Matthew Monday: Matthew’s First Baseball Game

On June 24^th we took Matthew to see his first baseball game, a minor league game between the Staten Island Yankees—the New York Yankees minor league (single A) affiliate stationed here on Staten Island—and the Pittsburg Pirates minor league affiliate, the West Virginia Black Bears.  Here are some pictures.

At the gate, Matthew dressed as a complete Yankees fan.

At taking a picture with the team mascots.  That’s Scooter, the Holy Cow.  If you know Yankees legend, you’d realize where they got that name.

It was one of those minor league special days where they (1) gave out a ball to each fan, (2) allow small kids on the field and at the end of the game run the bases, and (3) fireworks after the game.  It was a really good one to go to.

We got there early, and mother and child were restless.

Staten Island Yankees stadium is located right on the harbor with a magnificent view of the Manhattan skyline.  Here’s a zoomed in shot looking out over the right field fence.

And Matthew loving it on the field.

Single A league are the players just drafted, and Matthew got his new baseball that he’d just receive signed by one of the Black Bears players.  As it turned out, that player had been a local Staten Island kid who had gone to one of our high schools.  And to Matthew’s pleasure, they shared the same first names.  That young ball player was Matt Diorio, and he got a hit and an RBI.  We hope Matt makes it someday to the big leagues. Matt is number 18.

Here’s a picture Matthew took with my camera which he was very proud of.  He caught the Yankees pitcher in action.

As luck would have it, the Staten Island Yankees, who had trailed all night, tied the game up and won it in the bottom of the tenth inning.  You can see the box score here.   And here’s a picture of the fireworks.

What a spectacular night for Matthew.  He said “it was the best day of my life.”  Don’t take that as absolute.  He says that about a lot of days…LOL.  But he did have a great time.