Game #5, Jackie Robinson Day, April 15, 2012

Sunday Sox home games are kind of fun if you are a kid and kind of stink if you are a pathetic adult autograph hound, like me. Most of their Sunday home games are Kids Days, which means that the gates open two hours before game time and everyone is allowed in the lower deck for batting practice, regardless of where your tickets are.Normally, at U.S. Cellular Field you need a lower box seat to go down to the dugouts for batting practice. If you're a kid, players are lined up around the field signing autographs, and most Kids Days weren't well attended so a kid could rack up like 10 autographs in the half-hour allotted. Bad news? The adults couldn't get in on the action. The visiting team usually doesn't take outside batting practice, so there's little chance for autographs/interactions when adults are allowed down.

Also on Sundays, the Sox wear their red throwback jerseys from 1972. Sharp, sharp, sharp. I love them.

This particular Saturday was special because it was Jackie Robinson Day, and I am pretty sure every team in the league participates. They all wear 42 on the back of their jerseys in honor of the great Jackie Robinson.

Side note, if you are a big Robinson fan, like I am, you need to read Jonathan Eig's Opening Day. It's fantastic.

So anyway, I got to the game, again--not as early as I wanted to but I went to church first like a good kid. P.S. Don't you think this sign is ADORABLE?

We did get a chance to chat it up with Ed Farmer. But I put this picture in because of the guy in the foreground. Angela and I always referred to him as Mystery Man.

He doesn't look like your average grapher. He is really attractive, which isn't that rare, but he looks like someone who is on his way to a Bon Iver concert, not someone who hangs around ball games. He dresses like a hipster, but he's got a messenger bag full of binders of baseball cards. And I think he's more than a collector; I think he's an actual fan. When Kirk Gibson was signing autographs, he got his cell phone out and took pictures over people's heads. Why would he do that unless he was giddy about the game? I will talk more about him in later posts.

Me and Chris Sale. This young kid is the future of the White Sox, according to my dad. What I enjoy is his humble banter. And he is ALWAYS available for his fans! This is what I overheard Sunday:

Some kid: "You're a lefty. Did you know lefties are smarter?"

Chris: "Yeah, I think I missed the boat on that one."

Just enjoying some of the statues around Comiskey. I MEAN U.S. Cellular Field.

Justin Verlander. I met him at a game in Detroit a while back.

Here I will pause for a moment to share my unabashed love for the criminally underrated Phil Coke.

If anyone knows who this is, please tell me. I met him. I do not remember his name. Whoops.

The starting lineups.

Just some kids hanging out.

So this was Jackie Robinson Day. I don't know if I respect anyone more than him. Maybe Lou Gehrig.

This guy was hilarious. Can't remember his name. But he was flirting with the girls in the Bullpen Bar and they gave him some food through the fence.

Miguel Cabrera and Prince shooting the breeze during B.P.

During batting practice, I had the privilege of getting hit in the leg with a Miguel Cabrera foul ball. It was awesome.

Okay, here's another guy I don't know. I'm sorry! I used to know the Tigers like the back of my hand, but I don't remember his name. I was pretty focused on Phil Coke.

Chris Sale warming up.

Just some facts about an amazing man.

Here's the unflappable Robin Ventura. Seriously. Stud.

Minnie Minoso always comes out for special occassions. Now there's a guy to respect!

Before the game, they had a fake starting lineup of kids on the field with the players.

This is basically the way Robin sits the whole game. He never freaks out.

Weird to see Kosuke Fukudome dressed in a Sox uni.

Here's Konerko on third. He hit safely in his eighth game of all eight games of the season so far.

Laird hit a homey.

Verlander's like, "This is boring! I wanna pitch! Do you guys know who I am?"

Fukudome.

Things went south quickly. The Tigers were up 3-0 by the bottom of the eigth inning. They brought in Nate Jones, who would become one of my favorite Sox players of 2012.

AJ is like, "C'Mon!"

Brent Morel.

Adam Dunn

Nate Jones

Prince Fielder scored on his wild pitch. He didn't have many of those this season.

They just talk in out.

Alexei Ramirez.

Part of the throwback Sunday includes an old fashioned race among some of the key players on the '72 team.

Easter was the week before, but Southpaw (Sox mascot) celebrated a week late.

People were waiting every time Pauly got to base, sure he was going to hit a homer.

But he didn't.

On comes Zack Stewart.

AJ's uniform is so new.

They replayed a part of the Minnesota game, which made me happy.

What the crack is Ronnie "Woo Woo" doing at a Sox game?

Dayan Viciedo tried to make things interesting with a home run in the eighth.

It really was Da Year.

I like watching these two superstars chat it up.

Take a moment to appreciate how pumped the crowd is.

If I remember correctly, this is Will Ohman.

And this is him leaving.

And here comes Addison Reed. I think he's fantastic.

Valverde came on to close the game.

The Sox tried to make it interesting and put men on the bags. Here's Adam Dunn at second, who will eventually score on a Pierzynski single.

And here's AJ now.

And here is Dunn scoring.

But the Tigers won. And to be fair, they won a lot.

All my pictures can be found at: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150821151103786&set=a.10150821146798786.408751.511233785&type=3&permPage=1#!/media/set/?set=a.10150821146798786.408751.511233785&type=3