last year. When she told him the flat was available for that weekend at the end of June, he asked the King & I if we were interested in joining him. After giving it some thought, we said we would. In addition, our pal Scott Bultman decided to go as well. Tike also had a friend of his, Josh Thurman who came with his wife Stephanie & their son Brendan for the weekend. They wound up staying in the loop which is what they call downtown if you will. They wanted to do more than just spend time at the ballpark. They wanted to walk around & see some of the sites that the Second City had to offer.  

Wrigley Field Marquee

As for the King ‎& I, we flew into Milwaukee Friday morning. We took a flight out of LaGuardia airport on Southwest Airlines. I rented a Chevy Spark, which looked like a matchbox car from Alamo for the weekend. Most importantly, it suited our needs. On the way to Wrigleyville, we stopped off at The Point Pancake House in Gurnee, Illinois for breakfast. When we finished we drove over to the flat that Tike rented for the weekend at 1036 Roscoe Street. Since the King & I usually don't stray towards that part of the neighborhood, we didn't know exactly where that street was. For the most part, we know that area very well. Instead of mapping it out exactly, I decided to contact Tike & Scott. They wound up meeting us a few blocks away then they guided us there. We wound up parking the car in the garage for the weekend. We went inside & we dropped off our bags. Once we got situated, we all walked over to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs host the Washington Nationals that afternoon. It was part of the homestand that they remembered the 1950's.

View from Aisle 420

The King is in the building

As for the game we saw, the Cubs ‎broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead, 4-2. They added three more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning taking advice from their late legendary announcer Harry Caray who was notorious for saying let's get some runs after he sung Take Me Out To The Ballgame. The Cubs went on to beat the Nationals, 7-2. 

After the game, I wound up waiting for the Nationals to come out by the team bus to see if I could see Gio Gonzalez since I didn't get to see him after batting practice.

Stay tuned for a special post that will go into detail about what transpired.

Thank you for reading ‎& following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty salutes All-Star pitcher Jason Grilli of the Pittsburgh Pirates!

Back on May 26, 2011 I got to meet and greet Jason Grilli who was trying to make a comeback to the major leagues after he suffered a knee injury that kept him out for the entire 2010 season. At the time, he was playing for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Philadelphia Phillies Triple A affiliate. A few months later due to a stipulation in his contract he became a free agent. He signed on with the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 21st. He finished the season strong for the Pirates. He was rewarded with a one year contract for the 2012 season. He became the Pirates' set up man for their closer at the time, Joel Hanrahan. After having a solid season, he was once again a free agent. This time he was offered a two year contract to stay in Pittsburgh. After giving it some thought, he decided to stay in the Steel City. In the off season, the Pirates traded Joel Hanrahan to the Boston Red Sox. With that being said, Jason was asked to take over as the Pirates' closer. Jason being used to adversity was able to overcome his knee injury to get back to the big leagues. Now he was determined to adapt to his new role in the Pirates' bullpen. Based on his first half performance, he has passed the test with flying colors.

Jason Grilli at Wrigley Field 

Ironically I saw Jason again during batting practice when I was at Wrigley Field back on July 6th. He came over and he shook my hand and I wished him well. I told him to keep up the great work.
He was there with his father Steve who pitched with the Detroit Tigers and the Toronto Blue Jays in the late 1970's. I remember having his baseball card when I was a young lad. They were having a catch in the outfield. It was so cool to see this father & son combination in the friendly confines.

That Sunday night the All-Star selections were announced. Jason Grilli aka Grill Cheese was among those who had his name called. What an accomplishment it was for him. This is a great example that hard work truly does pay off.

Jason & Steve Grilli having a catch at Wrigley Field

The following Saturday I saw Jason again at PNC Park before the Pirates played the Mets. I officially congratulated him on being selected to the All-Star game. Later that night, Jason came in and he closed out the game as he notched his 29th save of the season.

I was so happy for him as he pumped his fist when he sealed the deal getting the Mets out 1,2,3.

Jason Grilli on the cover of SI  

Thanks to his business partner and friend of mine, JeanAnn Harrison who told me that Jason was on the cover of the July 22nd Sports Illustrated which did a feature story on Jason and the rest of the Pirates' bullpen which is referred to as the Shark Tank. Jason is living the dream nowadays and then some.

Hope he helps the Pirates finally finish over .500 for the first time since 1992. In addition, I hope they get to play some meaningful baseball in October this year.

Time will tell. With that being said, Let's Go Bucs, raise the Jolly Roger.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty returns to Wrigley Field as roadtrippers reunite over Fourth of July weekend!

After the King, Dave Block & I got a much needed good night sleep, we drove towards Chicago. We made a pit stop at a royal restaurant first for breakfast. I'm talking about The Point Pancake House in Gurnee, Illinois. We weren't disappointed. I had my usual breakfast there which consisted of two charbroiled pork chops, eggs, fruit salad and pancakes. It was excellent. Dave & the King were also very satisfied as well.

Me & Dave Block Outside Wrigley Field

After we finished eating we drove to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs host the Pittsburgh Pirates that afternoon at 3:05PM local time. It worked out well. We got to the neighborhood early so we could park the car within walking distance for free at 1PM. We then proceeded to walk over to Wrigley Field. We went to the box office in hopes of getting some standing room tickets. They told us they weren't selling any. We asked what the cheapest tickets they had available were. They told us $51.52 in the upper deck with all the added taxes.
As a result, we decided to walk away and press our luck on the street instead. Luckily I ran into a guy who said he wanted $40 for a pair of tickets on the lower level in section 229. He said there were his season tickets. Without hesitation, I grabbed them for the King & I. We still needed one more for Dave. He wound up getting a single near us in the same section for $20 he said. Ironically I planned to meet some fellow roadtrippers at the game who had seats in section 130 which was right below where our seats were. I'm referring to Bob DeVries and his lovely wife Charlie. They were there with their friends Kristin & Dan who they introduced me to. It was great to see them again.

Me with Charlie & Bob DeVries

We also had another special treat on this day. Before the game started the 2013 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks brought the Stanley Cup to Wrigley Field. That was an added thrill. As part of the festivities, coach Joel Quenneville threw out the first pitch with the Cup resting by the pitcher's mound.

It was so cool to see the holy grail in baseball heaven. It was fitting indeed.

As for the game we saw, the Pirates scored first when third baseman Pedro Alvarez hit a solo homer to give the Buccos a 1-0 lead. The Cubs answered in the bottom of the fourth inning when Alfonso Soriano hit a two run homer to give the Cubs the lead, 2-1. In the fifth inning, Soriano did it again as he hit another two run blast to make it a 4-1 game. That's the way stayed as the Cubbies beat the red hot Pirates. By doing so, the natives got to sing the song Go Cubs Go as they made their way to exits.

After the game, on the way back to the car we stopped off at Artemio's Bakery and we got some cookies before we hit the road.

Dave along with the King and I  proceeded to drive to Indianapolis where we were spending the night before we continued on to Cincinnati to see the Reds play on Sunday afternoon.

Stay tuned for a special post that will go into further detail about that day.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty meets up with a roadtripping family at Yankee Stadium!

Roberto & Sofia Coquis and I in the Great Hall

Back on Friday September 14th, I was heading to the elevator to leave work to go up to the Bronx. Just before I got on the elevator, I saw I had a direct message on Twitter. So I opened it up. It was from a guy named Roberto Coquis who has the Twitter handle @30BallparksBaby. He lives in the Washington DC area. He wrote me and he asked me if I was going to the Yankee game. I was in a state of shock. I responded instantly and I said yes. It was really funny because Roberto and I have gone back and forth for a year or so trying to meet up in person. As it turned out, we finally did by accident if you will. We exchanged phone numbers and we texted and called each other along the way. I was so excited when I found out we were going to meet up once and for all. Roberto wasn't alone. He came up to NYC because his wife Judy was here on business. In addition, Roberto brought their adorable three and a half year old daughter Sofia with him.

Once I got off the subway by Yankee Stadium I called him and I left him a voice mail that I was in the area. I went over to the Court Deli Restaurant and I picked up a Corned Beef sandwich for dinner. After that, I walked back towards the Stadium. I got a call from Roberto he said he was going to a cash machine to get money. He didn't have tickets yet he said. I wound up getting him a pair near McDonald's moments later for $20. They were located out in left field on the main level. They had a $55 face value on them. With that being said, I did good. He said his daughter Sofia didn't need a ticket so it worked out really well for them. What a way to meet and greet. His wife Judy was amazed from hearing about my extensive sports travels. After we spoke briefly outside the Stadium, we all went inside together.

I told them they can come with me to where I sit in the grandstand section 420B which is right behind home plate. It worked out well as we all got to sit together and watch the game. As a result, we continued to tell stories from our past travels.

As for Roberto, Judy and Sofia, they all went to all 30 Major League Ballparks together in 2009 hence that's why Roberto has that Twitter handle. They said they need to go to Target Field in Minnesota which opened in 2010.

They did go to the New Marlins Park earlier this year for the Opening game on April 4th with the St. Louis Cardinals. Judy happens to be from the Miami area so she still has family there so it was very convenient for them to go there.

They said they hope to go to Minnesota next year. This was their first visit to the New Yankee Stadium since their big trip in 2009 when the New Stadium opened.

I want to thank Roberto for contacting me because he made my night. The King had rented a car from Avis for a week so he could drive to Baltimore that Thursday then he went to Chicago and Milwaukee for the weekend where he met up with our friend Bryan Gilligan who flew out there himself. In addition, he got to pick up a few more games that way and he saw the Mets play at Miller Park a few times. He also saw three more games at Wrigley Field too which is always worth going out of the way for.

He sold his Yankee ticket to our pal Vincent Ascanio who was at the game with me. I introduced him to Roberto, Judy and Sofia.

As for the game we saw, the Yankees were hosting division foe, the Tampa Bay Rays. I was looking forward to the game since David Price was starting for the Rays and CC Sabathia was going for the Yankees. With that being said, I knew I had a chance to see a well pitched game. That was before I find out I was going to have some unexpected company.

As for the match up, these two guys locked up in a good pitchers' duel for awhile but the Rays' David Price got the better of it this time around. He allowed two runs over seven innings while CC got touched up for four runs in six and two thirds innings. The Yankees trailed 5-2 going to the bottom of the eighth inning when Alex Rodriguez aka A-Rod delivered a two run homer to get the Yankees back within one at 5-4. In the top of the ninth inning, shortstop Eduardo Nunez made a costly error which lead to an insurance run as the Rays held off the Yankees, 6-4.

It should be noted that we witnessed history again in the Bronx as Derek Jeter got an infield single to second base in the fifth inning. With that hit, he moved into tenth place on the all-time hits list with 3,284 passing the legendary Willie Mays in the process. Ironically he wound up striking out swinging to end the game. Timing is everything.

All and all, it turned out to be a very memorable night in more ways than one.

With that being said, I want to personally thank Roberto, Judy and Sofia for adding to the experience. I truly had a great time with these special people. I hope we can do it again sooner than later.

Stay tuned as I continue to play catch up from that weekend as well as for my w/o 9/17 in review. It's been a September to remember for me that's for sure.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty continues our Labor Day Weekend getaway by going to Wrigley Field and Kane County on Sunday!

Harry Canary doing Take Me Out To The Ballgame

After we got a good night sleep at Super 8 in Elk Grove Village, we went to the Pine Grove Family Restaurant in nearby Rosemont on our way to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs and Giants wrap up their three game set.

As for the Pine Grove, the King and I have gone there for the last 15-20 years when we make our annual visit to Chicagoland. That place still serves good food despite under going some renovations and ownership changes.

This time we had a hearty breakfast which set the tone for another great day in the Midwest.

After we finished eating, we drove to Wrigleyville and we found a parking spot on the street again.

Since we had our tickets for the game already, we were able to go right in. It worked out well we enjoyed one last visit to baseball heaven for this year.

As for the game we saw, the Giants and Cubs battled from start to finish. The Giants lead early, 3-0. The Cubs came roaring back as they took a 5-3 lead partly due to Alfonso Soriano who hit a three run homer. In the 6th inning, the Giants came back and they tied the game at five. It stayed that way until the ninth inning when the Cubs called on their closer Carlos Marmol to keep the game tied. He failed to do so. The Giants scored twice in the frame as two former Mets came through with big hits. I'm referring to Angel Pagan and Marco Scutaro who both delivered run scoring singles to ultimately lead the Giants to a 7-5 victory on the North Side. With that being said, the Giants left Chicago taking two out of three from the baby bears. That was much to the delight of the many Giant fans who spent their weekend like we did at Wrigley Field.

After the game, we sadly said goodbye until next year. We proceeded to walk to the car and off to Kane County we went to see the Cougars play. Kane County is the home of the Midwest League Single A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They play at Fifth Third Ballpark which is located in Geneva, Illinois. That's 40 miles West of Chicago. We took the impressive Lake Shore Drive which runs along Lake Erie and through the Loop which is how they refer to the downtown area in Chicago. We then got on I-290 to I-88 which is a toll road that goes out to Kane County. We dodged some traffic and we arrived in the parking lot at the ballpark around 6:10PM for the 6:30PM start.

They had a sold out crowd on hand and we needed tickets. Luckily as we got near the entrance to the ballpark, a few people had some extra tickets and they said we could have them. We were so grateful. We thanked them and we headed inside for our second game of the day.

We wound up getting more than we bargained for. We got free tickets to see the game plus we got some special added in house entertainment too. First of all, we had the pleasure of seeing Nancy Faust who played the organ at Old Comiskey Park back in the day as well as New Comiskey Park which is now called U.S. Cellular Field. The King and I used to visit her when we went to see the White Sox play from 1988-2005.

