Home of the Braves - Thursday, August 16

First words out of my mouth Thursday morning: “Hey, Justin, can you check to see if our car’s still here?”  Let me back up a second.

After watching the Braves pick apart the Padres 6-1 behind (fantasy starter) Paul Maholm on Wednesday night I picked Justin up at the Atlanta-Hartsfield Airport.  Shockingly, Justin was uninterested in finding an establishment that served unhealthy amounts of meat.  So we headed towards our hotel.  The Econo Lodge was conveniently located close to Turner Field and the airport.  The Econo Lodge was inconveniently located close to yellow police tape and unsolved murders. 

We walked to the front desk.  I introduced myself to Claudette, the friendly woman behind the counter.  “I’m here to check in.  My name is Ari Bernstein.”  Claudette asked for my driver’s license.  She then proceeded to type God-knows-what into her a computer, a process that took several minutes.  Eventually Claudette unearthed a little nugget: “Oh you have a reservation!  Why didn’t you tell me you have a reservation!?”  I did.  I said I was here to check in and gave her my name.  In what universe is this insufficient? 

Claudette glanced at the security camera and told us that the Econo Lodge parking lot was full.  She kindly offered to move her car so we would have a place to park.  But when we walked out to the parking lot, we found an empty spot right in front of our room.  “I guess you boys got the one spot that isn’t on our security camera.  Have a good night!”

That’s why Thursday began with confirmation that our car had not been stolen.

Our first stop was the CNN Center, home to the Braves Clubhouse Store.  We browsed, took a few photos, and explored the Centennial Olympic Park, which was just across the street.

Ari at Olympic Centennial Park

It was a hot day...

... so Justin walked through the fountain at Olympic Centennial Park.

We met one of Justin’s friends, Will Warihay, for lunch at Carver’s Country Kitchen.  The meal consisted of exactly what you’d expect from a country kitchen: meatloaf, fried chicken, mac n’ cheese, hash brown casserole, collard greens, coleslaw, cornbread, and sweet tea.  There were no leftovers.

 

We left lunch with an hour to kill before our stadium tour at Turner Field.  As we weighed our sightseeing options, Justin remembered a crucial detail.  He forgot our tickets to the game at the hotel.  If you know Justin, the surprising part of this story is not that he forgot; it’s that he eventually remembered.  But no problem.  We located a Kinkos, printed another set of electronic tickets, and headed to the park.

Our tour guide was Dave.  I have no doubt that Dave is a good person, a good husband, and a good father.  [Justin’s Note: I doubt these things.]  But Dave is not a good tour guide.  He started the tour by asking if anyone had purchased tickets for the Batting Practice Experience.  No one had.  So Dave explained how fantastic the Batting Practice Experience is -- how fans can stand on the field, just feet from their favorite players as they hit before the game.  When Dave had effectively sold this opportunity as the greatest fan event in the history of organized sport, he concluded by telling us that it was too late to sign up.  Remember, this is how he started the tour: by telling us about the great activity we couldn't do.  Dave didn't get better after that.  Throughout the tour, he sounded angry ... about everything.  And he didn’t know the answers to any questions from the group.   [Justin’s Note: Ari expressed his frustration in an adult fashion.  While Dave lectured beside an exhibit, Ari stood behind Dave so that when he turned, he inevitably bumped into Ari.  Other members of the tour group seemed to appreciate this, as well.]   

Justin beside the Tom Glavine Monument

Ari during the tour

"Send in the lefty."
The best part of the tour was a visit to the field and then the Braves dugout.  After everyone
continued walking, Justin snuck back and called the bullpen.  No one answered.

This is as close as we got to the batting practice experience.

The tour ended at 4:00 and the game didn’t start until 7:05, but we immediately got in line to enter the stadium.  It was Chipper Jones Bobblehead Night.  Chipper is the Braves’ future hall of fame third basemen and this is his last season.  The bobblehead was so popular that many fans came just for the doll.  In fact, some fans entered the park, picked up their bobblehead, and immediately left the park. 

We met Lauren Lutton and her father Craig at the 755 Club (the stadium bar and restaurant named in honor of baseball’s true homerun king, Hank Aaron, who hit 755 homeruns).  Lauren is a mock trial competitor for the University of Georgia, and they had graciously invited us to join them for the game.   We enjoyed some beers and snacks and took our seats.

Chipper Jones crossing home plate after his second homerun of the night 

The game couldn’t have gone better.  The Braves won a 6-0 shutout.  Braves starter Kris Medlen pitched a complete game.  Braves phenom Jason Heyward rocketed a homerun to right field.  And on his Bobblehead Night, 38-year-old Chipper Jones gave the fans something to remember.  He drilled a two-run homer to right in the first inning, made a diving grab in the second inning, and launched a skyscraper homerun to center in the fifth inning.  The fans responded with standing ovations and both times Chipper came out for a curtain call.  Chipper has always been my favorite player.  I’ve been cheering for him since I was in fourth grade.  This will be the last time I watch him at Turner Field and maybe the last time I watch him in person.  A perfect night and a perfect game.