Fans missed Goldeyes games

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This article was published 03/08/2021 (1571 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After 701 days away from the diamond, Winnipeg Goldeyes fans were all smiles as they entered Shaw Park for the first time in almost two years.

“I haven’t been to a game in a year and a half,” said Donna Lewis, a diehard Goldeyes fan.

“It’s great, I’ve got a mini-pack so I love going to baseball games. I missed being at games with my family, it’s always been a family thing for me. I’ve been going to games for 20 years.”

Lewis and her husband were some of the first fans to enter the ballpark as the lineups to get in stretched around the park and on to Pioneer Avenue. Despite the long lines, the Goldeyes were able to welcome their fans in to the park fairly quickly as the concourse soon filled with smells of beer and popcorn.

Memories of seasons past came back to the 2,716 fans in attendance after the extended absence away from home. Bennet Charter missed the whole experience of going to a baseball game since he last went with his father.

“It’s surreal I guess, it’s exciting, the last time I was here I brought my dad to a Father’s Day game a few years ago,” said Charter.

“I missed everything about it, I missed getting together with my friends at the ballpark to have a good time.”

Charter says he feels very comfortable attending games knowing the COVID-19 health and safety protocols the Goldeyes have in place to begin their return to Shaw Park.

“It feels good to know that everyone here is fully vaccinated and it’s nice to get back to some kind of normalcy,” said Charter.

Sam Doucet and Mark Loeppky are longtime supporters of the Fish and attended the final games at home in September 2019. The two are elated to be in the stands once again and say the wait to see the team return home was a challenge.

“It means quite a bit, you know there’s all these incremental thresholds and milestones that we’ve been sort of grasping at for the last couple of months this summer,” said Doucet.

“I’d say it’s great, it’s something having these things to look forward to is special,” said Loeppky.

“We’ve been having no real events, nothing to really put on the calendar to get you through the week.”

Loeppky says Tuesday’s home opener has been a highlight of his summer.

“Summer for me is sitting at the ballpark, I usually get a pair of mini-packs and plus other games on top of that,” said Loeppky.

“I go to 20, 25 sometimes 30 games a season. It’s definitely a hole in what is summer. Being back at the ballpark is a really special event.”

Doucet says the province’s gradual reopening this summer has created feelings of nostalgia and welcomes the return to many of the things he missed.

“I went to my first movie last week since two years ago,” said Doucet.

“Sometimes I feel kind of delusional like I’ve gone to a movie, the pandemic is over whatever, but I bring myself down to earth. Going to a Goldeyes game is huge, it’s been the biggest thing missing from my life for the last two years, it’s very exciting.”

With fans gearing up to see the return of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday, there is a feeling of optimism expressed from the fans who are able to see both teams play this week.

“Winnipeg is the place to be,” said Charter.

“I’m really excited for the Bomber game for sure. The last sporting event I was at all was the 2019 Grey Cup. It’s very exciting.”

“We’re going to the Bombers game and we’re looking forward to getting back to Manitoba Theatre Centre as well, just getting out and doing things again,” said Lewis.

“When I heard I was going to be able to come to a sporting event, I said I’ve got to do it,” said Doucet.

The roar of the crowd could soon be heard as Goldeyes first baseman Kyle Martin hammered a three-run home run to right field bringing back baseball joy that was greatly missed in the city.

Loeppky says he is curious to see how the attitude of attending live sporting events in Manitoba changes over time based on what he’s read from online sports communities.

“It’s going to be interesting I think there is a lot of division from what I’m reading in sports fan pages between the vaccinated and the non-vaccinated,” said Loeppky.

“I think hopefully it brings the sports communities together rather than apart. That’s what sports is all about.”

 

jbernacki@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @JosephBernacki