We told her many years ago we were from New York. She no longer does the White Sox games. She's been doing the Cougar games this year on Sundays from May on. We had no idea. What a pleasant surprise it was to see and hear her. We went over to say hello and she remembered that we're from New York. We both lit up like a Christmas tree. Her presence made our night.

We settled in seats right behind home plate and we enjoyed the game between the Kane County Cougars and the Peoria Chiefs who are the Cubs' farm club.

Shortly after the game started, we got to take in the Zooperstars who we've seen perform a number of times over the years at different minor league ballparks. We got to see a Michael Jordan impersonator swallow an umpire whole. He did so to the song "Eat It." I told some young kids next to us that they were in for a treat. They couldn't stop laughing. The same could be said for many others of all ages who obviously have never seen the act. In addition, Harry Canary was on hand and during the seventh inning stretch he did "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". It was fun to sing along to it.

As for the game we saw in between, the Cougars won, 5-4 in ten innings as Alex Llanos got the game winning hit.

After the game, we headed to the car to beat the traffic as many stayed in the ballpark to watch the post game fireworks they had. The King and I enjoyed the display on the way to the car. It was a very nice show.
Since we were hungry, we drove up the road to the Country House to have a post game meal. They're known for having the best burgers in Chicagoland. I remember having one in a past visit a few years ago. This time I decided to have salmon which was excellent along with an Old Style beer which is the local beer that's been served in Chicago since 1902. The King went with a Bison burger and he was a satisfied customer.

After we finished our meals, we took a ride to nearby Elgin, Illinois where we spent some time pressing our luck at the Grand Victoria Casino. We wound up killing some time and losing some money but we had a good time doing so.

When we decided enough was enough we went back to the hotel to get some sleep as the week came to a close.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty does the Chicago/Milwaukee shuttle to start the Labor Day weekend Part 2!

Brewers win, 3-2 thanks to Corey Hart

After we spent the night sleeping at Super 8 by O'Hare Airport in Elk Grove Village, the King and I ate breakfast there too before we headed out to start our busy day. It worked out well as we got to choose from cereal, toast and waffles along with juice, milk, coffee and tea.

After we ate, we drove back to Wrigley Field to see the Cubs host the Giants in game two of their three game set.

We wound up parking the car on the street again in the neighborhood for free. On the way to Wrigley, we stopped off at Artemio's Bakery where bought a few cookies and they hit the spot.

Once we got to the ballpark, we had to look for tickets for the game since we only had tickets for Friday and Sunday's games. Originally this game was going to start at 3:05PM but Fox decided not to show this game because the Cubs were so bad. As a result, the game time was changed to 12:05PM. With that being said, the Brewers were home at 6:10PM so we decided to do the Chicago/Milwaukee shuttle again.

As for tickets, we wound up getting them outside. One cost us $10 and the other one we got the guy told me to go in with him so that was free. We split the cost so we each paid $5. I'm glad the Cubs have had a bad season. By doing so, we got tickets cheap and we got to go back to Milwaukee too. Another day and we got to see another doubleheader of baseball.

As for the game we saw, the Giants learned their lesson after they lost to the Cubs Friday afternoon. This time they jumped on the Cubs right off the bat as they scored four runs as catcher Hector Sanchez got hit by a pitch which drove in the first run. Then Xavier Nady followed with a bases clearing three run double. They added a run in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. The Cubs broke the shutout in the third inning as David DeJesus hit a two run homer off Giants' starter Tim Lincecum, who's had an off year, went six and a third innings to earn the victory as the Giants won, 5-2. Ironically the game took three hours and nine minutes which was the same exact time of Friday's game. Since the game started 15 minutes earlier than Friday we had a little more time to get to Milwaukee.

We went back to the car and we headed back to Milwaukee on US 41. Since we had more time, we decided to stop off fast at Brown's Chicken in Gurnee, Illinois which was right on the side of the road in a small shopping center that was connected with a Citgo gas station. We wound up taking out some food and we ate it in the car as we continued to make our way back to Miller Park. We wound up taking 25 minutes to do so. That was longer than we expected but at least our food was made to order and it tasted really good.

I wound up parking the car in the same area as I did Friday night on the street. This time I parked at 5:50PM. We walked over and we still needed tickets for the game. This time I got a ticket for $10 and the King wound up getting one for free. Once again we paid only $5 each. We ran inside and we even got up to the upper deck in time for the first pitch. Another on time arrival. This was the 20th game I've seen at Miller Park. I've been there at least every year since it opened its doors in April 2001.

