Take me out to the ball game

Last night I got my first taste of Dominican baseball.  Las Aguilas (the Eagles) are the team from Santiago, and from what I understand, they are doing terribly this season.  There are 6 national teams here, all with their own stadiums and loyal fan base. 

The ticket prices range from about 50 – 700 pesos (US$1.50-20), the 50 peso seats being bleachers in the outfield and 700 getting you behind the plate.  We went with the intention of sitting as cheaply as possible but ended up paying RD$400.  The woman at the ticket booth told us that or higher was all that was left.  LIES!  The stadium was less than half full.  Oh, well, they did end up being really good seats between home and first. 

A word on the crowd: LOUD.  Remember those vuvuzelas they sold at the World Cup.  Yep, they have them here too.  Oh, and snacks are great.  Pretty much anything you can think of gets carried around: popcorn (in the microwave popcorn bags- which, when you think about it is probably way easier than boxes), pizza, empanadas, peanuts and fruit.  Wait- fruit?  Yep, a guy walked up and down the isles selling apples, grapes, bananas and raisins.  Gotta love it!

As far as refreshments went, there were 3 women assigned to every section.  There were 3 small bins holding ice and beer, and stacked to the side were bottles of pop.  If you wanted something, you just flagged them down.  These women also danced the Macarena a couple times during the game.  A friend and I agreed the dancing would be a deal breaker for this job.  No way could you get me to do that in front of thousands of people- most of them leering men. 

Security, like in most places in this country, was everywhere.  I mean seriously everywhere.  And not only did you have people in black clothes, utility belt on and ‘Seguridad’ printed on their backs- there were several dozen people in army fatigues.  And I’m pretty sure they weren’t there as spectators.  And let’s just say the guns on their hips were not used to stun.  Does it make us feel safer?  Well, kinda yes, kinda no.  Mostly I think everyone just wishes it wasn’t necessary. 

The game itself was fun to watch.  The last game I went to was at the new Twins stadium, so it was fun to see a game played outdoors with a little less pomp.  When we left in the top of the ninth, Las Aguilas were ahead 3-1.  Yeah!