Remembrances of father-daughter bonding

[gabosaurus]

One of my favorites memories of childhood is going to baseball games with my dad. My dad loves baseball (The Dodgers in particular) and passed that on to me. We always went to at least one Dodger game every season.
Through the passing of time, we haven't been in a while. But when my dad came up with two tickets to the Dodgers-Braves playoff game on Sunday, I couldn't pass up the chance. What a great game it was, and what a wonderful afternoon with my dad.
Baseball is the American family game.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseba...#axzz2h3Vvzmew

[jimnyc]

One of my favorites memories of childhood is going to baseball games with my dad. My dad loves baseball (The Dodgers in particular) and passed that on to me. We always went to at least one Dodger game every season.
Through the passing of time, we haven't been in a while. But when my dad came up with two tickets to the Dodgers-Braves playoff game on Sunday, I couldn't pass up the chance. What a great game it was, and what a wonderful afternoon with my dad.
Baseball is the American family game.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseba...#axzz2h3Vvzmew

Sweet, I would have LOVED to have been at that game! Did you get any pictures for me? Any of Puig? That's one of my dreams, to hit up a home Dodgers game before I croak. That's just me as a greedy fan though - as I think the bonding time with Dad is worth more.

[gabosaurus]

Sweet, I would have LOVED to have been at that game! Did you get any pictures for me? Any of Puig? That's one of my dreams, to hit up a home Dodgers game before I croak. That's just me as a greedy fan though - as I think the bonding time with Dad is worth more.

You do need to come to Dodger Stadium. It is truly the Cathedral of Baseball. What can be better than sitting in the upper deck on a nice day, eating a Dodger Dog and watching a ball game? Bring your kid with you.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

I remember my father bragging on my grades, my working hard to do any chore he gave me and that he knew I'd be a good man when grown. Took me a lot of years to get there but feel safe in knowing I've finally arrived even if it is a late arrival. And his teaching me to hunt smart, efficient and not waste ammo.. I'll be 60 years old in about five months and not a day goes by that I don't think of him and still miss him! --Tyr

[gabosaurus]

I feel the same way about my maternal grandfather. Growing up in the Germany of the 1940s must have been brutal. Can you imagine being 17 and fighting the Russians on the Eastern Front equipped with just a rifle?
His stories of perseverance and making do with what you have greatly influenced my life. How can you complain about not having new clothes or the latest gadget after talking with someone who once got a slice of bread with jam on it for Christmas and felt immensely privileged?

[glockmail]

My dad loves pro sports, especially baseball. Red Sox, Red Sox, Red Sox. They lost me when a bleacher seat got over $4. When he visits here I always take him to a local minor league game.

[gabosaurus]

They lost me when a bleacher seat got over $4.

Then I won't tell you how much we paid for Dodgers playoff tickets.

[Kathianne]

Then I won't tell you how much we paid for Dodgers playoff tickets.

A few of theses responses brought to mind my dad. Starting with Gabby's last post about costs of tickets, (I don't want to think about that! $500 each?)

Going from recent to past, a few months after my mom went into nursing home, but before she died, one three day weekend I decided we needed to 'clean up.' The rugs were in poor shape from hospital bed, wheel chair, wear and tear from 7 people being in residence here most of the time. There were small holes in walls and ceiling from hanging curtains in living room to give her some privacy. Anyways, I spackled, sanded, painted, rented Rug Doctor, cleaned out her closets and drawers, (we knew she had what she needed and that it would be more difficult later, etc.

Sunday we went to the home and met my brother's family for mass and treats. On the way home my dad said, "Take a bath, have a glass of wine, take a nap. Get dressed up nice. We're going out." I said, "Dad, I'm so tired, I have to work tomorrow, why don't we order in?" "No, just dress nice, I'm taking you out, you'll enjoy this, I promise."

He took me to my mom's favorite restaurant, Frank Buresh's Lobster House, where we went for Mother's Day and her birthday every year when I was growing up. We both got the 'Queen sized' and all the extras. He said, "I just want to thank you for all you and the kids have done for the past couple of years. I couldn't have kept your mother at home without you." I know, cry!

LOL! Then the bill came, never in all my years including my wedding had my dad shared a restaurant tab with me. I saw his eyes bug out and went, "How bad?" He slid the check folder and it was over $150 for the two of us, I had a glass of wine, he had an Arnold Palmer. Neither of us had dessert. After I looked at it and laughed he said, "I really thought about bringing mom, but we wouldn't have been able to talk, now I'm kinda glad I didn't." She could only eat a tiny bit.

