File this interview, conducted with Justice Sam Alito by the Philly Daily News, under “H” for Hilarious, unintentionally:
Daily News: Do you remember the first game you went to?
Alito: I can’t remember the first day game I went to. Our family often went to the Sunday doubleheader. That’s what we liked to do. You got two games for the price of one. We had a particular spot far down the rightfield line in Connie Mack Stadium where we tried to get tickets, which didn’t cost very much in those days.
I remember that with the doubleheaders there was always an issue about whether they were going to get the second game in before the curfew. In those days, Philadelphia had a Sunday curfew. I don’t know if it was 6 o’clock, but there was a certain time [and] you couldn’t start an inning after that.
Anyway, I very vividly remember the first night game I went to with my father. I must have been 8 or 9 years old. I remember it was very exciting walking there, walking to the stadium in the dark and how it looked totally different lit up.
The Phillies were playing what in those days were called the [Cincinnati] Redlegs. And I remember Ted Kluszewski, who was the first baseman for the Reds. Because in those days the Reds had sleeveless uniforms and he had huge muscles. [Laughing] Which was a lot more unusual in those days than it is in the modern era. And he hit a ball like a rocket off the big rightfield wall in Philadelphia.
What little kid isn’t wowed by big muscles? It’s baseball season!