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Locals embrace the magic of Opening Day
For 56,000 baseball fans at Dodger Stadium Monday, Boswell's statement couldn't have been more accurate. After five months of waiting, Dodger fans were treated to a 5-0 win over the rival San Francisco Giants. "It's the return of all that's good in the world," Simi Valley assistant city manager Brian Gabler said. "I mean, it's baseball- baseball's back. The large crowd, the excitement in the air- it all reminds you that, finally, baseball is back." Like Gabler, former Dodger manager and Hall-of-Famer Tommy Lasorda was thrilled to finally get the regular season started. "What makes Opening Day magical is the fact you worked hard all spring, you worked on every situation, and now after all the hours you put into it, everything begins to pay off," Lasorda said.
Before the game, there was a ceremony celebrating the team's 50th anniversary in Los Angeles. While the theme to "Field of Dreams" pumped from the speakers, Dodger legends made their way onto the field, one by one. The biggest cheers were for Duke Snider, Fernando Valenzuela, Sandy Koufax and Lasorda. Don Newcombe, Carl Erskine and Koufax all threw out first pitches. Camarillo resident Jeff Maulhardt, author of "Baseball in Ventura County," who has himself thrown out the first pitch twice at Dodger Stadium, attended the game and was blown away by the ceremony. "The Dodgers always seem to go that extra step on Opening Day," Maulhardt said. "Today we got a free T-shirt and calendar. The day was very festive- a combination of the memories from the past and a hope for an exciting future."
"It gave me goose bumps," Kemp said. "I've gotten to know a lot of the players that were introduced, especially Newcombe, and you realize that they know a lot about the game and went through a lot back in the day. I have a lot of respect and love for them, and it makes me proud to wear a Dodger uniform." San Francisco Giants outfielder and former Dodger Dave Roberts said the gathering of Dodger greats reminded him of the good times he had in L.A. "Opening Day in Los Angeles was always special," Roberts said. "They know how to do it right, and today they did." Shortly after the ceremony ended, Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully's voice greeted fans with: "A pleasant afternoon to all of you, and now it's time for Dodger baseball." The crowd, waiting to hear those words from that man for months, drowned out the last part of the sentence in a thunderous roar of applause. One of the cheering fans in attendance was 88-year-old Eileen Russell. Russell, who moved to Inglewood from Akron, Ohio, in 1948 and who's lived in Agoura Hills since 1960, has been following the Dodgers since they came to the West Coast. Russell, who carries a baseball bat cane signed by former Dodgers Al Downing, Tommy Davis, Jim Gott and Ken Landreaux, never used to miss a home game in person but now limits herself to between 10 and 15 games per year. As the big day drew near, Russell was forced to make a few tough decisions. Her priorities were being challenged, but she refused to waver from her commitment to the local team. "My doctor told me that I needed a new battery in my pacemaker (last) weekend, and I told him it would have to wait," Russell said. "I have too much baseball planned." Russell also attended Saturday's exhibition game against Boston at the Coliseum. "I sure do hope my pacemaker holds up because I want to cheer, boo and raise a hullabaloo at the old ball game." On Tuesday, Russell confirmed that she had a "great time" at the stadium. A veteran of many baseball games himself, Dodger second baseman Jeff Kent proved he can still flex some muscle with a tworun homer off his former team in the first inning that gave L.A. a 3-0 lead. On the blast, Kent moved past Cincinnati Reds outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. to become the active career leader with 18 Opening Day RBI. Giants starting pitcher Barry Zito "threw me a fastball, but it's my guess that he wanted it inside a little more because he missed with it," Kent said. "I think it's an advantage that I've ventured through a lot of these opening days. I know how to deal with them, and I don't get overwhelmed with a lot of the pregame hype." Another Dodger who has had plenty of Opening Day success is first-year manager Joe Torre. For the fifth time in as many tries, Torre won his first game as skipper of a new ballclub. Kemp said he already appreciates what Torre has brought to the clubhouse. "He keeps me focused," Kemp said. "He's behind our team all the way, and we're behind him all the way." While Kent, Torre and the rest of the Dodgers may have shown up for work on Monday, many in the large crowd didn't quite make it into the office or were, at best, early to the exits. "Everyone I work with knew I wouldn't be in today," Gabler, the assistant city manager, said with a laugh. "When the leave of absence days came through I knew it was going to be Opening Day for me. There was no doubt about it." Camarillo resident Scott Carroll, a firefighter, said he hasn't missed a Dodger home opener in 12 years and has attended 22 of the last 24 openers. "The first game is always sold out because it's the sign of new times," Carroll said. "It's been a long winter, and in some places the frozen snow has turned to freshly cut grass. The game reminds us that spring is now here and summer is just around the corner." Dodger utility player Mark Sweeney, a 14-year veteran, still embraces the magic of the first game of a new season. "You never know when you're going to have your last year and your last atbat, especially in my position, so you don't want to take anything for granted," Sweeney said. "It's a great privilege to be wearing a major league uniform, and on Opening Day in front of a big crowd in a big-league stadium, you realize that even more." |
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