Opening day of the 2015-16 Liga Mexicana del Pacifico was just perfect for baseball aficionados in Guadalajara.
The fans – 12,000 of them – were in high spirits as they moved slowly toward the Telmex Stadium and the game to be played between the Tomateros de Culiacan and our “boys of winter,” the hometown Charros de Jalisco.
Street vendors hawked all kinds of memorabilia: jerseys, hats, pennants, bumper stickers. And food, plenty of food.
Cries of “la gorra, la gorra” rang from every corner. Were they authentic? It was hard to judge but the caps were inexpensive and came in blue for men and pink for the ladies.
“Boletos, boletos” shouted those with tickets to scalp. Were they authentic? Who knew! In fact, one wouldn’t until the ticket was scanned at the gate!
The security lines were long but moved swiftly and efficiently with pat downs of the men and bag checks for the women. Once inside we came face-to-face with the promenade, a walkway in front of the stadium teeming with activity. This festive area was jammed with vendors, families, games for the kids, men on stilts, clowns and, of course, the bubbly Charros cheerleaders ever ready to pose with fans for the cameras.
We could feel the electricity in the air as we made our way to our seats. Everyone seemed excited to have baseball back for another year in Guadalajara. The opening ceremonies were spectacular. A military band, a children’s choir and 1,000 blue and white balloons. A huge Mexican flag covered the outfield from left to right field.
The first pitch was thrown and the cheering never stopped from then on. When the Charros scored twice in the 1st inning, fans danced in the aisles. The pitching was first class, the hitting even better and by the 5th inning the game was essentially over.
With the game wrapped up, the thousands of fans leisurely made their way back to their cars or buses with a swagger in their step that spoke of expectations to come.
This year, the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico and the Serie del Caribe could be ours. We fans want nothing less.
After five games, the Charros head the eight-team Mexican Pacific League with a 4-1 win-loss record. They take on the Tomateros de Culiacan in a three-game series this weekend at the Telmex Stadium in Zapopan. Games are on Friday, October 16, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, October 17, 5 p.m. and Sunday, October 18, noon. They face the Mayos de Navojoa on Tuesday, October 20 through Thursday, October 22, also at the Telmex Stadium, with all games starting at 8:30 p.m.