Eclectic Arcania: My First Ever Dodgers Game

Today I carpooled with three friends down to the Los Angeles Dodgers' game against the Milwaukee Brewers. This was my first-ever Dodger's game experience having merely watched them on television over the course of my life. Our primary purpose was to attend the after-game Faith & Family event where four Dodgers shared their personal Christian testimony, two Christian music artists I'm unfamiliar with performed and money was raised for the Not For Sale campaign. For me being a lifelong Dodger's fan it was more of an even split as I did not spend $30 on a ticket and $10 on gas for a simple church service which I could have experienced at home: I came for the game just as much. Below is a photographic record of my Dodger Stadium experience.
To view more Tecolote Fire pics taken from the stadium check HERE.

It is so "LA" to be blase even when the home team is #1 in their division as evidenced by the empty space in this lot.

An iconic skyline dominated by the First Interstate Tower.

Mount Wilson crowing the iconic San Gabriel Mountains in the distance.

This was my first-ever glimple and photograph of the stadium interior.

And here is my second ever such shot.

And my third ever such shot!

Our seats were on the other half of the main grandstand so this was to be my view this game.

We arrived early which I'm glad as it gave me an opportunity to drink in the scenery before it got crowded around me.

I was surprised at the degree to which my mountains dominated to background as seen from this stadium.

I cannot articulate accurately how deeply satisfying it was to finally attend a game here and on such a gorgeous day.

The stadium is actually quite beautiful in a classic sort of way.

There is a visually satisfying design to many aspects of this structure.

Mount Wilson and Henninger Flats through my telephoto lens.

The press box wasn't full yet at this point but I hoped to later see living legend Vin Scully.

I'm embarrassed to say that coming into this game I had no idea my Dodgers led their division... as did the Brewers.

It was cool seeing the cameras in person that make possible watching the game on television.

And another camera position with Mt. Lukens or another such antennae-crowned peak beyond it.

Mt Baldy way off to the east.

The throng coming into the game brought to mind a zombie horde.

Another rampart of Mt. Wilson.

The television pregame analysis.

All day I was captivated by not only the mountain backdrop by also the activities of the ground crews...

And the grounds look immaculate and amazing.

There were artistic patterns generated by the grounds crews activities such as here and following.

It got toasty enough the pregame talking heads had to cover up.

These guys were busy all day both before, during, and after the game.

Lots of geometric patterns fill the playing field.

More goes into the process of a game than I had a clue of prior to this game.

The lieutenant commander gave some brief comments and led us in one of the symbolic gestures before the game.

Dodger Cuisine.

A couple of Dodger wives/girlfriends doing some camera time...

... and how they looked.

Living legend Tommy Lasorda was not here today but his presence certainly was.

Tis been too long since the last world championship.

Jessica Alba was in attendance and did some sharing about her childhood experience as a Dodgers fan.

Were this blog monetized I'd make a mint just for having Jessica Alba images featured.

This was a live image of the skyline of downtown Los Angeles but the screen is backdropped the other way with the iconic San Gabriel Mountains beyond it.

An LAPD helicopter on patrol nearby.

Jessica Alba preparing to toss out the first pitch.

At least she got it to the left field line even if it missed home plate.

She is rather kittenishly cute.

One final pep talk from Alba.

How iconic: a baseball player signing a boy's whatever.

One of my first ever baseball pitch pictures... this of starting pitcher Dan Heran...

Who got roughed up early with this first inning two-run home run swing I captured by chance.

These are players coming home from a three-run home run in the second inning.

As the game got out of hand for the Dodgers I felt less into it and was distracted by the scenery.

What a gorgeous playing field!

I was unable to take my eyes off those mountains all day which dominate the horizon and loom over the LA Basin.

Matt Kemp was probably the biggest star suited up for the Dodgers today.

Not familiar with the guy on the left but most definitely am with the guy on the right... who shared a funny little bit about being good patrons in the stands during the game.

This was about the last we saw of Heran who gave up 2-3-1-1 in the first four innings.

Still no Vin Scully and never saw him all day.

There were a lot of people but I expected more.. perhaps the upper 80's/low 90's temps scared them away.

Thank God we were seated in the shade!

The grounds people did this smoothing action between each inning.

One last shot of Kemp who was pretty quiet all day.

After this loomed up from San Gabriel Canyon on the Angeles National Forest I was 100% distracted from the game.

The final score, but the real drama was beyond the score board.

All in all a gorgeous day to be in Chavez Ravine.

To me that pyrocumulus cloud from the distant Telocote Fire spoke louder than what issued forth from these speakers.

Christian singer Anthony Evans started things off with a performance.

Four Christian Dodgers gave their testimony: Adrian Gonzalez, AJ Ellis, Scott Van Slyke, and pictured above, Cy Young Award-winning Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw.