Tonight’s A to Z challenge is what I love to experience every chance I can – going to watch a live baseball game. I have been to hundreds of baseball games from Tee Ball contests to the Major Leagues. Every game is unpredictable. Every game has something to offer a baseball fan’s senses. The smells from the concession stand, the music over the PA System, the fans, the players, the uniforms, the mascots. They all add up to the live baseball experience. And I cannot wait until my next one, which should be this Wednesday weather permitting. In the meantime, here is tonight’s A to Z challenge – an alphabet of sights, smells, and stuff you might find at a live baseball game. Batter up, first pitch is just about to start, so Let’s Play Ball!!!

A – Anthem, the National Anthem is played at Little League parks, Cape Cod League games, and Fenway Park. Patriotism has a song and it is our National Anthem.

B – Bleachers – my preferred seat of choice at most ballparks. I love general admission seating and bleacher seats fit right into my world.

C – Cut grass – people make a good living cutting grass at major ballparks. And they do a heck of a job making the outfield, infield, and foul territory look amazing for gameday.

D – Dugouts – where the players hang out, where the managers argue balls and strikes, and where a ton of sunflower seed shells end up after an grueling extra inning game

E – Entertainment, specifically game day events like running the bases after games, fireworks, and sack races in between innings provide a ton of non-baseball enjoyment for fans

F – Foul territory pole – one for each side of the outfield, always painted in the brightest yellow paint you can find at the store

G – Grandstand – great place to view the game, its typically the seating section just above the coveted box seats and slightly less expensive on average

H – Hot dogs – there is nothing like that delicious combination of hot dog, bun, mustard, and sauerkraut for this fan

I – Ice cream – when your live game experience is just about over, make sure you stop into an ice cream vendor and partake in a yummy soft serve twist, trust me you will not be disappointed.

J – Journalist – the press box is a cool place to hang out, chat about the game going on, then branch off into a completely different baseball tangent

K – Kids – the target audience for most baseball games is kids. Kids bring parents, who bring money for souvenirs like foam fingers for $50 apiece.

L – Left field – a common spot for a grassy area for families to sit and enjoy the game together. Oh wait, I was just dreaming about my time at McCoy Stadium with my family.

M – Mounds and Mounds – you have a pitcher’s mound in the field, you have pitcher’s mounds in the bullpens, a mound of dirt so you can stand up and be the person to put the ball in play

N – Nosebleed section – this is a section in a ballpark that is way, way, way up in like the 4th or 5th level of the park. If you buy tickets day of the game, you can get nosebleed section tickets for like $5 to $10. Been there, done that.

O – Opposing team’s fans – home fans show up for games in droves and with a positive attitude. Opposing fans show up for games on the road with a chip on their shoulder. Don’t deny it, you’ve been a chip on the shoulder fan in your lifetime haven’t you???

P – Popcorn – a baseball fan’s preferred choice of snack food at the game. Chips, maybe nachos would qualify here. But a bag of popcorn is easy to hold and easier to eat.

Q – Quiz time on the scoreboard. These are wicked fun to partake in. It could be an attendance quiz, how many people are here in the stands. It could be a who’s who quiz. Quizzes are fun, and baseball game quizzes are the most fun.

R – Relief pitcher (s) – Relief pitchers hang out in the bullpen. They may go in the game, but if not, they find other ways to amuse themselves for the game.

S – Scoreboards – wow, have these evolved over the years. The early ones were a wooden board with hooks and numbers. The modern ones are giant computers the size of a mountain and the graphics are absolutely stunning.

T – Third Base – the hot corner, as its known, produces some of the most violent plays in the game of baseball. But, every once in awhile, you can witness a truly epic and unexpected play at third.

U – Umpires – the umpire’s role is to be the authority figure, the voice of reason, the law, he makes the calls, he takes the heat from the unruly fans.

V – Velocity meter – how fast was that pitch? Well, take a look at the scoreboard or the back wall and you will see just how fast it was

W – Walk up songs – What would your walk up song be? Mine would be from Stevie Ray Vaughn or Guns N Roses or The Allman Bros. Walk up songs tell the pitcher, guess what, trouble is on the way to the plate!

X – I give up, X words just do not exist!

Y – Yard – the baseball field is often referred to as the yard. Like “that baseball just left the yard,” means someone just hit a home run, over the fence, thus leaving the field of play.

Z – Zillionaires – well, you won’t see these Z’s unless you go to a Dodgers or NY Yankees or Red Sox game. These players are zillionaires and they play a kids game. How great is that?!?

When you walk into a baseball stadium, local little league park, or an open collegiate baseball field – take a moment to take in the sights and smells and stuff all around you. The play on the field is awesome. However, the fans and voices from the dugouts, the food, the wind, the fresh cut grass – it all adds to the wonderful world of experiences you find at a live baseball game. I am so looking forward to traveling locally here on Wednesday for my next live game. How about you, what do you see and hear and feel at a baseball game? Let me know if you can complete a A to Z challenge of stuff you find at a baseball game.