July Fourth with the Syracuse Chiefs. Sounds like a plan.
The folks who run the Syracuse Chiefs and the city’s department of parks and recreation decided that NBT Bank Stadium was the perfect place for a July Fourth doubleheader.
The 7 p.m. Triple-A game between the Chiefs and Pawtucket Red Sox and following fireworks display drew quite a buzz. By 6:30 p.m. all entrances to the parking lot had a long line of cars.
TV crews interview baseball fans before they enter NBT Bank Stadium Friday in Syracuse.
I’d gone to the box office on Thursday morning and bought box seats for my dear wife Karen and myself. I knew that the game and fireworks would be a popular draw.
The line at the box office and at the gate proved me right.
We saw our friend Julie Cardinali, the Chiefs manager of corporate sales, outside the admission gate, and she told us the game was sold out.
The stands were full and the game was intense.
Indeed, as the Chiefs and Red Sox battled to a 2-2 tie through the regulation nine innings, more than 13,000 fans witnessed an exciting game that went into extra innings tied 2-2.
Over the left field stands, a pretty sunset.
A good look around the stadium provided great natural beauty, too, purple in the sky in left field.
A little later, rain began to fall.
Some people left the stadium when they got wet, but not many.
The Red Sox scored a run in the top of the 10th to win, 3-2. The rain stopped, started, stopped again.
On July Fourth, over the field at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse, N.Y.
Just moments after the teams left the field came 20 minutes of very fine fireworks.
The air over the green grass was filled with color, booms, ooh’s and ah’s.
It was a very grand finale.
Did you attend a fireworks display on the Fourth, and how did it measure up? Will you go to more fireworks this weekend, and where? What’s the best fireworks you ever saw, and why?
Mark Bialczak 
It was the calm before the storm, that day and night. What a perfect evening for relaxing and hanging out. I hope people realize that these incentives are a perk of having such a stadium and baseball team. It’s important to keep this aspect alive in CNY, and so we can utilize the stadium for and add on perks.
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We need to make the most of that team and stadium, for sure, Chris. You are correct.
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Both are beautiful! 🙂
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Gorgeous photos and especially of the red sunset, does it mean, “Sailors’ delight?” I loved it so much, over the baseball field. Glad you got the box seats, fortuitous, since the game was sold out! I am sure they are very comfortable and the whole experience, win or lose, was fun and exciting for you and Karen! Great price, by the way! I love going to see the Clippers, since it is a family and fun time, too! Local teams’ followers are so polite and respectful, fun to be part of the atmosphere!
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I made a heckling-like comment during the game, and got a dirty look from my target’s teammate! Karen told me to stop it. The guy two seats over said my loud mouth reminded him of his Uncle Barry. So, maybe not everybody so polite and respectful. I didn’t think my comment was awful, just baseball heckling style …
Thanks, Robin, yes the red sky at night is sailors’ delight. Red sky at morning, sailors’ take warning. So they say!
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We have a minor league park not far from where we live. The Lakewood BlueClaws. They’re a Phillies affiliate. Minor league ball can’t be beat. The stadium is clean, affordable and the sight lines are fantastic. You can practically sit on the field. Far superior to the major league behemoth, cash-sucking NY Yankee and NY Mets stadiums.
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Yes, Mark, the day before this game, I went to the box office and bought two field level box seats behind the third base dugout, third row, price $12 each. And the game sold out. Mets or Yanks, upper deck, $40 each, need binocs. Here every foul ball up the line the bullpen players walked to the stands and flipped the baseball to a little kid. Majors? I think not.
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Beautiful photography! I love fireworks at the ball park. I try to go on the nights they schedule them at Camden Yards. There is something exciting about sitting in the stadium, after the game, and all is dark – until, suddenly! the sky lights up in yellows, whites, reds and blues. Really something. Glad you had fun.
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You caught the moment with your description, Kate. Thank you. The crowd silences itself. It’s been a long game. Let’s get to the explosions …
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I’m so jealous. Had to watch my fireworks online because for some reason, people here in England are just not that into celebrating our victory over the British Empire…
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Yeah, well, Barb, go figure. And yet we watch the Royal wedding and birth and everything Queen and Prince and Kate and even freaking Pippa related over here as if the Redcoasts won.
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Baseball, fire works and where’s the apple pie? Looks like a lot of fun. Ours are about to begin very soon but Mr. B and I decided to stay home and enjoy a quiet night in. We have gone from party to party this weekend and need a little break. Plus I ate too much. 🙂
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Since you ate too much, fireworks are out, Mrs. B. There already will be explosions skyward … Just kidding, just kidding. Enjoy a nice quiet night in with Mr. B.
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LOL! Love it!
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win or lose, this sounds like a great event, i love doubleheaders and i’m so happy to hear the stadium sold out. the sky looked cool and just added to the excitement of the event, i’m sure. as for fireworks, we saw some done by the neighbors in the local park, and it was so fun.
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I’m glad you got to see some at the local park, Beth!
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A red and blue sunset to boot!
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The sunset psyched me up, Kerbey!
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There is no competing with nature, no matter how glorious the fireworks on any given Fourth might be!
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Thanks, Emilio, for your vote for the sunset!
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A little bit of rain never hurt anyone, Chum. It would take a lot more rain to get me to leave the baseball park.
