Portland Sea Dogs fans who also love their football faced a tough decision Sunday: stick by the team as it played the Binghamton Mets in the final game of the Eastern League divisional finals, or watch the New England Patriots in their regular season opener against the Miami Dolphins on television instead.
With blazing blue skies, a gentle breeze and temperatures in the 70s, it would seem the choice would have been a no-brainer. But for some of the 2,813 baseball fans who showed up Sunday at Hadlock Field in Portland, it was not.
Additional Images
“It was a decision,” said David Gammon of Minot.
Gammon had seats in the Pape Chevrolet corporate box, but only nine of the 21 seats were filled. Tickets to the empty seats were held by people who had passed up the Sea Dogs for the Patriots, Gammon said.
Other Sea Dogs fans echoed Gammon.
“This is awful. What a day to have a Sea Dogs game,” said Roland Moore of Cape Elizabeth.
Moore said he was torn between the Patriots and taking his grandson Benjamin Moore, 6, to his very first Sea Dogs game.
Nevertheless, he spent Saturday worried that the Sea Dogs would win against the Mets and the Sunday game would be unnecessary and Benjamin would have to wait another year.
Other fans said there was never any question that they would not stand by the Sea Dogs, who lost Sunday’s game, 8-5.
Isaiah Towne and his wife, Helen, and children, Jacob, 6, and Jill, 5, said they never considered not making the drive from Bangor to Portland to watch the Sea Dogs.
“We like the Sea Dogs. The Pats will play again next week,” Isaiah Towne said.
Nick Abrams of Winslow said he wanted to see Red Sox prospect Rusney Castillo in action.
“The first Patriots game of the season, who cares?” Abrams said.
Derrick and Pamela Pratt of Topsham said there were a number of factors that made it easy to go with the Sea Dogs. They had free tickets, for one. He said he had decided several days ago that if Sunday was sunny he would pass up the Patriots, whether the Sea Dogs were playing or not.
“And we are huge Sea Dog fans,” Pamela Pratt said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story