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Continued:
Rob Edelman's Baseball
Journeys
Those spur-of-the-moment trips work out because, fortunately for the Edelmans, but unfortunately
for the Sky Chiefs, "you can show up at the last minute and sit right behind home plate." Usually, however, Edelman would
rather arrive with time to spare, not just in Syracuse, but at any ballpark. "I love to show up early, watch batting practice
and watch the pitchers warm up." he said. If it's his first visit to a ballpark, early arrival allows time to explore the
park from different angles, inspect its architecture, view the surrounding scenery and sample the food. Unlike major
league baseball, at many minor league parks, once the game begins, there's an additional opportunity for baseball explorers
such as Edelman: "You're not sitting in a stadium with 50,000 people," he said. "You can get close to the players. There's
not that physical and emotional distance between you and the players." Sitting close to the action allows him to "see the
mechanics of the players, hear the infielder's voice when calling for a popup" and simply feel a part of the game. A
vacation to Atlanta in 2003 led Edelman to Turner Field, home of the Braves. His desire to "experience everything" found him taking the official
ballpark tour which afforded him views not accessible to walk-up ticket buyers such as the dugout and announcers booth. He
also visited the Braves' museum and checked out the various statues outside the park. And he found the parking lot locations
marking home plate at old Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and the spot where Hank Aaron's 715th home run landed in 1974.
Edelman traces his baseball roots to the early sixties. He enjoys 1950s Brooklyn Dodgers history and has a special admiration for the life and career of Jackie
Robinson. Living in Albany in the 1990s, Edelman attended Albany-Colony Yankees games where he got a close-up view of
future New York Yankees on their way up. He follows both the Yankees and Mets, but adds this: "First and foremost, I'm a baseball fan."
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