We enjoyed a nice small town firework display. Smokey smelly kids and all..
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That’s a Fourth, smokey and smelly, Aud. And I did not dress properly for rain — none in the forecast — but never gave a thought to leaving. I had a baseball cap on and that was enough. I was glad that Karen wore a hoody.
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One’s Knight should always carry an umbrella, Chum. T’was it in the trunk again? I have a feeling Karen would have stayed with or without the hoody. Glad you two had fun. 🙂
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We took Karen’s car, and the umbrella was indeed in the trunk. Of my car. In my golf bag. No Good Knight here, I’m afraid, Aud.
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Giggle. Chalk it up to…memories!
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Hmmmmm. I will do better. I must say, though, as nice as it was when we left the car, no way I would have taken the umbrella out of that trunk!
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I know, there’s just something about the feeling of last minute rain. Produces laughter.
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Now I have to write that down!
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Um, I was talking about the fireworks. Unless you took that with a smartphone. Perhaps I will just get a point and shoot and forget all this about camera settings and what not.
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I am merely an iPhone 4 point and shooter, Amy Rose, hoping for the best. Thanks for the compliment. 🙂
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Well, let me tell you! YOUR photo came out better then mine. I plan on posting my lights later today. Shaky at best. But at least colorful. (((HUGS))) Amy
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I will be watching, Amy! 🙂
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Give me a few … it will be up. A total of 8 images. The display I had PLANNED on shooting trees were in the way. So, another plan came along and I went with it. (smile) xx
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Sometimes we must scramble, Amy Rose! 🙂
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It is up now. And for YOU, cause we are kissin’ cousins, I bring it to you. Here you go, Mark! ENJOY!
http://herladypinkrose.wordpress.com/2014/07/05/whoosh-flash-boom-9-images/ (((HUGS))) Amy
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Your nine shots of the fireworks are beautiful, in color and sharpness and magnitude, Amy. You are too modest. Your shutter finger was plenty fast with your eye. Open up your comments on the post, my friend! 🙂
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OK, Mark, I will!!
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I did as you said, friend. Thank you for encouraging me. Thank you. (((HUGS))) Amy
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I think you will be happy at the reaction, Amy Rose!
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I owe it to you, Mark. All to you. I perhaps am too hard on me sometimes. Next year I won’t have the squiggles. But perhaps THIS year, the lights I did capture are even better then next year’s. Who knows? God is with me, my friend. And I have a fast eye/finger coordination. (smile) Love, Amy
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You must have a shutter release cable. I don’t and my lights came out shaky. NICE SHOT, Mark!!!
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We ‘saw’ some fireworks as we were driving last night. But we won’t see ‘ours’ until Sunday night. I’m looking forward to it. A friend just sent us a video of the fireworks from Disney…..ALSO very impressive. I love the oohs and ahhhhs too. 🙂
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Yes, human soundtracks to fireworks add to the fun. I must admit I am often a ringleader in that regard, Colleen. Wow, Sunday fireworks in your neck. Till the better end!
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🙂 Well said Mark. To the better end. 🙂
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Reblogged this on markbialczak and commented:
I posted this a bit past midnight, still excited from Karen’s skillful escape from the parking lot traffic jam. I wanted to post it again this morning closer to my usual time. Somebody on my Facebook page said the fireworks didn’t live up to her hopes, but I liked them. Take a look and tell me what you like better, the sunset or the manmade finale?
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What a perfect way to spend the 4th! We’re up here in the mountains and the fireworks were amazing – but I only got one terrible shot with my camera (I am not known for my picture taking skills)..
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I didn’t get better at pictures until I started the blog and went from camera to iPhone and iPad. Go figure, Mimi. I want to see your one terrible shot and judge for myself, by the way. I shall click over now to see if it’s posted. 🙂
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Not yet – we’re here with company and I can’t really sit down and sequester myself for a little while…look for it tomorrow or Monday though…;-)
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Enjoy the company, Mimi, for that’s what the holiday and the getaway is for, truly …
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Sounds like an intense game! Are you disappointed the Chiefs didn’t win? Your picture with the sunset is amazing – that’s my favourite lighting – the people caught in the shot look amazing! Sounds like you and Karen had a great July 4th. Ahh I love live games!
Diana xo
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It was a great way to wind up a splendid Fourth, Diana. I reblogged this and asked if people liked the sunset or the fireworks finale better. I bet you like the sunset. (Me, too.) …
Thanks. Have a great weekend, our friend. 🙂
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Yes, the sunset for sure!
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Pretty spectacular, I agree!
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Sounds like it was an exciting game. Too bad Syracuse lost, but maybe it will give poeple the idea that coming to more games would be fun. The stands look awesome filled with fans.The fireworks sounded grand.
It’s been years since I’ve been to a regular fireworks display but the best I’ve ever seen was here in Ottawa, the capital. Our Feds are not cheap when it comes to fireworks. Also, across the river there is a large casino built at the edge of an old rock quarry. The quarry has since filled with water and the casino has installed a huge water spray/fountain in the center – it’s kind of their trademark. Every so many years they host an international fireworks competition and teams come from all over the world. They fire off over the old quarry and the show is spectacular. But that is a treat and we don’t see it often.
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