As for the game we saw, the Pirates' A.J. Burnett, a former Yankee pitched well as he held the Brewers without a hit for five and two third innings. He did allow a run to score on a wild pitch though. The Brewers finally got a hit and they eventually tied the game at two after the Pirates took a brief lead at 2-1. Jason Grilli came on in the bottom of the eighth inning. He managed to keep the game tied despite having to work around an error and an intentional walk. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Corey Hart of the Brewers ended the game with a game winning home run off the second pitch he saw from Pirates' closer Joel Hanrahan who took the loss as the Brewers won, 3-2 in dramatic fashion.

After the game, we drove back to the Super 8 in Elk Grove Village to spend the night again. On the way back, the King said he was hungry so we decided to stop off at Steak N Shake which was located at Gurnee Mills. We went in and we had some steakburger sliders to go along with a shake. It turned out to be a great decision.

Once we were done we drove back to the hotel and we got a good night sleep.

Stay tuned for the next installment as I continue to recap the rest of the getaway.

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

The Winter Classic Experience

Me in the Crowd at Winter Classic

On January 1, 2008 the NHL decided to stage a unique event that being the Winter Classic in Buffalo, New York. The Buffalo Sabres hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium which is the home of the Buffalo Bills.

Thanks to my pals Andrew Kulyk and Peter Farrell who are Sabre season ticket holders, they were able to secure tickets for my friend the King and I to see this unique event.

The experience that day was priceless. Despite not feeling our best, we still braved the elements on this day to see hockey history in the making. With snow falling during the game, the ice needed to be repaired numerous times but that didn't stop the game from being a big hit. A record crowd of 71,000 were on hand to witness it.

The game wound up being decided in a shootout as the Penguins beat the Sabres, 2-1 as Sidney Crosby scored the game winner.

On January 1, 2009 the NHL decided to do another Winter Classic. This time they chose Wrigley Field in Chicago as the site of the event. The Chicago Blackhawks took on their original six rival, the Detroit Red Wings. Unfortunately I didn't get to witness this one in person. I did watch it on TV with deep regret.
Since the game was at a smaller venue, the ticket prices were rather pricey. That coupled with the fact I live in NYC, it's a long drive to Chicago and mother nature can always play her tricks. In addition, my friend the King who happens to be a Red Wing fan thought he was going to have to work so we decided it was better not to go.

Ironically we met up with Andrew Van Cleve a few years ago when we visited Chicago. He was at that Winter Classic. I wish we knew each other then.

As for the game that day, the Red Wings beat the hometown Blackhawks, 6-4 in the highest scoring Winter Classic game.

On January 1, 2010, the tradition continued. This time the Winter Classic was played at Fenway Park in Boston as the Philadelphia Flyers invaded Beantown to play the Bruins.

Once again the King and I decided to go. We wound up buying tickets at the last minute on Craiglist because we were concerned about the weather.

Thankfully mother nature cooperated. It turned out to be a beautiful winter day. The temperature was a comfortable 36 degrees which made for a wonderful setting. We had the privilege of sitting towards the back of the grandstand near first base which was the corner of the rink. We had the Green Monster staring us right in the face.

As for the game, the Flyers lead 1-0 into the third period. Late in the period, the Bruins evened the score at one. This one was decided in overtime as the Bruins found the net in the extra session as they sent the natives home happy, 2-1. It should be noted their were a number of Flyer fans in attendance as well who had a long ride home after the loss.

As for the King and I, since we didn't have a real rooting interest so we got to enjoy the outcome regardless of who won.

On January 1, 2011, the Winter Classic returned to a bigger venue. This one was played at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh which is the home of the Steelers. The Penguins hosted the Washington Capitals.

This game was originally scheduled to start at 1PM like the others. Unfortunately mother nature was up to her tricks again. This time the temperature was in the 40's and rain was expected. With that being said, they decided that with the rain suppose to clear out by the evening, they changed the starting time to 8PM. By doing so, this turned out to be the first Winter Classic in prime time.

As for the King and I, we got to go again. This time our friend Peter Agnew who has season tickets for the Capitals said he didn't want to go. He asked us if we wanted to buy the tickets he was offered. We instantly told him yes.

We wound up sitting in the upper level with other Capital fans. They did a nice job distributing the tickets for this game. It seemed like every other section was divided by each team's fans. By doing that it made for a fair view for everybody who was able to be part of this unique experience. They drew a crowd of 68,000.
As for the game, the hometown Penguins came up short as the Capitals won, 3-1.

This year New Year's Day came out on a Sunday. With that being said, the NHL decided to move their Winter Classic game to Monday, January 2nd instead.

This time they went back to the baseball park setting as they chose to have the Philadelphia Flyers host the game at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies. The Flyers played the New York Rangers in the latest installment of the Classic. The game was scheduled to start at 1PM but since the weather conditions weren't ideal they decided to move the starting time to 3PM.

