This day is going to have a few uncertainties. We’re leaving Toronto tonight on VIA Rail’s trans-continental Train # 1, the Canadian, a four-night journey to Vancouver. But the departure time is 10:00 p.m. and we’ll have to check out of the Marriott Renaissance by noon. Furthermore, we have tickets to the final game of this three-game series between the Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. It will start at 7:00 p.m. and that means we’ll have to leave the game before it’s over, retrieve our luggage from the hotel, and make our way to the railway station in plenty of time to check in for the train. So there will be some logistics to deal with.
Despite the fact that it was 65 degrees at game time with clear skies, the retractable roof to the Rogers Center was kept closed for last night’s game. Several of the locals have told us that, for some reason batted balls travel a bit farther when the roof is closed. If that’s why they did it, they failed to take Mike Napoli into consideration.
The Red Sox won the game last night … handily. The score was 10-1 and the game featured a barrage of Boston home runs, including two prodigious blasts by their big first baseman, Mike Napoli. The first of the Napoli homers traveled an estimated 470 feet; the second one soared even farther … so far, in fact, that many in the partisan crowd actually applauded.
They say if you really pay attention, you’ll see something you’ve never seen before at every ballgame. I guess that’s so. Of course, in this case — the crowd applauding Napoli’s second home run — it would never have happened in New York. Back there at Yankee Stadium, some loud-mouth fan would have waited for Napoli to trot around the bases, then bellow, “Yer still a bum, Napoli!” Toronto fans have class.
Last night was not a good night for those fans. While the Red Sox were pummeling their Blue Jays here in Toronto, back in Boston the Toronto Maple Leafs also lost badly to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the National Hockey League playoffs.
Over breakfast, a plan or the day began to emerge. We managed to get an extra two hours on a late check-out from one of our rooms … that is, until 2:00 p.m. Then we’ll trundle our luggage some six blocks up the main road to the train station and leave everything with the VIA Rail baggage claim office. Next, unencumbered by baggage, we’ll walk across the street from the station to the wonderful old Royal York Hotel. After an hour of so of people-watching in the lobby, we’ll walk back to the Rogers Center, and catch a few of the films at a near-by I-Max theater. By then, it should be close to game time.
We’ll leave the ballpark about 9:00 and walk back to Union Station where our train will already be waiting. After we’ve collected our baggage and gotten settled in our compartments, we’ll stroll back to the bullet-ended Park car at the rear of the train. VIA Rail has a little champagne reception there for those of us traveling on their premier train … a classy touch.
Then to bed. I’ll sleep like a baby because I’m a very happy camper.