While I had some idea that dad would take the kids out for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners; until his funeral mass, when his oldest grandchild, my niece was giving her part of the eulogy, I didn't know the extent or for how long it was going on. She was saying her memories, then said, "Grandpa would call around 8 at night, "Hey, Jules, would you want to meet me at 5:30 am for breakfast before school? Don't tell anyone, just you and me." He began that when she was in jr. high and same with my kids. They'd leave a note, "Breakfast with grandpa, he'll drop me off at school. Don't tell others." That is why my dad seemed to know everything before my brother or I.

My dad took a lot of years growing up. Won't rehash the bad times, but he tried to make amends on my 16th birthday. LOL! He bought me a '69 Mustang 350. The day I got it, took it out. On the way home, after dropping off 5 friends, only my best friend and neighbor were in the car, when it slid into a tree and knocked down a fence a block from my house. I thought my dad drove past, while I was knocking on the door of the house of the fence. Yeppers, when I got home he was in his chair. He seemed calm. "Dad? Was that you I saw driving..." He replied, "I'd hoped it wasn't you on the porch of that house with no light on, but figured it was." I lost that car for ditching school, due to my mom, not my dad. Dad had a hard time with discipline, my mom? No problem.

For all his problems when my brother and I were young, he was the dad that would take us and all of our friends to the swimming pool, ice skating and tobogganing. He was athletic, won Golden skates and was a Lake Michigan life guard. He was a 3 handicap golfer that taught my leftie brother well enough to qualify for full scholarship in college, though he turned it down.

He was dad/husband that in our small family reunion the last New Years before we had to put my mom in the nursing home, pulled my mom onto his lap from her wheel chair and said, "Mary, I love you. Thank you for our children and all our family." She melted into him.

[glockmail]

Then I won't tell you how much we paid for Dodgers playoff tickets.

Don't bother. I'm sure it's ten times more than I'd be willing to pay. Then there's those $8 beers that you have to stand in line for.

No thanks. I lost interest in professional sports a long time ago.

[gabosaurus]

Seats in the upper deck behind third base -- $100 apiece.
Watching Dodgers baseball with my dad -- priceless.

Kathianne, that was a totally awesome story. Thanks so much for sharing.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

A few of theses responses brought to mind my dad. Starting with Gabby's last post about costs of tickets, (I don't want to think about that! $500 each?)

Going from recent to past, a few months after my mom went into nursing home, but before she died, one three day weekend I decided we needed to 'clean up.' The rugs were in poor shape from hospital bed, wheel chair, wear and tear from 7 people being in residence here most of the time. There were small holes in walls and ceiling from hanging curtains in living room to give her some privacy. Anyways, I spackled, sanded, painted, rented Rug Doctor, cleaned out her closets and drawers, (we knew she had what she needed and that it would be more difficult later, etc.

Sunday we went to the home and met my brother's family for mass and treats. On the way home my dad said, "Take a bath, have a glass of wine, take a nap. Get dressed up nice. We're going out." I said, "Dad, I'm so tired, I have to work tomorrow, why don't we order in?" "No, just dress nice, I'm taking you out, you'll enjoy this, I promise."

He took me to my mom's favorite restaurant, Frank Buresh's Lobster House, where we went for Mother's Day and her birthday every year when I was growing up. We both got the 'Queen sized' and all the extras. He said, "I just want to thank you for all you and the kids have done for the past couple of years. I couldn't have kept your mother at home without you." I know, cry!

LOL! Then the bill came, never in all my years including my wedding had my dad shared a restaurant tab with me. I saw his eyes bug out and went, "How bad?" He slid the check folder and it was over $150 for the two of us, I had a glass of wine, he had an Arnold Palmer. Neither of us had dessert. After I looked at it and laughed he said, "I really thought about bringing mom, but we wouldn't have been able to talk, now I'm kinda glad I didn't." She could only eat a tiny bit.

While I had some idea that dad would take the kids out for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners; until his funeral mass, when his oldest grandchild, my niece was giving her part of the eulogy, I didn't know the extent or for how long it was going on. She was saying her memories, then said, "Grandpa would call around 8 at night, "Hey, Jules, would you want to meet me at 5:30 am for breakfast before school? Don't tell anyone, just you and me." He began that when she was in jr. high and same with my kids. They'd leave a note, "Breakfast with grandpa, he'll drop me off at school. Don't tell others." That is why my dad seemed to know everything before my brother or I.

My dad took a lot of years growing up. Won't rehash the bad times, but he tried to make amends on my 16th birthday. LOL! He bought me a '69 Mustang 350. The day I got it, took it out. On the way home, after dropping off 5 friends, only my best friend and neighbor were in the car, when it slid into a tree and knocked down a fence a block from my house. I thought my dad drove past, while I was knocking on the door of the house of the fence. Yeppers, when I got home he was in his chair. He seemed calm. "Dad? Was that you I saw driving..." He replied, "I'd hoped it wasn't you on the porch of that house with no light on, but figured it was." I lost that car for ditching school, due to my mom, not my dad. Dad had a hard time with discipline, my mom? No problem.

