Results tagged ‘ Dave Matthews Band ’
MyGameBalls Canada and Hershey
I finally updated my page on mygameballs.com
It’s a cool site for ballhawks to use to easily track their collection. Updating stats for a game only takes a minute. If you haven’t created an account yet, I’d highly suggest doing so. The creator of the site writes various articles about different ballhawks around the country. Zack Hample, Greg Barasch, and Chris were featured in previous articles.
There is an article up about me. If you’d like to read it, you can click here: MYGAMEBALLS.
In other news, John Witt found an article about ballhawks on Canada.com. There’s even a mention of the Ballhawk League. Its pretty cool that our ballhawk league is getting a little bit of press north of the border. To read the Canada.com link click here– CANADA.COM ARTICLE
Finally, I saw Dave Matthews Band at Hershey Park outside of Harrisburg on Friday night. 
I had tickets in the 12th row, center. It was pretty sweet. It was my 40th Dave Matthews Band show. I didn’t get home until 3:45 AM though, which made getting up for a short road trip the next day pretty tough.
6-19-09 and 6-20-09 Post Gazette Pavilion
I spent Friday and Saturday taking in the Dave Matthews Band at the Post Gazette Pavilion in Burgettstown PA, which is about a half hour or so outside of Pittsburgh.
I wish I could follow DMB everywhere. According to my concert attended list, these were my 38th and 39th shows that I’ve been to.
What concerts have I been to? Maybe we’ve been to the same ones:
DMB 2000-07-03 Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA
DMB 2002-04-05 Bryce Jordan Center – Penn State University, University Park, PA
DMB 2002-04-24 Gund Arena, Cleveland, OH
DMB 2002-08-02 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2002-08-03 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2002-12-22 MCI Center, Washington, D.C.
D&T 2003-03-29 Holmes Center – Appalachian State University, Boone, NC
DMB 2003-06-18 Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, OH
DMB 2003-06-21 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
DMB 2003-06-26 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2003-06-27 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
D&F 2003-12-12 Bryce Jordan Center – Penn State University, University Park, PA
DMB 2004-06-24 Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, OH
DMB 2004-06-26 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2004-06-27 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2004-10-01 Bryce Jordan Center – Penn State University, University Park, PA
DMB 2005-06-04 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2005-06-05 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2005-06-15 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
DMB 2005-06-25 Hershey Park Stadium, Hershey, PA
DMB 2005-12-06 Bryce Jordan Center – Penn State University, University Park, PA
DMB 2006-06-07 Germain Amphitheater, Columbus, OH
DMB 2006-06-10 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2006-06-23 Hershey Park Stadium, Hershey, PA
DMB 2006-08-02 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
DMB 2007-08-07 Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, Camden, NJ
DMB 2007-08-08 Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, Camden, NJ
DMB 2007-08-10 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2007-08-20 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
DMB 2008-05-30 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2008-05-31 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2008-06-17 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Darien Center, NY
DMB 2008-06-18 Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DMB 2008-06-27 Hershey Park Stadium, Hershey, PA
DMB 2008-07-30 Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
DMB 2008-08-07 Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, VA
DMB 2009-04-18 John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, VA
DMB 2009-06-19 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
DMB 2009-06-20 Post-Gazette Pavilion at Star Lake, Burgettstown, PA
Anyway, what’s the baseball connection you might ask? Well, I was sitting in Sec 6 Row E, directly behind a former MLB player’s box: (scroll down slowly and see if you can guess who he is) He’s wearing black in the picture:
Can you identify him?
I’ll give you a hint, 3 time All Star first baseman. Played for the Indians, Reds, Pirates, Tigers and Red Sox. C’mon….
Its Sean Casey!!
When he walked by, I tapped him on the shoulder, “Sean, what’s up man! Great to see you!”
He acted like he knew me. “No way man, what’s up dude, how’ve you been.” Then he asked my name.
I told him I was a big fan when he played for the Pirates in 2006.
Throughout the night, I proceeded to get 5 more unsolicited high fives or handshakes from Casey. No wonder they call him the mayor and he was voted by fellow players as the “friendliest player in baseball,” in a Sports Illustrated poll.
No one else around me knew who Sean Casey was. Not even the security guard in the yellow recognized him. He checked his ticket at least 3 times when Casey was coming and going.
Pretty awesome.
The second night, 6-20-09 was better. 5th row, center. 
An amazing concert. It was without a doubt the best concert experience ever.
Another baseball connection? Guitarist Tim Reynolds wore a Pirates hat.
Check this review:
From antsmarching.org:
The June 20 at Star Lake outside Pittsburgh, PA was certainly one for the ages. On paper, it looks like the best show in 10 years. Yes, 10 years. But concerts aren’t played on paper, they’re played in venues, and in front of people watching the setlist on AntsLive!. Fans at the show seem to justify the reaction by those watching the setlist as it appeared. Fan reaction from those at the show justifies it as one of the best shows in a while. Reports of the band sounding sharp, energetic, and having a lot of fun are common themes in describing the show. Our own Joe M, who has now officially seen more DMB shows than Dave Matthews himself in 2009, put it at the top of his list of shows for this year a scant few seconds after Halloween ended the show. And it’s no coincidence that there were no Everyday or Stand Up songs either. If you go back to the Hartford show, Night 2, up to the June 21 show, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better run by this band in over 12 years. Really.
If given the choice of attending a DMB concert or going to a baseball game, I’d pick DMB. Sorry, but I would.
6-2-09 PNC Park
Today was the Mets’ second of four games in Pittsburgh, and my second attempt at getting a commemorative ball.
