When I was a youth the Giants actually played doubleheaders on most Sundays, along with various other days throughout the week. My Dad and I would have to leave Sacramento, or I should say, I forced him to leave Sacramento by 8:30am to get to Candlestick no later than 10:30am. Back in those days teams actually opened the gates to the ballpark two hours early, but they didn’t play the game at 10:30am I just wanted to get there at 10:30am!

Well as most of you know the minor leagues love playing early games early in the season for their various school programs. So here I sit in the radio booth at Canal Park in Downtown Akron for this mornings 10:30am game. This after not getting to sleep until about 2am because of various work that had to get done before this morning.

Don’t get me wrong, I really don’t mind these games after they are done. And neither do the players. But given they are always scheduled after a night game means there is always a quick turnaround. Last night was a three-hour game which meant that most of us arrived back at the hotel at around 11:30pm. The 6:45am alarm this morning came way too soon.

These games in the morning are always fun because of the different level of excitement in the crowd. When I was seven, eight, nine years old making those trips to the ‘Stick, I would yell and scream everytime Willie McCovey or Bobby Bonds hit a popup, just like the kids this morning will do.

There’s a shrill instead of a humm at these games, which is fun and different too. These games are certainly different though from when I was a youngster.

Back then, men were still wearing Fedora’s to the ballpark and smoking cigars and cigarettes and there wasn’t any sound except for the booming public address announcer and organ. Oh yes, I forgot, on those Sunday games there was a four-piece dixieland style band playing music at different times throughout the day.

Well the gates are open here and the kids are streaming in by the hundreds if not thousands. I need to get ready for the game and broadcast! The Sens need to use some of the energy here to snap their long losing streak!

I’ll write more tomorrow when we’re finally back home at Metro Bank Park!