Though I have watched many baseball videos on YouTube, I have always wanted to watch baseball in person. With a ticket to a game, you get to scream with a sea of fans, be engulfed in a united passion for sports, and witness amazing plays with your own eyes. Baseball is just not as fun if you don’t experience it first-hand. I bought a ticket to Rockies at Mets last Friday and watched the first baseball game of my life at Citi field in Flushing.
Citi field is beautiful and well-designed. I got used to the size of Hong Kong stadiums, so I was surprised by how big it actually is. With the stadium having over 40,000 seats and 5 levels, it took me quite some time just to get to my seat - one of the cheapest seat I could find. I thought the view would be terrible, but it turned out fine. The section provided a nice view of the entire field, and you could still see the ball and the action very clearly. I was also lucky enough as it was a promotion day, so fans could get a free Max Scherzer bobblehead. $20 USD for a seat and a memento to bring home, what a steal! Remember to get a ticket from apps like Gametime and Stubhub, and try to get a ticket last-minute, they could save you up over half the price than buying from the official MLB website.
Everything was so cool. The atmosphere, the die-hard fans screaming at the top of their lungs, the DJ hyping up the crowd, the players’ walk-up showcase on the Megatron, it was everything I imagined a baseball game would be. It was a close game. The Mets had been leading with 3 runs up to the 6th inning, but then the Rockies caught up hitting a double and a single. The two teams were tying 6-6 down to the bottom of the 9th inning, when Alonso’s hit to left center saved the day and the Mets win 7-6. I also witnessed Brett Baty’s first homerun in the Citi field during the 3rd inning. Seeing a homerun in front of your own eyes is really impressive!
There are a bunch of rules to look out for if you are a newcomer to baseball watching. No backpacks are allowed for security reasons, so only bring tote bags and purses. The two New York fields are cashless facilities and do not accept any cash, so remember to use Google Pay, Apple Pay, or credit cards if you want to get food there.
I hope you too get to experience the excitement of baseball some day!
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Toby Chung
Placement Site: UNDP - Human Development Report Office, New York
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