Dodger Stadium Elevator Encounters

Above, Vin Scully and Tommy Lasorda.

I may have sworn off Major League Baseball since it has gone woke, but I still have many great memories before it did. 

Back in the late 1970s and in the 1980s, it seemed we practically lived at either Dodger Stadium or at Anaheim Stadium (to see the California Angels). We ordered tickets to every home stand and I received more through my work-related vendors.

Vin Scully's passing last week brought back memories of a couple of highlights of (when I was an ardent fan) when I had encounters with two Los Angeles Dodger greats that took place in the elevator at Dodger Stadium. Both took place the same year.

Back in 2010, I posted this about meeting Vin Scully at Dodger Stadium:

I got to meet "The Voice of the Dodgers" back around 1982 at Dodger Stadium. A friend and I had to use the stadium elevator as he was wheelchair-bound in order to get to the level where our seats were located. We got into the elevator with about a half-dozen people already inside. We made one floor stop after getting in and when the doors opened, a crowd of people were standing outside waiting. Suddenly, out came cameras and flashbulbs were going off from them. 

Then, behind us in the elevator as the doors closed, a familiar voice said, "We seem to be very popular!" We turned around and (surprise!) there was Vin Scully. He was in the the elevator the whole time and we didn't notice him when we got in. 

Naturally, greetings and handshakes were then exchanged. 

During the game's broadcast, Scully mentioned the elevator encounter and how nice Dodger fans are. 

Gee, what I wouldn't give for a print of all those photos that were taken of us when the elevator doors opened!

As I mentioned, the second encounter took place the same year and in the elevator. This time it was with manager Tommy Lasorda.

Again, we had to get to the Club Level at Dodger Stadium as the handicapped section was there. I brought my own folding chair to sit on.

We hit the call button for the elevator and when it opened, inside was manager Tommy Lasorda. He was alone and in full uniform. We immediately greeted him and shook hands. He was quite jovial and friendly.

Now both men are gone, but I still have my memories of meeting them. Good times!

Ginza's Fancy Elevators

Above, the Apple store in Ginza (left, background) has one of the more
interesting elevators shown in the article. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rocket News 24 has an interesting article about the Ginza shopping district of Tokyo. But it is not an article one might expect.

It is about the elevators.

They start out the article with:

The Ginza area of Tokyo is by far the ritziest of all of Japan’s districts. With stores such as Chanel, Cartier and Bulgari (not to mention an extremely overpriced bar staffed by former and current porn stars), you’re going to have to have a lot of yen in your pockets if you want to do more than window shop and people watch. Yes, there are exceptions and cheap eats to be found nestled amongst the luxury items, but overall, Ginza is dominated by fancy things. Just look at the elevators…

I think I've only been in one elevator in Ginza, and that was going to a French restaurant in an upper floor of the building right next door to the Wako Department Store. I didn't find the elevator unusual, but then it wasn't at any of the fancy and ritzy stores in the shopping district.

But the examples of the elevators found in Ginza are interesting to see, and the article has plenty of pictures of them.

To view them, go here.