Lotte Giant's baseball game!

During break I also went to a baseball game for the Lotte Giants, Busan's home team. Baseball is a huge thing in Korea. They really get into the game! There were many things that were different about going to a game in Korea and going to a game in the states. One big thing was that people don't really tailgate in Korea. We still had a few celebratory pre-baseball drinks outside while we were waiting to take our seats. But I think a major reason people don't feel the need to tailgate is because they do not over price everything at the game and kill your wallet for food and beer. In fact, in the stadium there were 7-11's where you could stop in and buy a 1.5 liter bottle of beer for less than 4 dollars. Hello, US, please learn something from the Korean's and stop over pricing everything for your fans! Even the food at the game was cheap. I got a meal for about 5 dollars.

Here is Lotte Stadium!

Here's some of the game! I was trying to get a picture of how they bring the relief pitcher out but I missed it. When they bring out the new pitcher they sing a song and the player gets driven out on the field in a really fancy car. It was pretty amusing.

This section is the "excite" section. For my next game I really want to sit here. This is where most of the cheering comes from. They also have cheerleaders dancing and an MC that leads songs and chants for players. Just like at a Brewer's game each player has a song that plays before they bat. But, in Korea its not simply a song that's played the whole crowd sings the song and cheers like mad before they are up to bat.

During the game it started monsoon raining. They really could use a retractable roof in Busan. The game was delayed for a while and we thought it was going to be rained out but it cleared up! This is when they were raking the field.

Here's our group! All of these pretty ladies are my co-workers. Starting from the top left you have Em, Kendall, and Kat then its Rita and I. I bought a head band that has the name of the Giants best hitter, it is so crazy florescent that it doesn't even look real in this picture. It looks so funny!

So you no how at baseball games in the states you turn your hat over in the last few innings? (I'm not sure what its called or why people do it) but in Korea they do something similar. In the last few innings they pass out bags to put your trash in. Somehow it became tradition to blow up the bag and wear it on your head! Its pretty awesome.

I also did a little bit of garbage picking because I saw someone throw away an inflatable hand. I quickly went and picked that bad boy out of the garbage! Score! I Learned that the hand says "MA!" which means "bastard" in Korean. When someone in the other team does something you don't like you tell "ma!" and point the finger down.

Here's a shot of the crud with the bags on their head.