For all his problems when my brother and I were young, he was the dad that would take us and all of our friends to the swimming pool, ice skating and tobogganing. He was athletic, won Golden skates and was a Lake Michigan life guard. He was a 3 handicap golfer that taught my leftie brother well enough to qualify for full scholarship in college, though he turned it down.

He was dad/husband that in our small family reunion the last New Years before we had to put my mom in the nursing home, pulled my mom onto his lap from her wheel chair and said, "Mary, I love you. Thank you for our children and all our family." She melted into him.

I read this post early this morning , it brightened my day to think about it. Especially to read the last paragraph. I wanted that kind of love and fidelity in my first two marriages but did not get it but blessedly have it now. --Tyr

[gabosaurus]

I am currently watching the fifth game of the Cardinals-Pirates series. To see who loses to the Dodgers in the NL championship series. Already have my dad working on tickets for that.

[Jeff]

Gaby this is one of the best threads I have read in a long time, to be honest when you posted I was afraid it was going to be all about just memories but when I seen y'all are still making the memories it gave me a smile for the day, My Dad is still with me to make memories , no we don't do the pro sport thing but we share many interest and do them together, I can't really think of anything I would rather be doing when I am with my dad and we are enjoying a activity we both enjoy together , I am so happy that not only can you still do this but ya shared with the rest of us.


As for prices at the stadiums I take my boys to the minor league games a good bit and that is very affordable but yes we do get down to Atlanta at least once a year ( we try for more but with the kids schedule it isn't always possible ) but you can get affordable tickets say sitting in center field ( not the best seats I know ) but we usually get right next to the warm up pen for the Braves and to watch those guys throw is fun in itself and I don't think we ever paid more than $20 bucks or so per ticket( and many times are handed tickets , they seem to give many away to any of the people that run either the little league or the travel ball league) and unlike football at the baseball game no matter where you sit they get the fans involved in the game with different on field events in between innings or before the game , I have to agree with you a day at the park is fantastic and I hope to live long enough to share the experience with my boys when they are grown as you and your dad do .

[gabosaurus]

Major League Baseball is not cheap, but then neither is anything else. Even tickets for a first-run movie have exceeded 10 bucks. But when you compare baseball tickets to the other sports, baseball is downright cheap. And there are a lot of promotions, mostly catering to kids.
Baseball is the only sport that still aims to draw kids. Hockey and basketball want the corporate interests. Tickets to NFL games are obscene.
My paternal grandfather didn't have much interest in sports. So he didn't take my dad and his brother out much (the Dallas area didn't get a major league team until 1972). Which is why my dad was always willing to do things with my sister and I. My sister never cared for sports, so it was just my dad and I.
I talk with troubled or unhappy kids every dad. The majority either don't have an active father, or their dad doesn't interact with them very much. Which is why I am never too busy to do things with my daughter.

[Kathianne]

Gaby this is one of the best threads I have read in a long time, to be honest when you posted I was afraid it was going to be all about just memories but when I seen y'all are still making the memories it gave me a smile for the day, My Dad is still with me to make memories , no we don't do the pro sport thing but we share many interest and do them together, I can't really think of anything I would rather be doing when I am with my dad and we are enjoying a activity we both enjoy together , I am so happy that not only can you still do this but ya shared with the rest of us.


As for prices at the stadiums I take my boys to the minor league games a good bit and that is very affordable but yes we do get down to Atlanta at least once a year ( we try for more but with the kids schedule it isn't always possible ) but you can get affordable tickets say sitting in center field ( not the best seats I know ) but we usually get right next to the warm up pen for the Braves and to watch those guys throw is fun in itself and I don't think we ever paid more than $20 bucks or so per ticket( and many times are handed tickets , they seem to give many away to any of the people that run either the little league or the travel ball league) and unlike football at the baseball game no matter where you sit they get the fans involved in the game with different on field events in between innings or before the game , I have to agree with you a day at the park is fantastic and I hope to live long enough to share the experience with my boys when they are grown as you and your dad do .

Jeff, I envy you and Gabby still having your dads. I miss both my mom and dad every day. The good part though is having all those memories.

When the kids were small we took them to a lot of major sporting events, but after the divorce that was rarely in the cards unless friends gave us their season tickets for a game, which did happen at least a couple times a year, but usually it was me and kid or my dad or brother with a kid. What we did do several times over the summer was minor league baseball, Kane County Cougars which is literally 20 minutes from my house. That was affordable, thanks for reminding me!

Gabby, if you think Major leagues cater to kids, you should give the minors a try next year. Cheap eats and nearly always he kids can get on the field before the game. The players love signing anything. No problem getting a birthday or special event mentioned on the board. Tons of kids!:

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