take me out to the ball game…read more
there's something wonderfully nostalgic about spending an evening at nat bailey stadium. near queen elizabeth park, the stadium has been home to the vancouver canadians for decades and has that old school minor league baseball feel that makes a game here about much more than what's happening on the field.
tonight's matchup was the vancouver canadians versus the tri-city dust devils, and the whole evening had that easy, family oriented, community feel you want from a baseball game. no need to dress up, no need to make a big production out of it. just grab a seat, settle in, and let the game happen around you.
we weren't particularly hungry at 5:00 pm, so instead of going all in on their footlong dogs, we made an easy decision: hand scooped strawberry milkshakes from triple o's. cold, creamy, and strawberry forward, it was just enough of a treat without committing to a full meal.
there was plenty going on between innings too. the chicken dance made an appearance, there was the seventh inning stretch, a 50/50 draw, and all sorts of little bits of entertainment that kept everyone engaged. it's the kind of stuff that makes a live baseball game feel like an event rather than simply sitting down to watch nine innings.
one of my favourite details was watching someone behind the scoreboard manually updating the scores and game information. there's something oddly satisfying about seeing it happen in real time rather than everything being instantly updated on a giant digital screen.
and then there was the fan who caught a foul ball with one outstretched hand while holding a beer in the other. the crowd absolutely roared and broke into applause. honestly, that may have been one of the night's highlights.
the scoreboard wasn't just about the score either. there were player stats, home run counts, stolen bases, and other bits of information that gave you something to keep an eye on between pitches. for someone who enjoys the little details, it added another layer to the game.
the crowd really brought the atmosphere. at one point, everyone stood up and clapped in unison, creating this sudden wall of noise and energy around the stadium. it was loud, enthusiastic, and exactly the kind of thing you don't get watching a game from home.
a big thank you to subaru for sponsoring the game and for the baseball cap and water bottle flask. free swag is always better when it's actually useful, and both were nice take home extras.
nat bailey has been a fixture in vancouver baseball for decades, and while it's certainly not a modern, bells and whistles stadium, that's part of the charm. the relatively intimate seating, neighbourhood setting, mountain views, enthusiastic fans, and all the little traditions make it feel distinctly vancouver.
there's something about baseball that slows everything down in the best possible way. sit back, sip a strawberry milkshake, root for the home team, do the chicken dance, stretch during the seventh inning, watch the scoreboard get updated by hand, and enjoy an evening at the ballpark.
for it's one, two, three strikes, you're out, at the old ball game
