Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

As many of you know, one of my passions in life is......baseball. Knowing the NEA Representative Assembly was to be in Philadelphia, I made plans back home early in April with a handful of friends to take in a game while in the city. Last night was our night, our night out at the ballpark!

The Philadelphia Phillies hosted the Cincinnati Reds with a clear sky as the evening began. Before the game progressed too far, clouds rolled in, the sky darkened and by the 7th inning...the skies opened up. So much for the free fireworks display following the game!


Karen and Kevin Hansen made the game extra fun for our little group of Iowans by keeping us laughing. Karen is an elementary teacher/ association member in Glenwood and Kevin a teacher at Kanesville Alternative High School in Council Bluffs. Kevin is the CBEA Treasurer (my local EA!).



Long-time friends of the Hansens are Don and Kim Foth (pictured at right) teachers and association leaders in Cedar Falls.


Rounding out our Iowa delegation (from left to right) were Janet and Paul Wilson, Margaret (Cookie) Clapper and me. Janet, as you all know, is Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director and Conference Coordinator. Janet is the "go-to-person" with all the answers (and all the help) for our delegates here at the NEA-RA. Cookie is a pal from back home, an Intermediate Behavior Disorder teacher at Carter Lake Elementary in Council Bluffs.

We had a great time, but headed out at the bottom of the 9th with the score tied when the rain seemed to be coming down in buckets. Here is the story I found online that summarizes the game.

Rollins' rain-soaked single is extra nice

Shortstop's two late-game hits spark Phillies
By Stephen Fastenau / MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA -- Consider it a successful tuneup.
The Phillies outlasted the Reds to win, 8-7, in 10 innings Thursday and take the series with a double-header with the Mets looming.

Jimmy Rollins capped a big night with a game-winning drive to the right-center gap to score Jayson Werth. It was Rollins fourth hit of the game. He already had singled, doubled and tripled before his final heroics.

Chase Utley enjoyed the 13th multi-homer game of his career, both two-run shots his first two at-bats The likely All-Star is hitting .439 over his last 11 games, with three home runs.
Adam Eaton was roughed up for his second consecutive outing, allowing five earned runs over six innings. But the bullpen offered some support.

Philadelphia was able to do what it couldn't on Wednesday, when the bullpen faltered and the Phillies dropped a slugfest.

Madson served up an eighth-inning home run to Alex Gonzalez, but that was it. Antonio Alfonseca pitched a scoreless ninth to send the game to extra innings.

Stephen Fastenau is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.