![\"thumbnail](\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogatraveler\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2011\/08\/p8120238.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\nSweet Summer Memories<\/b><\/p>\n
Growing up in St Louis I have a lot of memories of summers
\nin the backyard listening to the Cardinals’ games on the radio. Of BBQs, family gatherings and playing
\ncatch in the backyard. Of softball
\ngames and of friendly neighborhood games that usually ended up with one of us
\nclimbing into the sewer to retrieve the ball. I’ve spent many a warm summer night in the bleachers at
\nBusch Stadium, cheering them on and people watching when the action got slow. So when I had the opportunity to see a
\nlive baseball game again I couldn’t pass it up – even if it was a minor league
\ngame.<\/p>\n
\n<\/p>\n
![\"Thumbnail](\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogatraveler\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2011\/08\/p8120227.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Behind Home Plate<\/b><\/p>\n
The Tri-City Valley Cats play at Joe Bruno Stadium on the
\ngrounds of Hudson Valley Community College in Troy. The stadium is intimate with only one level of seating and
\nthe “suites” that are situated high above the field. We sat behind home plate. That was cool, never sat behind home plate before. The seats behind home plate were
\nprotected by nets which was good because there was foul ball after foul ball
\nhit over the nets and into the walkway where the concession stands are and over
\nthe roof and even hitting the guttering that lined the “suites”. Which kept the game exciting. If you’re looking to take home a foul
\nball, t-shirt or other souvenir sit along the baselines and not behind home plate. There you might even get on the big
\nscreen. The game that night was a
\ndoubleheader with the Hudson Valley Renegades. I was thinking that a
\ndoubleheader was going to be a long, boring event but I was pleasantly
\nsurprised since there was plenty of entertainment between innings, like the
\nbarrel roll, the chuck it in the bucket along with a lot of music and
\ndancing. <\/p>\n
The Valley Cats won the first game: 9-4. Which caused the Renegades to change
\ntheir uniforms. Ball players can
\nbe so superstitious, but it didn’t help because again the lost, this time 4-2. <\/p>\n
There a few games still left if you’d like to watch a live
\nbaseball game. Most nights have
\npromotions and fireworks after the game.
\nThe stadium is family friendly with easy entrance and exit and tons of
\nfood options at the concession stands.<\/p>\n
![\"thumbnail](\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogatraveler\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/50\/2011\/08\/p8120232.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n
Sitting in the stands on a cool summer night, listening to
\nthe crack of the wooden bats.
\nWatching the umps call the strike outs and walks. Listening to the crowd as they cheer for
\nthe hits and groan for the swing and a miss. It was almost like being back
\nhome, watching the Cards play–I almost felt like a kid again. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sweet Summer MemoriesGrowing up in St Louis I have a lot of memories of summers in the backyard listening to the Cardinals’ games on the radio. Of BBQs, family gatherings and playing catch in the backyard. Of softball games and…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":5981,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8675","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\r\n