First Baseball Game ( Giants Vs Tigers)

Lets go GIANTS!!!! LETS GO!!!! 

I could hear people screaming, shouting, yelling and swearing as I slowly snuck into the Connecticut Yankee bar to see what all the commotion was about. I saw a sea of black and orange surrounding the bar. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Detroit Tigers for the 2012 MLB World Series Championship and there was no room for doubt what city this bar was in. Being a foreigner and knowing little to nothing about baseball, I was intrigued and decided to stay there and be part of the crowd. You could not help but feel the enormous sense the energy packed into this small local bar. Every few minutes, I could hear a rhythmic clapping accompanied by a chant of “let’s go GIANTS! Let’s go GIANTS!”

I was part of a small group of eight, mostly friends from grad school made up of US and international students. As soon as we sat down, one of the Americans in the group immediately ordered garlic cheese fries, buffalo wings and a round of beers. I quickly learned that the food and drinks are as much of a ritual as the game itself.

The game was initially a little difficult to follow, but by the end of the night I was able to confidently say I understood 60% of what was going on, thanks to my friends patiently explaining every other play.

Moreover, I found all the panda-shaped hats, the posters with panda figures and panda costumes very interesting. I initially thought that the panda must have been the team’s mascot or something similar, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that hats, posters and costumes were the fans way of showing support for a Giant’s player by the name of Pablo Sandoval nicknamed “Kung Fu Panda.”

From only watching one game, I can say with no doubt that the Giants’ fans know how to express their appreciation for their players.