The Last Game

[bzarcher]

Last Game 001
Originally uploaded by bzarcher

Not only the last game of the season for the Clippers, but the last ever to be held at Cooper Stadium. When the season opens next year, it will be downtown at Huntington Park, and Cooper Stadium is going to be rebuilt as a motorsports complex. They've said they're going to try and preserve the grandstands as much as possible, but I have a feeling it's going to look totally different when all is said and done.

I cannot remember ever seeing the park so full. Beyond standing room only, and when we finally decided to leave after 6 innings of either squatting along the bleacher fence (where we'd spent probably five and a half innings before an usher asked us to please move), or fighting our way through the concourse to try and see, there were STILL some lines of people who had bought tickets to see the park one last time going into the gates. I heard on the radio as I left the park that the official attendance was being held until after the game had ended so they could try to make sure they counted every person who was trying to get in. I have to think it will set a record.

Huntington Park is going to be beautiful. It will be modern, and it will have all the advantages of being in the Arena District.

But it will never have quite the same old-school feel of an afternoon spent in the Coop, and I think we're all going to be a little sadder for it.

Comments

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

Got to say goodbye to the Coop last week. I understand the reasons for the new place, but for atmosphere and feel - it really was a great place to watch a game. I'll miss it, and I know many, many others will.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Absolutely.

Oh, well. I -am- looking forward to the first game at Huntington Park. :)

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

Best of all, they might be an Indians franchise.

Go Tribe!

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Seems like they could! We'll see.