Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Wooden Bleachers

These are not the bleachers at Fenway Park, that I've put my fanny in on many a trip to Lansdowne Street in Boston. These wooden bleachers are found behind home plate at the Oaks. Interesting word 'bleachers'. The term has been around since about 1877, referring to the boards that the baseball fans would sit on under the hot sun, hence 'bleaching' them. They were usually found in the outfield area and were unprotected and uncovered. The term not only identified the type of seats but also the inhabitants of the wooden planks. Now, there was a stretch back in the early 60's when my brother was the batboy for the Andrews Post American Legion baseball team. The team was loaded with fine high school stars and played their home games here at the Oaks. My Dad and I would take in most of the Sunday doubleheaders sitting not in the bleachers but on the cool, grassy hill behind the third base line. I chased many a foul ball among the trees on those afternoons, and occasionally got a broken bat too, that I'd take home and repair with tape for our use in backyard games. Baseball, my favorite game.

31 comments:

  1. I have to say baseball is not one of my favorite sports. But going to see a live game is always fun. Love the lines and the colors in this shot.

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  2. The bleacher seats may not be the best seats in the house but they are the most fun and that's where the knowledgeable fans sit. (in my opinion)

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  3. (previous try at posting was eaten) My brothers, neighborhood kids and I played a lot of baseball in the summers, and we used to take the bus downtown to see the Cleveland Indians play.

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  4. I see what you mean about oaks!

    The old oaken benches
    Bleached by the sun
    Gave rest to the weary
    Who came to have fun
    And the old oak trees
    From which they derived
    No longer stand
    The forest deprived.

    I always thought you were a little "batty" ... Heh, heh!

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  5. At one time, wasn't baseball America's favorite sport? I think that football has now surpassed it. Interesting info on bleachers. I also find it interesting that common words or phrases take on a different significance when we pause long enough to check the meaning and/or significance. Love to ponder different words.

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  6. Interesting origin to the word "bleachers".

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  7. Nicely done! My grandkids like to climb around under bleachers like this and grab my legs.

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  8. Marchin O'NeachtainAugust 23, 2011 at 9:26 AM

    .............Ahh, the memories! The broken bats were Loiusville Sluggers. The signatures were from current major league baseball players from the 50' and 60's including: Kuene, Williams, Fox, Aaron, Mantle, Maris, Collavito, Kaline, Carew, Oliva, Clemente, Aparicio, etc. I will never forget theOaks and those long but memorable afternoons.

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  9. And these days bleachers can be metal or plastic I suppose.

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  10. on dirait les bancs d'un stade, j'aime bien on peut voir sous les jupes des filles ;o)))

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  11. Nice shot. I have always wanted to see a game at Fenway Park. One of these days.

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  12. Ooh, great photo! I love baseball, too. Caught a baseball with my face once. Broke two bones but still love it :D

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  13. You shouldn't give me dangerous bits of trivia like that. I'm bound to repeat and repeat and repeat it.

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  14. Bleachers and baseball, you can't get more American than that!! Great story Birdman!

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  15. That's a very nice scene, sort of pastoral.

    Give me rugby please.

    Oh, and re. your comment: France (and a few other European states) has extremely protective privacy laws. I could get sued for showing faces. I know others do it, but then they are neither lawyers, nor chickens, both of which I am.

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  16. Mine too! I hate it when the World Series is over and there are no more games. Afternoon games are the best.

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  17. Love the composition and color, hanging between abstract and representational. I don't think we'll find much baseball when we get to our destination (sitting in the STL airport now) but maybe Olivier can take us to a Corsairs American football game.

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  18. Wonderful memories you've shared... bleacher benches...

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  19. Oh, thank you for this. We are about to travel all the way from New Mexico to Fenway Park for a Red Sox game. We won't be sitting in bleachers, though--we'll be up on the Green Monster. So exciting, and the last thing I thought I'd be doing for an anniversary 30 years ago when we got married!

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  20. Having 3 brothers, I grew up on little league fields. Once I could drive I volunteered to take my younger brothers to games or practice. I had reasons for wanting to be around those ball parks. Boys...

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  21. nice post. lots of good memories.

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  22. Love the slashes of brown against the green!

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  23. Birdman -- what a fine shot -- like when you draw out the heart of a piece -- haven't seen wooden bleachers in many years -- barbara

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  24. I've sat on many a wooden bench watching my son play baseball.

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  25. I love baseball also. So did my Dad.. We had a minor league team which would play in our little hometown. My Dad sold tickets --so I got to go with him to many of the games... LOVED it...Such great memories.
    Betsy

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  26. Great memories and I have no doubt that the grass was easier on the "rear" than those bleachers.

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  27. Now they're aluminum....hot to touch in the summer and cold in the fall and winter.

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