MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

[MSBNYY]

A buddy of mine is a season ticketholder in other sections of the Stadium. He was able to arrange one of those hard hat visits to the new place, to check out his seats, and I got invited to go along.

So thanks to the kindness of the man giving me the tour, I got to see Section 203 today. But that's not the major announcement.

Before I get to that, let me tell you some things about 203. First, I sat in my seat, and found that despite Section 103 in front of us, we are actually CLOSER to homeplate than before. The bleachers are also closer to centerfield than before, as if 37-43 were picked up and shifted over.

I thought we would be farther back since despite the Timmy seats being moved behind us, 103 exists.

103 is absolutely NOT a problem. The design of the Stadium and the way to the bleachers is different. You come in from the back, instead of the front. But that spot over the rail where Milton rang the bell still exists, and will be a perfect spot again.

I got to see some spots I will likely never see again, until of course I take a tour. I sat in John Sterling's seat, which still had the plastic on it. I got to see some of the suites, and some of the 300 level seats which have cushions on them.

I think the bleacher benches are a little wider. No lines or seat numbers are painted on them yet, but there are small metal numbers in the front of the benches.

For shits and giggles, I went to the top row in section 201. Those are those obstructed seats. Holy COW those seats suck.

You'll be happy to know that there is a police holding station right under us, for the convenience of all.

Now for the BIG announcement.

The guy who led us around the Stadium told me that about an hour before I got there, there was a fairly major policy change.

THE BLEACHERS ARE NO LONGER ALCOHOL FREE.

Before, I was told that you would be allowed to drink in various designated areas, but not your seat. As of today, that is no longer the case, and beer will now be allowed in the bleachers.

The only restriction that I heard about is that they won't have vendors selling it so you'll have to get up to get it.

Pictures will follow.

[violenta79]

WOOHOO!!! LET'S GET DRUNK!!!

[$heriff Tom]

The only restriction that I heard about is that they won't have vendors selling it so you'll have to get up to get it.

Eh, last time they did that it was almost as much of a deterrent to drinking as simply banning alcohol. The lines for beer were 2-3 INNINGS long.

[MSBNYY]

However, at the time the only place to buy beer was in the bleachers at the designated spot. There will be a LOT more places to buy beer than before, and of course, a smaller stadium.

[Ms. Jericho]

I thought the BIG announcement was that you have a buddy. ;D

[thecaptain15]

I thought it was that they were going to have Gatorade on tap.....

[MSBNYY]

Gatorade on tap would ROCK!!!

[yanksgooner]

Since when do you care about alcohol and it's accessibility at baseball games?

Besides, I thought this wasn't a 'bleacher board.'

[$heriff Tom]

While this is not a bleacher board, there are enough people around on here that some bleacher news will make its way here. This news in particular is very important to me.

[crazilyz]

Mar 8, 2009 19:43:44 GMT -5 MSBNYY said:

Gatorade on tap would ROCK!!!

Gatorade with vodka is better.

[MSBNYY]

NEVER DOUBT ME!!!!

www.nypost.com/seven/03312009/news/regionalnews/true_brew_fans_162187.htm

And notice the people the Post quoted--any time we get to read a quote from guys like Bald Vinny and Mike Donahue is a treat. Too bad they didn't quote anyone else of importance.

[$heriff Tom]

Hardy Har Har!

I need to remember to reprint the original memo bringing us the sad news that beer was banned from Section 39. That was a precursor to an entire bleacher ban. I believe the flier said something to the effect that it was being done to enhance the family experience or some such hooey.

Funny story on that flier. Somehow I got in that day without getting a copy, as they were being handed out at the door. I get up there and everyone has a glum visage. Im like, turn that frown upside down, and they are like, we cant - beer is gone. I look at the memo and quickly decide I need a copy of my own.

So I go down there, and for whatever reason the guy with them at the door does not want to give me another one. His take? I already was given one. Um, it was just a photocopied piece of paper! Funny thing, this.....I was the biggest drunkard out there, and i could not get a copy of said memo. I think Tina got me the copy that is now housed in my Scorecard archives.

[MSBNYY]

That should be scanned and posted. It's historical.

Which beer ban are you talking about? In 1999, they had a partial beer ban in just sections 37 and 39. I think by 2000, it was the whole bleachers. Then for 3 weeks in 2000, they brought beer back. Then they banned it again permanently. That very night, that jabroni fell in the netting above the catcher and the game was delayed.

One thing about going to so many games, things like that happen. Who would have thought that the foul ball netting would catch a PERSON? And you think, what a fluke! Of course, five years later, it happened AGAIN!!!

[$heriff Tom]

I am thinking i have the memo from 99, when they nipped us for the first time. It was all new to us. I also remember the beer coming back well, i need to find that scorecard. There are pics of a few of us drunks drinking and hoisting beers to the air that night. Then poof, it was gone again.

[heartybooooo]

I remember when it disappeared the first time. There was a huge brawl in far part of 39 and 41 while we were playing Baltimore (which was a pretty heated rivalry at the time). The Yanks then went on like a 10 game road trip and we come back and no beer.

[$heriff Tom]

That was a funny time. Shortly after Penny Crone came out with her FOX News crew to do a piece on this - it actually was one of the lead stories that night, kicking off the 10PM newscast. I made an appearance, with the tagline under me "SHERIFF TOM - BLEACHER CREATURE"

A proud moment.

It was soon after we decided to have a milk and cookies day, and of course it was like 95 degrees out, and this idiot here was walking around drinking warm milk out of a plastic yard meant for beer in the bars. Considering I kicked off the day drinking lots of beer out of that same yard glass, that was a mistake.

[heartybooooo]

That was a bad day. I think I felt sicker after that than after drinking a bottle of jack during the game.

[46fan4evr]

If beer is back can "box seats suck" and the "gang bang song" be far behind?? lol