Saturday is the first Dodger FanFest at Dodger Stadium. Originally I was scheduled to go to the Baseball Reliquary Bill VeeckFest but I am going to the Dodger Fanfest and I will have someone tell me all about the Veeckfest and have them buy me the biography “Bill Veeck: Baseball Greatest Maverick” by Paul Dickson. The program include a panel discussion on the legacy of Bill Veeck, film screening & book signing.
Interleague starts today but not for the Dodgers. The St Louis Cardinals are in town. The Angels pay a visit to the Padres. Dodgers don’t start interleague until June 8th when they go to Seattle. I will be there with my friend Lorena and another friend that will join us is Rosie. We are so looking forward to that trip. Safeco Field will be a new stadium for the three of us. At the SABR conference in Long Beach, I met a Mariner fan. I saw her again at the SABR Fall League conference in Arizona. I am going to see if I can contact her.
The schedule for the FanFest event is as follows:
12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m.: Autograph session with Scott Elbert, Elian Herrera, Adam Kennedy, Josh Lindblom, Jerry Sands, Matt Treanor, Scott Van Slyke.
12:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m.: Autograph session with Chris Capuano, Matt Guerrier, Tony Gwynn, Jr., Justin Sellers, Jamey Wright.
12:45 p.m.-1:10 p.m.: Appearance and interview with Don Mattingly.
1:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Autograph session with Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell.
1:10 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Appearance and interview with Matt Kemp.
1:30 p.m.-2:00 p.m.: Appearance and interview with Cey, Garvey, Lopes, Russell.
2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.: Appearance and interview with Steve Sax and Steve Yeager.
2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.: Autograph session with Ronald Belisario, Todd Coffey, A.J. Ellis, Mark Ellis, Andre Ethier, Javy Guerra, Ted Lilly, James Loney.
2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m.: Autograph session with Bobby Abreu, Chad Billingsley, Dee Gordon, Jerry Hairston, Jr., Aaron Harang, Kenley Jansen.
3:00 p.m-3:30 p.m.: Appearance by Vin Scully.
3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: Autograph session with Al “The Bull” Ferrara, Ken McMullen, Dennis Powell, Derrel Thomas.
3:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: Appearance and interview with Ned Colletti, Rick Monday, Charley Steiner.
4:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Autograph session with Billy Ashley, Lee Lacy, Kenny Landreaux, Wes Parker.
4:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.: Appearance and interview with Jaime Jarrin, Fernando Valenzuela, Pepe Yniguez.
4:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Autograph session with Jimmy Campanis, Tommy Davis, Chuck Essegian, “Sweet” Lou Johnson.
4:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.: Tommy Lasorda addresses fans.
5:00 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: Autograph session with Jaime Jarrin, Fernando Valenzuela, Pepe Yniguez.
5:30 p.m.-6:00 p.m.: Autograph session with Tommy Lasorda.
Entry to the event is free with your ticket to the evening’s contest against the Cardinals. There will also be a wine tasting of Tommy Lasorda’s wine for season ticket holders with their VIP card.
In the meantime is Fireworks Night to the 80’s music. Dodgers have been paying tribute to decades with the Fireworks and also having a highlight video from that decade. 80’s is a good one with two World Series & Fernandomania. I got my 1981 t-shirt on and my satin Dodger jacket.
