With the temperature topping out at a scorching 104 degrees outside, Sunday was a great day for indoor baseball in Arlington, Texas. And although I’m not a big fan of Globe Life Field and still miss the beautiful outdoor stadium where the Rangers played their last game in 2019 after only 26 seasons, a ballpark with a retractable roof is a mighty welcome venue to catch a day game when the Boys of Summer return to the Lone Star State/Inferno.
Surprisingly, my visit to the Rangers’ home for Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins was my first to the local ballpark this season. I usually at least make it out to see my Astros when they’re in town before this late in the season, but that’s not going to happen until Labor Day, a game for which we already have tickets.
This occasion was a very special one: I invited a friend I’ve known only since April to introduce him to a sport he knew almost nothing about — and what little he knew was from my having told him a bit as we made plans to go to a game.
I met Hamed Aliyari, Ph.D., through a cool, wonderful program that my employer, UT Southwestern Medical Center, calls “Conversation Partners.” The program pairs English-speaking staff members with international students, postdoctoral researchers and other non-U.S. natives on campus for conversation and cultural exchange in a session that lasts a little more than four months. The participants meet once a week, either in person or virtually.
Hamed, who is 33 and grew up in Iran and attended college there, has been a postdoctoral researcher in UTSW’s Psychiatry Department since summer 2022. He’s a fantastic fellow and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him, learn about his life and educational background and how he ended up in the United States and at UT Southwestern. Hamed has a Ph.D. in electrical engineering and spent time as a professor in Japan before coming to the U.S. He’s quite brilliant, and he’s taking steps to stay in our country. (And in case you’re wondering, Hamed speaks very good English.)
As he learns about our culture, one of the things Hamed is interested in is sports, especially football and baseball. In Iran, as with many countries outside the U.S., soccer is big, but the sports we love here don’t exist there.
We got to the Rangers-Marlins game about an hour early, and our seats were in Section 213, one of the upper decks, but we had a great view just on the right-handed side of home plate. Before the game, we sat in a couple of empty seats on one of the lower levels so I could give Hamed a crash course in all the basics I could think of: the field and bases, positions and fielders, how many outs each team gets per inning, innings per game, foul poles and baselines, how the pitchers throw various pitches using different grips, the different kinds of hits (singles, doubles, triples, home runs) and more.
As we waited for the elevator, I realized I’d forgotten to tell him some of the most basic points: the strike zone, three strikes and you’re out, and four balls and you take first base on a walk. When we got to our seats, I told him about the umpires.
As the game went along, I was able to fill Hamed in on various other aspects of the game — double plays, errors, pitch clock, pitch counts, statistics on the scoreboard, etc. And I’d told him I hoped he’d get to see a home run, especially by one of the Rangers, since those are always accompanied by a big production including fireworks. Of course, as an Astros fan for about 56 of my 62 years, I didn’t want the Rangers to hit any homers OR win the game, but for Hamed, it’d be OK if they hit just one. As it turned out, dadgum it, they hit FOUR, in the third, fifth, sixth and eighth innings on their way to a 6-0 shutout and series sweep of the Marlins.
I feel pretty safe in saying that of the 34,569 announced fans at the game, Hamed was the only native of Iran who was attending his first baseball game ever. I think he genuinely had a good time, and I could see his excitement when the Rangers hit a home run. He really seemed to pick up on the basics of the game.
The Rangers have had a great year and have been in first place in the American League West Division all but one day — pretty remarkable, considering how dominant the Astros have been since 2017. The Astros haven’t been in first place at all this season and are still chasing the Rangers at two and a half games back, but there are still almost two months left in the regular season — and that early-September showdown back here in Arlington. I found it funny that former Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel drew boos from some Rangers fans when he came to the plate — but he went 2-for-3 and, having turned 39 in June, is still having a solid season, hitting .273.
Of course, while watching the game, I was monitoring the Astros’ game in the Bronx against the hated Yankees on my phone. I think Hamed got a kick out of me constantly checking my phone while also trying to pay attention to what was happening on the field. The Astros did manage to hang on and win 9-7, but it’s seldom been easy for them this season.
On Monday’s off-day, the 2022 World Series champion Astros will visit the White House on their way to a three-game series against the surprising first-place Baltimore Orioles. A team contingent of about 110, including players, coaches, owner Jim Crane and team executives, will meet with President Biden in the East Room. Even pitcher Justin Verlander, whom the Astros re-acquired from the Mets at last week’s trade deadline, will make the visit.
As I write this, I realize that I didn’t answer a question Hamed asked me late in the game. (I was probably too busy keeping up with the Astros … or may be a Rangers home run interrupted us, lol.) Hamed — you asked what the abbreviation MVR on the scoreboard indicates. It stands for “mound visits remaining.” Each team is allowed to make five visits to the mound to talk to a pitcher during a game, whether it’s the catcher, manager or pitching coach who goes out. The number is reduced on the scoreboard after every visit.
So glad Hamed and I got the chance to see a ballgame together and hope we can do it again sometime. I’m also hopeful that after football season starts, we can hang out and watch a pro or college football game on TV and I can give him another mini-lesson in American sports! 🙂
A Life of Words 
I’m actually wanting to go see a cricket game in Grand Prairie next year. Going to have to read up on it though.
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Hi Karl! Oh, I forgot all about that new league! Has that already started?
