Opening Day

Friday: left for the ballpark at 3 pm. Parked at my usual spot and walked almost 1.5 miles to the Battery. As I arrived, I ran into Jeff Francoeur, who was headed into the broadcast booth from the orange parking deck. He said hello, and was probably glad that I didn't ask him for a picture. 

Arrived just in time for the Opening Day parade - which lasted less than 2 minutes. The Tomahawk Team girls carrying the parade signs, the drum line, the players divided out by position group, and Blooper. They were wearing their BP uniforms. I noticed Acuna was wearing one of the new DriFit caps (below left). 

After the parade I made a beeline for the Chop House gate, to catch the end of the parade - but it was too crowded to get a good look. Nabbed a free Braves t-shirt then checked out the Money Mike Ford Bronco display in the Red Deck. Could've won a Ford cap but opted for a pin instead. 

Saw where the Braves key ring I've carried for several years had broken. I hoped this would be a good omen, that the Braves will do better now that I don't have it anymore. 

I walked around the Battery waiting for Will to arrive. The Baseballism store was giving away a free cap with purchase. I wasn't going to buy anything but did enter their sweepstakes. Won a $5 gift card, so I bought a pair of $12 socks so I could get the free cap that I didn't need. 

Walked across the pedestrian bridge to meet Will and the girls. We walked back and went inside the stadium. The girls got to visit with Blooper, then we hung out there in the kids area for a while.

Will took the girls out into the outfield of the little whiffle ball field. He made a nice catch while holding Millie, that I happened to get on video. 

Cool pregame ceremony with former players from each decade of the Braves 60 years in Atlanta: Garr, Bream, Chipper, Torre, Murphy, McCann, and Acuna. Note how Acuna's 2026 jersey is markedly better looking than the previous year's Nike jerseys worn by Bream, Chipper, and McCann, with a much larger wordmark. Also note the sleeve stripes are fixed on Acuna's jersey, after a couple of years down on the end of the sleeve. I wonder if the Braves will add a 60th anniversary sleeve patch soon. 

Torre threw out the first pitch. During the National Anthem the girls covered their ears for when the F15s flew over. Then the jets circled back over the stadium one by one as they approached Dobbins AFB to land. 

A good game. Sale pitched 6 scoreless innings. Home runs by Albies, Harris - and Drake Baldwin slugged one during the RaceTrac Home Run Inning. The new shortstop drove in two runs, and initiated two 6-4-3 double plays. Riley made a great diving catch of a line drive.

The girls had a blast. The Home Depot Tool Race, NAPA cap shuffle, and the Beat the Freeze Race. They were amazed that the organist played songs they knew, like Do You Know the Muffin Man. The big highlight was the Dippin Dots ice cream.

Haley Hurt and George Ewing were in the section next to us. When I took a selfie, they were in the background behind me. George rarely goes to games, but Haley goes to many.

Special thanks to Collier Metals for the tickets.

Will and the girls watched the postgame fireworks from their parking space, while I hoofed it the 1-1/2 miles the other way back to my car.