Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Yhea, I Guess It Is One of LA's Best Kept Secrets

I remember one afternoon, at least 10 years ago, I ventured up to Dodger Stadium during the off season to go to the gift shop on the Top Deck (what I like to call the Upper Reserve). To my utter surprise, I ventured up to the store and discovered that I could walk out onto the Top Deck section, take a seat and enjoy a view of the field. There were no security guards. No person acting like Big Brother to make sure I had the best of intentions. Instead, there were only folks having afternoon lunch with friends, and a father with his kids marveling at the majesty of the stadium. I was sure I had stumbled onto something I wasn't suppose to. Was this for real?

Subsequent visits proved that it was the norm. The Top Deck is open to fans (when the store is open) on off days and in the afternoons during night games, and as this story from The Post Game can attest, it is the best lunch spot in LA.
For decades, a handful of in-the-know locals have used the upper deck of the stadium as a lunch retreat, a peaceful haven in which to meet friends and rejuvenate with the pastoral green field below and the San Gabriel Mountains above. So often associated with loud and raucous ballgames, Dodger Stadium is a monastery at noon.

...

Although the Dodgers do not publicize the access for picnickers, they are believed to be the only major league team that allows patrons to enter the stadium on any day there is not an afternoon game, and settle down in the bleacher seats for a snack or something more substantial.

It is incredibly simple: The lunch folks drive through the main gates at Elysian Park, tell the guard they are headed to the gift shop on the upper deck, then just walk on through and take their seats. ThePostGame had heard rumors of the informal arrangement, something which the club offers as a goodwill gesture to its followers and turns a blind eye to, but wanted to see for ourselves.

Check out the rest of the story here, and, by all means, enjoy the experience yourself.

Blog Kiosk: 6/7/2011

  • GCRL shows off a 1970's Sportscaster with Rick Monday on it. I had no idea this particular card existed.
  • Gaslamp Ball recently traveled through the MidWest and stopped off at some great Baseball sites; including the Field of Dreams. Check it out here.
  • Bob Lemke makes a cool vintage looking custom card featuring Don Newcombe and Johnny Antonelli (of the Giants), right here.
  • Ben Henry at The Baseball Card Blog shows off some fantasy SNL cards; including my favorite character Father Guido Sarducci. Check out more of them here.
  • Check out the Business of Losing Teams by the Atlanta Post. (Hat Tip: Baseball Mussings)
  • A Florida public school found a box of Baseball Memorabilia stashed away in the ceiling for over 50 years. It included autographed Baseball of the Yankees and Braves from the late 50's, via Jacksonville.com. (Hat Tip: SCD)
  • Arizona's All-Star Cactus's went up today; including the one below in front of the Phoenix Convention Center. (pic via MLB_PR yfrog)

A Beautifully Painted Drysdale Ball

It's not often that you find a hand-painted Baseball of this quality on eBay, so when I saw this I had to share it here. It was painted by Joe Raguckas and features Don Drysdale.

The Dodger Mantra

The Dodger Mantra. I just think this is so great.

Watch it! Learn from it!

YouTube Link: