Baseball season is starting and it's fucking snowing!!!!

[longship]

How can the Detroit Tigers play in snow?

Granted, I live in west rural Michigan, but it's fucking April and the Tigers are gonna start their season. We don't need fucking snow this time of the year even if it's the Manistee National Forest. It's fucking baseball season. There is no god damned snow in baseball season.

I need a Red Hot! (A hot dog served at Briggs Stadium -- AKA Tiger Stadium, sadly now gone -- one had a choice of onions and/or mustard. No other options)

Get yer Red Hots! Red Hots here, get yer Red Hots!!! If you wanted ketchup or relish the vendor would get all cranky on you. Just mustard and/or onions was all he offered. Get yer Red Hots!

They were good, too. Extra onions, please.

And one loves to see Al Kaline play right field. He could throw a strike to home plate from the fucking wall. One didn't dare tag at third on a right field fly against the Tigers. With Kaline at right, you'd be out. Thankfully there would be Dick Brown or Bill Freehan with the ball in hand as you slid in. The umpire would give you the double pumper and you'd be out at the plate.


Yup! Growing up in Detroit was cool.

Here's Tiger Stadium:

[ViseGrip]

1. I grew up there too! Al Kaline, Norm Cash, and the rest. Detroit and the burbs were fun!

All the lakes in summer for swimming, camping, water skiing, etc.
It was a great place to grow up! We had the best schools, etc.

[malthaussen]

2. Clemente's arm was marginally better...

... Kaline was probably the better overall player.

IIRC, the Expos played in the snow that one year they made the NLCS. But that's friggin' Canada.

-- Mal

[longship]

6. Of course, Montreal has the Canadiens.

Yvan Cournoyer! That fucker could skate anybody off the ice. He was fast as light. I loved watching the Red Wings play the Canadiens. Gordie Howe, Frank Mahovlich and Alex Delvechio versus Yvan Cournoyer and Henri Richard, the pocket rocket.

The Habs were pretty much unbeatable. But what great hockey happened.

[EdwardBernays]

3. Red Sox and Indians had to postpone opening day

because of the snow on Monday.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

4. A lot of local politicians attend the Tigers' home opener ...

... so, plenty of hot air to thaw the field.

But, sitting in the bleachers can be very cold. Dress like you're ice-fishing.

[pintobean]

5. May 2, 2013 snow postponed a TB @ KC game

[titaniumsalute]

7. Yesterday was the coldest Indians open EVER

34 degrees at game time.

[longship]

10. Brrrr!

Remember Herb Score? Indians pitcher who had a way of getting hit by balls.

Herb Score

[titaniumsalute]

13. Oh of course

Grew up listening to Herb for years calling Indians games. Miss him dearly.

[mac56]

8. The Twins host the Chisox on Monday.

Low to mid 40s expected at game time.

I remember in '82 when the Brewers had so much snow that they had to play their season opener at Comiskey in Chicago.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. I went to opening day at Wrigley once. Once.

Snow, sleet, rain, and that kind of special chill that bores right down into your bones and makes the bat sting in your hands like on no other kind of day.
They were supposed to play the Expos and we did see them briefly before the game was canceled, waving down to us on the concourse.
Since then, I wait until May at least to visit the park.

[longship]

11. But it's fucking Wrigley Field.

That's like front balcony at the Metropolitan Opera.

I would kill for those tickets. Well, maybe not, but almost.

[1939]

12. I go back to Briggs Stadium

George Kell, Hoot Evers, Dizzy Trout, Johnny Groth, Hal Newhouser.

Safety Patrol Day where all the duty boys from the elementary schools took a day off, were bused in, and got in free (left field lower stands).

[snooper2]

14. They play football in snow- It may be time to, BASEBALL UP

LOL

[longship]

15. I remember a Green Bay Thanksgiving day game.

The players were up to their keesters in snow. It was huge! And the snow didn't stop.
Can't remember the year.

My best to you.

[KamaAina]

16. Not only was he a great player, but Al Kaline invented the type of battery most commonly used today

[B Calm]

17. Punxsutawney Phil was so wrong!

[ScreamingMeemie]

18. I hated that stadium.

Loved the new one. Minute Maid down here pales in comparison.

(sidetrack: we did go to the last game at Tigers Stadium. It's where my then-infant son learned how to clap)

I was mentioning this the other day when the Astros at Yankees game was canceled for drizzle and temps in NY while it was sunny and 82 down here. Because opening in Houston made no sense, right? For the record, Houston's opening day will be in 5 days. By then, it should be 90 and they'll have to close the roof.

As for red hots, I didn't like them at County Stadium in Milwaukee and I like them about the same at Tiger Stadium.

Go get 'em Tigers!