“Take me out to the ball game” is my blog on major-league ballparks and the wonders of witnessing America’s favorite pastime up close.

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By Bobby Ross Jr.

ARLINGTON, Texas — If you’re a regular reader of my MLB ballparks blog (I love you, Mom!), you know how much I enjoyed my first-ever visit to Detroit’s Comerica Park last weekend.

But Friday night, my Rangers were back home at Globe Life Park in Arlington — and my sons Brady and Keaton and I made a quick trip down from Oklahoma City to see the game.

We had great seats along the first-base line and got to see a masterful pitching performance —  just one run and two hits allowed over eight innings by new Texas ace Cole Hamels — as the Rangers defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 4-1.

The Rangers maintained a half-game lead over the Minnesota Twins for the AL’s second wild card and moved within four games of the Houston Astros in the AL West.

A few pictures from the game:

Continue reading “In the heat of the pennant race, it’s nice to be back ‘Deep in the Heart of Texas’”

“Take me out to the ball game” is my blog on major-league ballparks and the wonders of witnessing America’s favorite pastime up close.

• • •

By Bobby Ross Jr.

DETROIT — Comerica Park did not disappoint.

On a reporting trip to the Motor City — timed to coincide with my beloved Texas Rangers playing the Detroit Tigers in a four-game series — I was able to see three games.

Comerica — No. 3 on my bucket list of ballparks I had yet to experience — definitely lived up to the rave reviews of diehard Tigers fans such as my friend Ron Hadfield.

The tiger statues out front, the postcard-perfect downtown skyline beyond the outfield walls, the raucous fans totally committed to (and occasionally, totally frustrated with) the hometown heroes with the Old English “D” on their caps — all of these things add to the ambience of this 15-year-old baseball shrine.

Continue reading “Rangers and Tigers and baseball, oh my! Joyfully checking Comerica Park off my bucket list”

12 top blogs among Churches of Christ. My guest post for the new website char.is: http://t.co/s9dnjuaTpy pic.twitter.com/ihKD56QwUf — Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) June 3, 2015 This guest blog post appears online at the website Char.is. Continue reading 12 top blogs among Churches of Christ

“Take me out to the ball game” is my blog on major-league ballparks and the wonders of witnessing America’s favorite pastime up close.

• • •

By Bobby Ross Jr.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Any night at the ballpark is a wonderful night.

But last night at Globe Life Park, I had the privilege of witnessing Josh Hamilton’s return to Texas:

I left my iPhone in my minivan, so I couldn’t chronicle my experience live.

On the other hand, I was able to soak in the ballpark atmosphere — the bright green grass, the flags blowing in the breeze, the peanut and cotton candy vendors — without feeling a need to post on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram every half-hour.

But my daughter, Kendall, did take a selfie with her brother Brady and me that I tweeted after the game. I’ve trained her well! (My other son, Keaton, was there, too, but he happily avoided the sister paparazzi):

Fun time at #Rangers‘ game tonight despite loss. Nice return by Josh Hamilton. pic.twitter.com/ltsp6qlDsg

— Bobby Ross Jr. (@bobbyross) May 29, 2015

Continue reading “Josh Hamilton’s return to Texas, and a selfie taken by my daughter”

“Take me out to the ball game” is my blog on major-league ballparks and the wonders of witnessing America’s favorite pastime up close.

• • •

By Bobby Ross Jr.

Sometimes, images tell the story better than words ever could.

That was the case this week as the Orioles and White Sox played a Major League Baseball game before a paid attendance of “zero.” 

Continue reading “An empty stadium — not the final score — the story as Orioles play White Sox in troubled Baltimore”