The King and I once again got to take part in the festivities. We were also joined by our friend Andrew Van Cleve who recently moved to Philadelphia.

The King and I got tickets with the help of season ticket holders that we know. Andrew found a person on Craigslist who sold him a ticket for face value.

Surprisingly it seemed like their were a lot more Flyer fans than Ranger fans at the game. We happened to be sitting around a lot of Flyer fans. There were a lot of people dressed up in their Flyer colors throughout the ballpark.

Don't get me wrong, there were a good number of Ranger fans in the building but with the ticket prices being really pricey I think that prevented some people from going to the game.

The experience is different than seeing a hockey game indoors. The outdoor game makes for a once in a lifetime scenario for those who have some spare money to burn. If you like the game of hockey, I strongly suggest that you go to a Winter Classic so you can see the experience for yourself.

As for the game, the Flyers took a 2-0 lead in the second period after there was no scoring for the first half of the game. The Rangers cut the lead in half at 2-1 after two periods. During the intermission, I ran into a guy I knew from New York who happens to be a big time Ranger fan. He said and I quote "this game isn't over yet." He turned out to be right. The Rangers proceeded to tie the game at two and then they got the eventual game winning goal as the Rangers hung on for the 3-2 victory.

In retrospect, I may regret not going to Wrigley Field in 2009 but I've been to the last three in a row. I hope to be able to keep going to see this unique event year after year. Time will tell.

If you plan to go, please take into account that many of the seats are bad. That's the nature of setting up a rink in a baseball and/or football stadium.

In a baseball stadium, the rink usually runs from across the outfield behind second base.

In a football stadium, the rink is laid across the gridiron between the 20 yard lines.

The bottom line is this experiment is working as the NHL now has a day it can call its own.

In the future, if you like hockey New Year's Day is the day you can see the sport outdoors. Hopefully they'll chose different locations and teams so it's more fair to the rest of the country.

I hope I've given you a reason to see for yourself what the Winter Classic experience is all about.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty meets up with fellow roadtrippers Andrew Van Cleve and Kurt Smith in the City of Brotherly Love!

Andrew Van Cleve, Kurt Smith, The King and I

The King and I arrived in Philadelphia around 1PM on Sunday as we planned to meet up with some special people.

I'm talking about Andrew Van Cleve aka the Ultimate Sports fan who just moved to the City of Brotherly Love after spending the last 17 years of his life in Chicagoland. He spent the last ten years up the block from Wrigley Field.

He was forced to move because his lovely wife Nicole aka the Ultimate Sports wife got a job as a professor at Temple University.

Andrew is also the proud father of Dylan Salvatore aka the Ultimate Sports baby who has the unique distinction of seeing his first sporting event at Wrigley Field at a mere three days old. He's been to over a hundred live games since.

We were also joined by Kurt Smith, the author of ballpark e-guides. Kurt felt like he was out of his league because he doesn't have the time to attend nearly as many live sporting events as the rest of us. He was privileged and honored to be sitting at a table at Jon's Bar & Grille which is located a few blocks from Andrew's new home with us sports travel legends. He deemed it a Kodak moment.

Kurt has a baby on the way who's due to arrive in February so that will further prevent him from going to games live.

Regardless Kurt is a great guy who has to continue to find a way to support his latest family addition. With that being said, he has his side business of writing and selling ballpark e-guides which are tremendous sources of information for sports travelers as well as people in general. He has put lots of time and effort into producing these which he sells for a mere $5. I strongly suggest that if you haven't gotten one for your local team that you do so. He has done a number of them. Believe me, you can't go wrong and you'll be supporting a good cause in the process.

It was great to see Kurt again. He came in special from his home in South Jersey to meet up with us. Even though he couldn't make the football game, we still got to spend some quality time together. I want to thank him for giving us some of his precious time.

As for the football game, the King and I drove Andrew there with us.

We wound up working some royal magic as we met up with our good friend Frankie Centola who lives in Philadelphia. We all got to see the game from the club level, royal treatment indeed. We showed Andrew some of our own Brotherly Love.

With Andrew relocating to the Northeast, I fully expect to see him more often.

As for the game we saw, the Eagles raced out to a 28-0 lead over the Jets with 9:57 still left in the second quarter. The Jets cut into the lead as they trailed, 28-13 at halftime. They got the ball first in the second half but they continued to make costly mistakes which prevented them from pulling off another miraculous comeback on the road. They wound up losing to Eagles, 45-19.

Andrew decided to depart a little early since the game was over for all intent and purposes. By doing so, he was able to get back home to see Nicole and Dylan.

I want to thank Andrew for spending the rest of the afternoon with the King and I. As always it was an absolute pleasure to see him again.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty sees a rare Saturday night game at Wrigley Field!

