DON'T BE TOO SHY TO ASK FOR HELP
If it's your first time at a particular stadium or your first time getting there early, everything becomes trickier for you, including when and where to enter. My advice: Ask everyone in sight for directions and instructions. It's okay to act like a tourist. Ask the parking lot attendants, the ladies at the ticket windows, the security guards, a pretzel or souvenir vendor, and your fellow fans. Ask many different people because you may get six different answers.
Warning: Do not ask a very tall, mean-looking man with a baseball glove on his hand, "Where's the best place to go for catching foul balls?" Also, don't ask me. I'll send you to right field if I'm planning to go to left field. I'll send you to the foul pole to get you out of my way when it's time to head for the dugout.
Instead, ask any of the little old ladies adorned with hats, pants, jerseys, socks, earrings, purses, and championship pins of the home team. Having not missed a home game since approximately 1937, these true fans are extremely knowledgeable about the stadium. Be nice to her. Give her a warm chat. You'll make someone happy, and you may come out with a friend who knows some of the stadium officials or the players. Should you frequent the stadium, you'll get to know the old lady and meet her important friends. This will help you get into the expensive, restricted sections, making it easier for you to get balls, bats, and autographs.
Copyright © 1999 by Zachary Hample. Excerpted with permission.
