Take Me Out to the Dodger Game

I actually quite enjoyed collecting baseball cards as a child. Even though I only collected from about age 9 to 12, it meant bonding with me Dad. He would bring me along to card shows that were held in these huge warehouses. My step-brothers and I would each be given $20 to spend on cards. They would always blow their money on the hottest players of the moment, but I would pick my Dad's brain in order to spend my money wisely. I gravitated to past players: Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson. After saving my $20 bills over several shows, I was able to buy a Jackie Robinson. It wasn't in absolute perfect condition, but I loved that it was of the first black man ever to join a professional team. The year was 1947. The team was the Brooklyn Dodgers.

I never was able to see the Dodgers play in Brooklyn since I wasn't even alive when they moved to Los Angeles in 1958. I grew up watching the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park and then the Seattle Mariner's at the Kingdome and eventually Safeco while living in Seattle. I never have felt a strong bond to the Dodger's like I did with these other teams. Perhaps Southern California has too many teams, causing distachment from those that don't follow sports religiously. Maybe L.A. is just too spread out to to get swept up in the contagious fan fever of a condensed city. By visiting Dodger Stadium, which ranks as one of the oldest stadiums in the country being newly built in 1962, however, there was still the joy of being at a baseball game. The peanuts, the crappy food, the chatting during long innings, the wave, and of course the crowd singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." It was all there. No matter what U.S. city, nothing feels quite as American as a baseball game in the summer.

Dodger Stadium 1962 Los Angeles, CA

1962 Dodger fans watching a game. I love that that boy is wearing a red suit to the game. Stylish.

Dodger Stadium 08/13/11 Dodgers vs. Astros

Dodger Stadium still has the original seating in my favorite color: mint green.

Ramsey and I after the Dodgers creamed the Astros.

Julie and Kyle

Peanuts I ate...they tasted kind of weird and I think I found a couple of bugs in the bag. Don't buy food from the 99C store. This is why they're on the ground.

Baseball game apparel: Vintage multi-colored polka dot scarf; UCLA vintage looking baseball tee (I didn't have a Dodger tee, so this had to do); thrifted J Brand straight cut jeans; vintage 1960's white and gold bracelet; vintage camel loafers (not pictured).

Close-up on multi-colored polka dot vintage scarf.