Our View from Aisle 222 

Thanks to Fox, the Chicago Cubs got to play their first Saturday night home game in almost 13 years and the King and I arranged to be there. It wound up working out perfectly since we got to go the Ultimate Sports Baby's first birthday party in the afternoon.

The last time the Cubs played a scheduled Saturday night game at Wrigley Field was back on June 20, 1998. They wound up playing a day-night doubleheader against the Cardinals on August 31, 2002.

This time mother nature did her very best to ruin the chance for us to see a rare Saturday night game at Wrigley Field. The weather forecast was brutal. The temperature dropped into the low 40's at game time and the wind was howling throught the light rain that falling. The first pitch was delivered at 6:13PM. The game was stopped at 8:24PM with a 2-0 count on the Giants' Aaron Rowand in the top of the 7th inning when the umpires wisely decided that was enough. Shortly thereafter, the game was officially called off.

The Cubs lost to the Giants, 3-0 in a rain shortened game. They made a few errors thanks to the lousy field conditions that cost them a few runs. It should be noted the Cubs had their chances to score but they failed to capitalize on them.

The King and I as well as Andrew Van Cleve and his father stuck it out and we braved the elements. Once the tarp finally went on the field we all decided to call it a night at the ballpark.

Andrew and his father went back to his house and the King and I headed out to Elgin, Illinois to go to the Grand Victoria Casino before we went back to our hotel to call it a night.

Stay tuned as I'm going to write a special post about the way we altered our game plan for Sunday.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

D'Agostino's Pizza and Pub

D'Agostino's Pizza and Pub

Thanks once again to Andrew Van Cleve and his family for inviting the King and I to the Ultimate Sports Baby's birthday party.

As a result, we got to enjoy a tremendous meal at a family style restaurant called D'Agostino's Pizza and Pub.

This place is located at 1351 W Addison which is walking distance from Wrigley Field. More importantly, they're an official sponsor of the Chicago Cubs.

As for the food they serve, they have an extensive menu to choose from. It consists of their famous thin crust pizza which is rather unique since Chicago is known for its deep dish style pizza which they have as well. In addition, they have many different toppings so you can pick and choose how you want to eat your pizza.

Furthermore, they also have many other options if pizza isn't for you. They have chicken, ribs, burgers, subs, steak, shrimp, salads, grinders, sandwiches and wraps so you should be able to satisfy your hunger without too much difficulty. If that's not enough, they also have a number of different desserts aka sweet endings if you will so save some room for them.

Moreover, they do catering as well as private parties or if you're stuck in the office and/or in the house they deliver too.

We got to taste the thin crust pizza which was very crispy and tasty as their reputation claims. At the party, it was all you could eat pizza. It was so good, I didn't keep track of how much I ate but I know I had plenty it was that good. My only regret was I wish I had room for some more.

The next time we go to Chicago, I hope we find time to go back here for another great meal.

If and when you're ready to go to Chicago, let me know so I can arrange to make sure you get to go here.

This is an added incentive to go to Wrigley Field. Depending on what the game time is, you can go here before or after to enjoy yourself.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty celebrates the Ultimate Sports Baby's First Birthday in Chicago!

Ultimate Sports Baby & Dad joined by the King and the Prince

Last May just before the King and I made our annual Wrigley Field visit, I was contacted by a guy named Andrew Van Cleve, the Ultimate Sports fan who has and will circle the globe to see any sporting event.

Andrew found me thanks to our friend Sean MacDonald . One day he came across Sean's website and blog when he was surfing the internet. As a result, he got wind of my blog too. He decided to take a chance and he sent me an e-mail in hopes that I would reach out to him.

I did and we've been in touch ever since. Just before we came to Chicago on May 14, 2010, Andrew informed me that his wife Nicole aka the Ultimate Sports wife gave birth to their first child, a boy on Mother's Day, May 9th.

When the major league baseball schedule came out back in the middle of September, I decided to plan to be back in Chicago in the middle of May. I didn't take into account that their son Dylan was going to be one around that time though.

A few months ago, Andrew mentioned to me that they were having a birthday party for Dylan. He asked me what the King and I were doing that Saturday afternoon before the Cub game that was scheduled to start at 6:10PM that night. I told him we didn't have anything set yet.

He replied would you and the King like to come to Dylan's first birthday party that afternoon which will take place between 1 and 3PM. I was speechless at first then after I gathered myself I told him we would be privileged and honored to do so.

As the time got closer, Andrew told me the details for the big bash. He said it was going to be at a place called D'Agostino's Pizza and Pub which was located within walking distance from Wrigley Field. Please stay tuned for the special post I'm going to do about this restaurant.

