I recently got to go to my first baseball game here in Caracas- something I had been very keen to do. It was not the rowdy beer throwing affair I had been warned about- I guess that comes later as the season's rivalries heat up- but it was great sitting in the park with a group of teachers yelling "Sucio" at the opposing team when they plunked our batter with a fast ball.
"Our batter" you say? why yes I have a team: the Tiburones, who happened to be taking on the Dirty (sucio) Cardinals. Choosing your team is very important in Venezuela and if you are from here is quite easy- you go with the team from your home state. From Caracas? You cheer for the Leones. Live in Valencia? The Magallanes are your squad. It is much tougher for a new teacher and expat in the country- choosing your team can have negative consequences: endorse Leones and Romolo might "lose" your next copy request. Cheer for the Tigres and your next paycheck might not make it (accounting loves Leones.) Luca had a smart way of deciding: we were looking at the different jerseys and when I told him that Felix liked Magallanes he promptly took a jersey and sealed his choice. Felix works security and is quite simply the man, greeting each child each day with a "good morning" and a fist bump. Many of the schools kinders when asked who the school's director is reply: "Felix". I chose the Tiburones due to the fact that I really think they have a cool name- as well as they are the team of Ian and his daughter Ana- two very cool employees at ECA. Ian put together a trip to the stadium, we found our jerseys and off we went!
The walk up to the stadium: food to the left, vendors to the right.
Boston has Big Papi (#34), the Tiburones have Cabrera (#38), and we have big Stein-Ross (#38). Just as you don't crowd Ortiz or Cabrera at the plate- you don't crowd Stein-Ross at the table. Brothers gotta eat.
Mike tried to enter the team's clubhouse telling them that he has played professionally in Japan (he really has) but they didn't seem to need any extra help that night. Might have been the double fisted beers that turned them off.
Just like American ball fields there is a lot of standing around with your hands on your hips. And look at those sweet seats on the 3rd baseline! I gotta upgrade.
from the right: Innes, Mike, Kameron (in a Leones jersey!) Michael, Ana. Claudia and Ian seem to be the only 2 actually watching the game
The amount of times the two of us were mistaken for Venezuelans that night! We really do look local now that you mention it.
One other nice thing about the game were the beers- unlike the 7 dollar beers at American stadiums we got to enjoy 50 cent beers- and many of them. Just like in the States there is a rule that you cannot buy after the 7th inning. Unlike the states the beer vendor asked how many more we might need for the last two innings and then lined up that many glass bottles at our feet- made me glad they weren't throwing beer at his game.
So about the game then- Unfortunately the Tiburones didn't bring their A game and got crushed 8-2. I even put on my rally scarf to help them load the bases in the 8th but it wasn't meant to be. No one seemed too bothered after the game as the Tiburones have a tradition of a big Samba dance after the game- it was great! I took video but haven't been able to upload it... will keep trying, couldn't have been the 50 centers could it?... I did at least take off the scarf.
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