Final Thoughts on the 66ers Season

There comes a time and a place when we all come to the realization that summer is coming to an end. Sure, I have baseball games planned for every weekend in September, and the Angels are in a playoff hunt for October, but the end of the Minor League season is the sign. It's starting to get dark earlier, the temperatures are getting a little cooler, and everybody is talking about the start of football season. For the baseball fan in me, this is a little sad and disappointing. Especially when it comes to the 66ers, I've been involved with this team since March, and now that there season is over, I can look back on some awesome experiences.

If you look back on the 2010 blog, you'll read about my visit to San Bernardino for the first time. I wrote about how sad I felt that the smog prevented you from seeing the mountains and how the city was rough and unsafe. I did express some affinity for the park, and I overall really liked it. Who would've thought that four years later, the park would become my "homeplate" for my baseball adventures around the country? I, for sure, had thought that 2010 was my final visit to San Bernardino, but the circumstances and fate lead me back here, and I knew I had to become involved with the ball club.

Above my computer is my season ticket order form for the 66ers. The date on the purchase was January 3. Literally purchasing season tickets for the 66ers was one of the first things I did when moved here to Southern California. I had been to a game before, and while I never thought that I'd be back in San Bernardino, I knew that the ballpark was a great way to become ingratiated into the community and offer up some entertainment to me.

Continue the rewind way back to March when I went to Arizona for Spring Training. Do you remember when I went to Tempe to check out the Angels camp and I stumbled upon the 66ers camp? It was so cool to walk right on to the practice field and see the team working out in preparation for the season.

Then the season itself came upon me. I ended up going to 14 games at San Manuel Stadium. I established my seat half way up the grandstand on the left field line. I was presented bobbleheads, garden gnomes, t-shirts, and hats. I always made sure to grab a hot dog and beer from the one concession stand just below the seats. I took great pride in messing with the mascot, Bernie. The biggest thing was I became friends with a few of the other season ticket holders that sat around me.

I was very impressed with the organization of the 66ers and the real family atmosphere they put on. Ordinarily I bemoan all the gimmicks and promotions, but the 66ers seem to have found a good balance. I really like Bernie the mascot as he is one of the more active mascots in the California League.  Their promotions, especially the Nothing Night, were fantastically conceived, and I hope that they bring all of them back for next year.

The 66ers split the two games I went to, winning on Saturday, but losing on Sunday. The team is in the midst of a pennant race, so there may be a chance to see the team play at San Manuel again this season. Still, as the final out was made on that Sunday afternoon, I made sure to take my time walking out of the park, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells, and keeping the visual memories inside me of an experience that really came to define my time here in Southern California.

Always take on a 3-0 pitch ;)