As for the party, the King and I went over there early so we could get situated and ready for this special occasion.
Besides Andrew, we didn't know anybody when we first walked into the restaurant. That changed instantly as Andrew introduced us to his parents who came in the Bay Area to be part of this memorable day.
Ironically his parents met Sean MacDonald a few weeks prior when they were still home. Sean was in the States on a three week sports road trip of his own out in California and Nevada. Andrew was out there too so they met up and he introduced him to them. What a small world it really is.

I can see why Andrew is such a great guy. He's blessed to have such wonderful parents. The King and I enjoyed spending some precious time talking with them. They travel all over the globe like their son who showed them the way it's done.

For example, his father told us about a trip that they took to Italy. Andrew arranged it for them and he made sure they saw a sporting event too. His father said they wound up at a basketball game that was being played 15 minutes away from their hotel. What a convenience he said. Upon hearing this story, I was left in awe.

Andrew proceeded to introduce us to his lovely wife Nicole aka the Ultimate Sports wife or should I say "Doctor". Nicole just got her doctorate degree as she's now a PHD. Now that's an accomplishment.

Congratulations again, Nicole. You are a very special lady. She referred to us as the Prince and the King. What a thrill it was to finally met her.

Last but not least we got to meet the youngest person as far as I'm concerned to see a live baseball game at a mere 3 days old at Wrigley Field no less. He's none other than the Ultimate Sports baby, Dylan Salvatore Van Cleve. In fact, according to his Daddy Andrew, Dylan has seen 65 sporting events in his first year on the planet. That's definitely a record for sure. I hope the Guinness Book of World Records is taking notes.

As for Dylan, when the party was over I joked around that he's my adopted son. I should be so blessed. He was not only adorable but he was so such a good boy all afternoon long. It's true he was the center of attention but it was amazing how well behaved he was. He had a blast.

As for us, we didn't come empty handed. We bought him a Phillie Phanatic doll. I came up with a brainstorm. Since Dr. Nicole is going to be a professor in the fall at Temple University in Philadelphia, it made perfect sense.

Dylan will probably grow up to be a Phillie phan. If not, his favorite mascot will be the Phanatic. He's mine. Andrew and Nicole thought it was a great idea since it came from royalty.

As for the party overall, it was truly a day I'll cherish for many years to come.

It was in my eyes, the highlight of the weekend. The food was excellent, the company was second to none and the cake was so fitting. It had a baseball glove and it said and I quote "Holy Cow, Dylan's 1"! They acknowledged the late great Cub broadcaster, Harry Caray, who was known for using that terminology on the air.

I want to personally thank the Van Cleve family for giving the King and I the opportunity to celebrate this special day with them.

Stay tuned as the rest of the weekend recap will eventually follow.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Your truly,

Gary Herman

Royalty enjoys the "Suite" life at Wrigley Field!

"Suite"

Once the King and I arrived in Chicago at O'Hare airport on Friday morning, life was good.

The weather at that time was gorgeous. As the day wore on, the temperature dropped considerably.

Fortunately for us we got hooked up with tickets to the Fox suite at Wrigley Field which was located right by third base. I just had to go to the Will Call window to pick them up.

I want to thank my former co-worker here at Fox in New York, Walter Augustin for making this possible for the King and I and our friend Andrew Van Cleve aka the Ultimate Sports fan who lives up the block from the friendly confines.

Walter now works at our Fox affiliate WFLD in Chicago. When he heard I was coming to town the day before he arranged to accomodate me and my friends. We had a great time in the suite thanks to our fine host Tim who made sure everything ran smoothly. We got to enjoy free food and the drinks were on the house too.

More importantly, the King and I met a lady named Rebecca Barr who was enjoying the game in the suite with us. She made a great situation even better. We got to talk baseball with her. She grew up near Peoria, Illinois in a very small town she said. Peoria is located between Chicago and St. Louis. She happens to be a Cardinal fan. I respect that. I did tell her this is baseball heaven though. Nothing beats seeing a baseball game at Wrigley Field. The setting here is so unique.

As for the game we saw, the Cubs were playing the 2010 World Champion San Francisco Giants.

The Cubs wound up putting their hitting shoes on as they proceeded to pound the World Champs, 11-4 on this Friday afternoon. With the Cubs getting the win, they raised the blue "W" and the home crowd walked out singing happily to their special song when they win. These days it's a "Way of Life" on the North side of the Windy City.

After the game, the King and I went up to Milwaukee to see the Brewers host the Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park a mere 85 miles away. It's alot harder than it sounds because we had to battle the impossible Chicago rush hour traffic in order to get there in a timely fashion.

Please stay tuned as I go into detail about our second game of the day.

Thank you for reading and following along.

Yours truly,

Gary Herman