Thursday, March 31, 2011

T-Minus Eleven Hours...

Read all about today's game! From a Dodgers press release:

Opening Day will be televised nationally on ESPN as the network’s first Thursday Night Baseball game of the season. PRIME TICKET will deliver a special one-hour pre-game show from Dodger Stadium beginning at 4:00 p.m.

Individual game tickets to Opening Day are sold out, but fans can still get tickets to Thursday’s game by purchasing a mini plan or season seats. More information can be found at www.dodgers.com/tickets.

Auto and stadium gates will both open early on Opening Day and fans are encouraged to carpool and arrive early, as auto gates will open at 1:00 p.m. and stadium gates will open at 1:30 p.m. Fans can also take the free Dodgertown Express Bus Service from Union Station to Dodger Stadium, as they can for every game this season. More information about the bus service and parking are available at www.dodgers.com/parking.

The first 50,000 fans at Thursday’s game will receive Magnet Schedules presented by Automobile Club of Southern California.

[Plácido] Domingo who performed as one of the Three Tenors at Dodger Stadium in 1994 and is a 12-time Grammy Award-winner, will perform the National Anthem. His humanitarian work has earned honors ranging from the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Honorary Knight of the British Empire and many more. He currently serves as the General Director of the Los Angeles Opera and the Washington National Opera and lives by the motto “If I rest, I rust.”

Before the National Anthem, the Dodgers will observe a moment of silence for those whose lives were lost as a result of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) have joined together to contribute $500,000 toward earthquake and tsunami relief efforts in Japan to UNICEF. Dodger pitcher Hiroki Kuroda has made a personal donation to the cause and the Dodgers will also collect donations for UNICEF at locations throughout the stadium.

[Davis] Gaines will sing God Bless America during the seventh inning stretch. He is best known for his role as the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and remains Los Angeles’ longest-running phantom.

Continuing with the 1981 theme of Opening Day, former Dodger Bill Russell will sign autographs for fans in Autograph Alley. Russell won a World Series with the Dodgers in 1981, as well as in 1988, and was a member of the Dodgers’ record-setting infield. Autograph Alley will feature stars of ’81 throughout the Dodgers’ opening homestand.

Approximately 136 members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Coast Guard, LAPD and LAFD will unfurl a giant flag on the day during pre-game ceremonies. A Joint Services Color Guard will present the colors and pre-game ceremonies will conclude with a flyover by a B-2 from Whiteman Air Force Base.

The Dodgers will also honor their first Veteran of the Game on Thursday, as they will at every home game this season. Second Lieutenant in the US Army Steven Hole will be the first honoree, as he won the home run hitting contest at the Military Batting practice the Dodgers hosted on Veteran’s Day in November. Hole played football at West Point and is a third-year medical student at USC.

traffic photo by Malingering/LAist

15 comments:

Fred's Brim said...

woohoo were in first place!!!

Fred's Brim said...

So what happens to the tickets that you can still get via mini plans or season tickets if those plans don't sell out before the game? Can you walk up an hour before gametime and get them?

Fred's Brim said...

^
^
That was meant to be "we're" in post 1, but "were" may make more sense after tonight

Fred's Brim said...

And this is tough for me to say, but the Dodgers will have to do something to make me excited for this season. It isn't coming as naturally for me as it used to. I need some baseball viagra.

Mr. Doctor said...

@FB

I was wondering the same thing about the tickets that are meant for the mini-plan. Wonder if we can pick them up on the cheap. Right now, tickets are like a $20-$30 premium on Stubhub.

I haven't been feeling very optimistic about the season also. I think this is a completely ok feeling. Then again, I feel a lot more optimistic about this year because Padilla isn't our Opening Day starter.

And on a final note, I am rocking the Ethier Jersey to work today, hopefully I run into some haters. Going to be a beautiful day today as well! It's time for Dodger Baseball!

NicJ said...

I don't know why but I can't stop laughing about that picture of Bill Russell.

Steve K said...

It would be great to be able to get those tickets on the cheap, but I find it a little sad that there are still tickets to Opening Day available. I think it has something to say about everybody's level of excitement and optimism, not just FB's and Mr. Doctor's (or mine, for that matter).

Go Dodgers!

Steve Sax said...

I'm a little disappointed we are still doing the God Bless America thing. It's not that I'm unpatriotic. It's just that the longer we do this custom, the more I get worried Frank and Ned are going to make a deal for an aged Mariano Rivera (probably when he's 65 or so).

As you know, I can't be there today, boys, so win one for the Sax! Please!

NicJ said...

I think we are safe from a 65 year old Mariano. Well unless Mariano gets traded to the giants in that case Ned would be all over that.

Kyle Baker said...

For the record, I am decidedly unpatriotic and therefore hate the GBA bit. Also, not religious, so doubly hate. hateHateHATE in fact.

Having said that, Happy Opening Day! Think Blue, bishes!

We'll see if DS has added any cellular reception capacity in the offseason; if so, expect some snark. *refrains from holding breath*

spank said...

Awww man,If I had known about the magnet schedules I would've tried harder to get tickets.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Its a beautiful day for a ball game...

spank said...

Defcon 3.

Kyle Baker said...

I'm definitely going to cheer, and boo, and raise a hullabaloo. Then I'm heading to the game.

Unknown said...

lulz @ Josh and Spank!