That classic line from a Miller Lite commercial lives on for anyone who’s a Bob Uecker fan. And, who in Milwaukee isn’t?
Bob’s got a section of Miller Park—in the nosebleed seats at the top of the stadium—inspired by that ad, and as a rock-solid baseball fan I’m happy to sit there or nearly anywhere at any MLB game. But I recently took the opportunity to see what things look like from the front row when I bought Front Row Amy’s ticket for a September Sunday game against the Cincinnati Reds.
If you know who Front Row Amy is, just skip to the next paragraph. For readers who don’t, she’s a Brewers season ticket holder who has a single seat right behind home plate. She’s there nearly every game, never moving from her seat except to stand and cheer. She watches every pitch closely, and religiously keeps score the old-fashioned way with pencil and score card.
Oh, and she’s very attractive. She has a website, sells Front Row Amy t-shirts, posts opinions about the team on Facebook and has quite a following.
I arrived early for the game so I could take in the scene. I’m so glad I did. I was feet away from the Brewers on-deck circle, and could easily reach out and test the give of the protective netting in place behind home plate. I could see how the pitcher looked to the batter up on the mound, and had a panoramic view of the infield, outfield and bowl of thousands of seats. I nearly felt the balls smack into the catcher’s mitt. Right-handed batters walked past me to take their places in the batter’s box, and I flinched every time a ball was struck.
I decided to keep score—fans on TV watching the game would be seeing me, and it was fun to honor Amy’s commitment to the game by giving scorekeeping a try for the first time since I was a kid. This, in addition to having nothing between me and the play on the field, kept me “in” the game like I’d never experienced before.
Time flew by, and it almost felt like it was just me and the ballgame. While I love the social aspect of attending a live sporting event—it’s actually one of my favorite parts of it—I didn’t miss the camaraderie of being in the seats with people I know because I was so immersed in the action.
Takeaway?
I think I’ll buy Front Row Amy’s ticket again next season at least once. Or, maybe I’ll get my own single-seat 10 pack. And, in case you were wondering, the Brewers won that game 9-2. I imagine that added to my enjoyment of my Sunday afternoon in the front row.
