There were cheers at Sahlen Field again Tuesday night, as the Buffalo Bisons won 11-0 against the Rochester Red Wings in their first return to their home base in nearly two years.
It was the latest iteration of one of the oldest rivalries in baseball: the Bisons and the Red Wings, two teams separated by a couple of county lines. What was apparent as the crowd arrived and settled in was that there were more families and a lot of kids, as ticket prices were a lot lower than when Major League Baseball's Toronto Blue Jays squared off against the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
Michael was there with his family, including a son celebrating his first birthday, who might turn into a baseball player.
"Oh, yeah. We hope so. He's already been to four games in his first year. Actually, this is his first minor league game," he said.
Mark Dunford was a fan in the stands who had attended some Jays games in Buffalo.
"Blue Jays games, this past summer. Just a few weeks ago, actually, when they played the Red Sox and the Mariners and that," Dunford said. "I'd never seen a pro baseball game before, so I thought it would be a really fun opportunity. My buddy who loves baseball, who is really knowledgeable about it, gave me a good insight, so when I'm watching a game, like some of the things and the nuances to pick up on. Stuff like that. So this is sort of like my souvenir from those games I went to."
Between the pitches and hotdogs, there wasn't much sympathy to be found Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Resignation was the right thing to do, according to a number of fans asked about the governor's announcement earlier in the day to quit the state's top job.
Jeff said the resignation is good for Buffalo.
"It's a good thing that happens for the City of Buffalo," he said. "I personally think, as a person who lives in the City of Buffalo, that Andrew Cuomo has been getting by with just things with his position of power, the things that have come to light in terms of the knockdown of what the city needs."
Jeff said what may be even more important is what happens next year when the governor's position is on the ballot, likely through both Democratic and Republican primary elections.
Jessica liked that the new governor will be Kathy Hochul.
"Yeah, I always have a little bit of offense to reduce the power, of course," she said. "Let's steam things up and bring down the patriarchy, why not."
Many of those interviewed said the governor's alleged treatment of women justified him going.
"It was the right decision," said Tony Johnson, "because I don't think that someone who has made those kind of mistakes against women in such a public honored office should be in that office anymore."
