JJ SAYS: Great place to see a ball game

A great big thank you to the Petaluma Jr. Leghorns for punching my ticket to Yountville. I was only able to see one game in what I consider the best baseball venue north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Argus correspondent George Haire - my secret weapon - did the bulk of the coverage of the state State Junior American Legion Tournament, while I handled a previous commitment that included a 3-year-old and monster trucks, but that is another story.

The story this week is Borman Field, located at the Veterans Home of California in Yountville.

The field is outstanding, a military term that I seldom heard during my tenure in uniform. It is a full fledged stadium with large covered stands and an ivy-covered outfield fence behind a massive outfield. It is ringed by wooded and grapevine-shrouded hills. The diamond is excellently maintained with a few yellowing spots in the outfield giving evidence of both the drought and defensive positioning.

I often rate area snack bars, since they are where the majority of my dinners are consumed. As an aside, the best cheeseburger I’ve had all year was at the Petaluma National Little League’s Carter Field.

But, I digress. The best snack bar I’ve ever discovered is the one the Vets run at Yountville. The hot dogs are great, but what makes the Yountville food court exceptional is the beer. Yes, they serve several different varieties of beer - not at the high school games, but for all American Legion contests.

The truth is that, given my maturing taste, I usually forgo the beer for the best soft-serve ice cream in the known universe. There is nothing better on a hot August afternoon than a good baseball game and a better ice cream. I’ve finally learned my lesson, and now order it in a cup. Saves a lot on the laundry bill.

The stadium comes complete with a public address announcer who sometimes tries out his Vin Scully impression and sometimes forgets to announce the batter.

The games always draw an enthusiastic group of veteran fans, many of whom park their scooters right up against the backstop and thoroughly enjoy the games. They know the game, and several are excellent umpires, offering the men in blue all sorts of helpful advice. They can get a bit on the rowdy side, especially if a team from the Napa Valley is playing.

Despite the cheers from the ball park and the squeals from the nearby community swimming pool, there is something serene about the whole setting. Away from the park, it is quiet without being ghostly. It as if the whole place was designed to give the veterans tranquility after the violence that marked the service so many gave for their country.

The facility is the largest and one of the oldest veterans homes in the country. Founded in 1884, it is home for more than 1,000 aged or disabled veterans.

It is also the location of the Lincoln Theater, one of the premier venues for entertainment and cultural performances in the North Bay.

As you walk among the dormitories and other buildings, waving at the residents as they zip by on their motorized scooters, every one decorated with a small American flag, you can sense the history of a proud nation and the proud men and women who served it so well.

It is a special place, with special people. And, don’t forget the special ice cream at the ball park.

(Contact John Jackson at johnie.jackson@arguscourier.com)