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Neat way to introduce an American pastime. Did have to skim over something dealing with a team from Houston.
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Haha, Hamed knows I’m a big Astros fan, but we didn’t get into the sign-stealing scandal. I figured I’d thrown enough at him for one day. Perhaps in due time. 🙂 I did tell him about how the base coaches relay signs, though.
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introduce him to the great stories like Babe Ruth and Willie Mays and Ty Cobb
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Hey fchristlieb, this is Dan P from Chipalatta.com. I really enjoyed your article of introducing Hamed to the game. It takes me back to a few years ago, my son bought four tickets to an Astros game for my birthday. It ended up being my son Adam, my youngest son, Ryan, who has what used to be called Asperger’s syndrome (now high functioning autism) and my wife’s brother, Eddie who is not a sports fan. So two people who are fanatics and two who barely follow the sport.
But what a game, the Astros took a one run lead into the ninth and I think it was Ken Giles who gave it away. So, bottom of the ninth and we are down one. Correa in his rookie year comes up and launches a game tying home run. We are jumping around like nuts. Then Evan Gattis comes up and keeps fouling pitches off – its like an 11 pitch at bat. He gets one neck high and clubs it off the glass in left field. The crowd goes crazy and even the two who barely understand the game have a great time.
Again, thanks for stopping by the blog…..
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Hey Dan, it’s great to hear from you. I appreciate your reading the blog — I don’t think I even realized you were a follower! As a lifelong Astros fan, I’ve loved reading yours as often as I can. Two kinds of people I always love to meet — Astros fans and Aggies (I’m a 1983 TAMU grad). 🙂
Thanks for your kind words about my post on taking my friend Hamed to the Rangers-Marlins game. We really had a great time. And I love your memory about going to that memorable game w/your sons and brother-in-law! I think I remember that one, but there’ve been so many memorable ones over the years, especially since 2015. You mentioned your son having Asperger’s — our oldest, who just turned 22, also does. I realize they lump all ASD together now, but we still call it Asperger’s because of the high-functioning nature.
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that you and I are about the same age — I’m 62 and have been a fan for as long as I can remember. I was born and adopted in WV in early 1961, and we moved to Houston either late that year or in early ’62. We lived off far south Main about 5 miles from the Dome, and we went to quite a few games before we moved to Oak Ridge North in the Conroe area in December ’71. Even after that, we went to several games a year on my free straight-A tickets. From a very young age, my brother and I listened to most of the games on the radio and loved to keep our own scorecards. I’m sure you’re like me in that you’ve made a lot of friendships through your Astros fandom!
Hope you saw my post in spring ’22 about Terry Puhl — my Dad, brother and I were at the game in July ’77, when I was 16 and TP was called up from the minors soon after turning 21 and entered as a late defensive replacement against the Dodgers (we were sitting in LF). The next night he got his first hit in extras and Watson drove him in for the game-winner. Last year, my wife and I drove from Arlington to Victoria to see Terry’s UH-Victoria team play a doubleheader against LSU-Shreveport. I’d emailed him in advance to tell him we were coming and that he’d always been my favorite Astro among many and asked if we might be able to visit w/him briefly sometime during or after the DH. He graciously said he’d love to, so we chatted w/him on the field for a couple of minutes afterward. I was surprised, or maybe not, to see him announce his retirement that next week!
Anyway, thanks for your great blog and for reaching out, Dan. Keep up the great insights and writing. I’m hoping over these last 6 weeks of the regular season in what’s become a 3-team race, we’ll prevail. A friend, his son and I are going to the Astros-Rangers game on Labor Day. Can’t wait!
Take care, Dan! And GO ASTROS!!!!! 🙂
Best wishes,
Frank Christlieb
Arlington, TX
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Frank
I’m turning 67 today, have you by a few years. We moved a lot when I was young, but when we got to Houston (from Dallas) in 1966 that stuck. (I did work in Arkansas from 1982 to 1989 when the economy crashed in Houston).
Yes, the straight A tickets were the main way I got to see games, we were living in Spring Branch, a little more of a trek than living off South Main. That was a real inspiration to make good grades for sure.
Terry Puhl (who went in the Hall Of Fame) last year – always a favorite. Not much power, but always knocking line drives all over the place and hitting for average.
I probably have not made as many friends in baseball as others – I think I may be a bit on the ASD spectrum myself. I do have all my “friends” on the blog and even though I have never met them – I think I know them.
Thanks for the kind words and glad you read the blog!
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Hey Dan, sorry for the late reply. Ahh, I had always figured you and I were the same age, but I was wrong…..close enough!
Glad we both got in the Dome’s doors with our straight-A tix as kids! After we moved to Conroe ISD when I was in 6th grade, I’m pretty sure it was high school before those tix were available to us.
Speaking of TP, Kay and I went down for the game where he was inducted last year. I wish they’d let the inductees speak at those things. That would add a lot more to the ceremony, IMHO.
You may have seen my post earlier this week about going to the games up here. What an epic series! I’m going to post another one wrapping up the series later this afternoon if I can find the time while I’m working (it’s written, just need to add photos). Now, if only we can carry that momentum back to MMP, especially at the plate. Hope you can make it out there for some of the remaining 12 home games!
Take care and see you on your blog! GO ASTROS!!!! 🙂
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