The White Sox threw a party for season ticket holders today (actually, on Thursday and Friday, too). They used to do this almost every year. They suspended this or a few years, because the park had renovations being done, almost year long. Now, that the season ticket base has grown so dramatically, the team decided to throw another party.

I LOVE these things. There's something special about being in the park - when the team isn't there playing ball. I took my buddy Barry to share this unusual event.

We're in the middle of this god awful heat spell, so the first thing we did was get wristbands to be allowed out onto the field. HUH? Yes, we were allowed to walk out onto the field...

You know how special it is to walk out onto center field of a major league ballpark? Feel the unbelievable grass at your feet.. level... no holes... no weeds... look around and get an idea on how much room a centerfielder has to cover..

We strolled around the field... went into the Sox bullpen, both the dugout and mounds... then off to the Sox dugout... the phones were live.. if you opened-up the box and pulled the phone off-hook, the opposite phone (bullpen-Dugout) would ring automatically... we walked to the visitor's dugout... watched people playing catch in the outfield... we stopped to watch a woman throwing to.. her husband? no arc to her throws, good mechanics, zip on the ball.. she's played... we lapped the field... and we went inside to get something cold to drink in the patio area...we made a mistake by not getting any of the free food (chicken, ribs, dogs, burgers, potato salad, cole slaw)... we walked the tunnel underneath the stands and visited the Visitor's Clubhouse.. looked at the lockers, and ALL OF THE SNACKS AND DRINKS... we walked across the tunnel to the Conference Center, the big conference room still setup for a Post-Game Press Conference... and then we checked out the Scout Seats food and beverage café (REALLY nice)... then we went out of the tunnel, walked up a ramp, onto the main concourse of the park, where we waited.. and waited.. and waited in the heat (no breeze, but no sun either) to look at and get our pictures taken with the World Series Trophy.

That was long and draining for me.. let alone barry, who is still not up to 100% healthy. We walked the outfield concourse.. and got to Fundamentals, which was open. Barry didn't feel comfortable climbing all of those stars, so I went up alone, and saw the batting cages, pitching cages, training field, and the Scott Podsedik Run.

I came back down, we walked into the Patio area for lunch and.. NO FOOD. They had shutdown for the day... we were able to get a cold drink..

It really felt special to be there again. I miss the park. I know I'm there each weekend, but this is sooo much more special.

It makes you feel special.

So.. we left the park.. hungry.. with nothing to do.. so.. we went to Horseshoe to gamble for a couple of hours!