Dodgers Diaries

At the past two Dodger games I've been to (Friday and Monday nights), some would-be Romeo has had the bright idea of proposing to his girlfriend at the Stadium. On Monday night, the entire ordeal took place before the first pitch, as a serviceman in full Class As took the occasion of some on-field honor he was receiving to propose to his girlfriend on the infield grass. Friday's guy was even more sneaky clever, waiting until the Kiss Cam found him and his intended in the stands before bending down on one knee and popping the question.

In both cases, the Diamond Vision flashed the proposal. And in each case, the woman in question was clearly caught by surprise. Or some might say horror.

There's hardly a bigger baseball fan than my wife. She watches as many games as I do, loves to visit new parks whenever we visit another major league city, and keeps score when I get up to buy more beer. But she would have left me long ago if I had proposed to her at a baseball stadium.

Guys: Pleas don't do this to your woman. Getting engaged in a baseball stadium may be your dream, but it isn’t hers. No woman other than Dottie Hinson (her real name was Kamenshek ) wants to be proposed to at the ballpark. She's spent her entire life waiting for Mr. Right, not Mr. Right Field. What part of hot dogs and peanuts and 30,000 strangers seems at all like a romantic candlelit dinner for two?

In both instances, the woman in question was a good sport, and graciously accepted the thoughtless groom's offer. After all, what’s she supposed to do? Say no and risk embarrassing the guy with every camera in sight trained on him? Of course not. Most women have more sense than that.

-- JOHN ROSENTHAL