I got to the gates a little after 4 PM and was second in line. When the gates opened, I jogged into the bleachers and was the first one there. I saw a ball as I entered one of the sections. I quickly ran down and grabbed ball #1, as other ballhawks were right behind me. Much to my surprise…
it was a Shea Stadium commemorative ball from last year. Nice! I still would’ve rather had a Citi Field ball, but I’ll take it.
Moments later as I moved towards the foul pole, I found ball #2. Finding two Easter eggs is an awesome start, usually there aren’t any.
Ball #3 came from Tony Beasley. He made sure that all of the regular ballhawks got a ball today. What a good guy.
When the Mets came out to hit, there weren’t many pitchers shagging in the outfield. A ball was hit to the 410 sign in center field. It was very glove “trickable.” I started to make my way over to get the ball. Just as I got to the bullpen, a deep ball was hit right at me. Mike Pelfrey ran back and made the snag. I thought, “Great. He’s going to pick up that ball too.” Luckily, Pelfrey didn’t see it, and walked back to center field. Moments later, I reeled up ball #4.
I went back towards the foul pole when a fellow ballhawk and PNC Park regular, Dan, pointed out another ball to me. It must have rolled to the 410 sign when I was walking back to my spot. I went over and reeled in ball #5 after one failed attempt. I think I will need a new rubber band soon. The one I have might be getting to stretched out.
In the middle of the Mets batting practice, Gary Sheffield launched a deep home run to my left. I could tell it was a bomb, so rather than positioning myself in line with the ball, I ran back to the cross aisle that seperates the lower bleachers from the upper deck bleachers. The ball hit in the cross aisle and rolled partly under the overhang of the upper level bleachers. I reached down and gloved ball #6.
I made a huge mistake by heading over to center field for the last group. The final group taking batting practice was predominently left handed, so I figured I’d have a better shot. There was only one right handed batter.
Check out how empty batting practice was. There aren’t many people in the left field bleachers.
Within minutes, he was surrounded by security guards. A man in a suit came out with a clipboard and the negotiating began. It lasted about an inning. I’m not sure what the kid asked for, but there were about 4 things written down on the sheet of paper on the clip board.
It got me thinking what I would ask for if I had caught the home run. I decided that I’d ask for a game ball signed by Jaramillo, the chance to deliver the ball to him in person, and his word that he’d toss me 1 ball at any batting practice I attended (if he was in the outfield and I asked for one.)
Later in the game, I was getting
thirsty. I decided to go fill up my water bottle. As I was passing this Nacho Express stand, something caught my eye.
Yes, you guessed it. Another Easter Egg.
I had to almost lay on the ground to get that picture. I had to reach around the side of the stand to get ball #8. People probably thought I was a big weirdo for laying on the ground and reaching under a Nacho Express stand, but when they saw I pulled a ball out, I saw a few surprised faces.
I went back to center field in the ninth inning to try and get Nate’s warm up ball. His throw hit some guys arm, richoted right in front of me, but I wasn’t ready and misplayed it. Some one picked the ball up 2 rows ahead of me.
I then headed to the dugout. I had to run half of the way there, because Matt Capps got 3 quick outs. I just barely made it to the dugout as umpire Ted Barrett was coming off the field, but was in a terrible spot, off to the side of the tunnel. He gave two balls away, but not to me.
That was it for today.
When I arrived home I had this waiting for me:
I had been waiting all day for it, since I was off work today, but it didn’t arrive until after I left for the Pirate game. It was my Super Deluxe copy of Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, Dave Matthews Band’s new album. 
The CD was released today, and I had ordered it off of the Warehouse (fan club) so I could get some bonus items.
I spent the rest of my night looking through the booklets and watching the DVD. I didn’t listen to the CD the whole way through until the next day because I wanted to blast it, and it was too late to do that. I’d reccommend picking it up at Target or Best Buy for $9.99 this week. It’s their best album since 1998. Seriously.
Today’s baseballs:
The sweet spots:
STATISTICS:
Game: 8 Balls (4 hit, 2 thrown, 2 device)
Season: 151 Balls (67 hit, 62 thrown, 22 device)
Games: 30 Games (26 with BP/4 without)
Average: 5.03 Balls Per Game
Career: 317 Balls
Attendance: 10,459
4-18-09 PNC Park
I could only attend batting practice at today’s game because I had Dave Matthews Band tickets for later tonight.
Since today’s game was to begin at 12:35, I feared that there would be no batting practice. Usually on day games after night games, there is no batting practice. However, when I was walking to the Center field gate, I could see this. 
I got to the gates at 9:45 AM, 15 minutes early, and was third in line. There were two non-ballhawks in front of me, so I felt pretty confident about being the first person into batting practice and claiming any Easter eggs.
I was the first one to the early entrance point, but the season ticket scanner wasn’t there. A few other security guards came and said we had to wait until the scanner showed up. I showed them I had season tickets and I even flashed my season ticket card. They said no one could enter until the scanner showed up. In the mean time, there were three fans with visitor passes in the bleachers.
Ryan Doumit crushed a homerun that landed in the bleachers. All I could do is stand helplessly and watch one of the visitor fans walk over and pick it up. One missed opportunity. Doumit hit another ball that hit near the bullpen. It bounced off a bleacher and rolled down to the front row. Luckily, the visitors didn’t see this one. When the employee who scans the early entrance finally showed up 6 minutes late, I ran in and claimed the Doumit HR ball. It was ball #1.
I asked Nyjer Morgan for a baseball, but he ignored me. 
STATISTICS:
Game: 6 Balls (3 hit, 3 device)
Season: 26 Balls (12 hit, 9 thrown, 5 device)
Games: 6 Games (5 with BP/ 1 without)
Average: 4.33 Balls per Game
Career: 192 Balls
Attendance: 20,755
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