The finer points of Baseball.
June 20, 2008
When I was younger, summer meant lots of things. Running through the sprinkler, riding bikes outside without getting rained on, jumping on the trampoline until my sister and I were sweaty and then running through the sprinkler, popsicles and ice cream cones, flower gardens and lady bugs. And…the greatest sport ever.
Baseball.
Forget I’m from Seattle for a minute, because I’ll be the first to say I’m a little less than happy with the way the Mariners have been playing this year (or the last 6, for that matter). I just want to discuss purely, simply, baseball, and why I love it.
It’s the crack of the bat. The 7th inning stretch. The peanuts and crackerjacks and Ballpark hot dogs. The smell of the kettle corn and garlic fries. The sound of the crowd, locked together by the camaraderie that can only be felt when cheering for the same team. It’s the Dippin Dots. The creative commercials highlighting a few key players. The “theme songs” they assign to various players that they blast through the stadium when said player hits a home run. It’s the crowd, standing to their feet in unison, craning their necks to see whether a ball is foul or fair. It’s the collective cheer (or audible sigh) when a ball is, or isn’t, a homer. It’s the Wave. The 4th inning Hydroplane races on the big screen, and deciding whether red, green, or yellow will be the one to win. It’s the grins on everyone’s faces as the crowd streams out of the stadium, and the feeling that everyone, just for that night, is your best friend - because your team won. It’s even the groans and frowns and “what could we have done differently?” conversations that inevitably occur when that same team loses. Baseball is classic, it is traditional, and it’s one of the last real “family” sports.
I love baseball. When summer hits, sometimes I daydream about going to baseball games.
The food at baseball games is interesting these days, though. For instance. They have started serving fruit at baseball games. Yes, the last time I was at a Mariners game, you could buy chocolate covered strawberries on a stick. Genius.
I love baseball…I love fruit…it’s pretty much the best of both worlds. This summer, I won’t be getting very many opportunities to attend any games of this sport I love. Next summer, however…well. Just wait.
It’s truly a wonderful American pastime. I just don’t like it if it’s too hot and sticky out … TG once took me to a Detroit Tigers game and honestly we were in direct sun for the first hour and I was miserable. I do love it after it gets dark though. The sights and sounds of baseball are fascinating.
Jenny :: This is true. Muggy games are not much fun. That’s why the later they start, the better, especially later in the season when it starts getting dark earlier!
This is great. Nothing quite beats baseball. I know this season is already underway, but I’m already looking forward to that first game of the season in April 2009. There’s nothing quite like a fresh start and a new lease on life.
Kev :: I definitely agree with you. This season is cool and all, but I have a feeling next season’s going to be great!
I’m pretty ambivalent to baseball but your description makes me want to run out and get tickets for the College World Series before it’s over. I’ve never been but everyone says it’s fun.
Also, I love hot dogs and what better excuse is there to mow down three hot dogs?
Erin :: You should DEFINITELY go to a baseball game!! You’ll fall in love. Everyone does. It’s such a historical sport, too, you feel like you’re a part of history when you go!
Hot dogs….I’m not a fan. But somehow, I like them when I’m at a game…
I haven’t watched Baseball since the Dodgers won the World Series in 1988. LOL. (I will always have a squishy spot in my heart for them.) That was until this year’s Men’s College World Series where my hometown Bulldogs won! GO DOGS!!!
Corrina :: Haha…wow…I was 5 years old in 1988. That’s a loooong time ago…haha