Opening Day

There’s nothing quite like Opening Day every year in the rite of spring know thoughout the baseball world. Hot dogs, beer, pop, peanuts, really gooey nachos and dream of catching a foul ball no matter where your seats are.  Baseball has been part of my life for the last 48 years, from when I was kid and you had to “try out” to make the team, couple years I didn’t and that was ok, but most years I did, well because I practiced, played, practiced some more and played it daily from April through September.  I am trying to teach my 5yr old the game, he’s getting better, has a wicked natural curve ball and can whack the crap outta the ball, I started pitching a whiffle ball overhand to him back when he was 3, not underhand, OVERHAND and he’s a great hitter, not much with the glove yet, but he’ll get there.

Baseball is such an awesome game, it can last a long time, or be over in the minimum (27 pitches for those that don’t follow the greatest of sports achievements). I listen to a lot of baseball on the radio, and watch when I can, but what is the most endearing factor of baseball is that it brings families together at the park for a day of watching their favorite team try and beat the daylights out of the baseball, stealing bases, smashing monstrous home runs, plays at the plate, a long throw from center field to 3rd to put out the runner, run downs, bad calls, exuberant umpires, impressive ball boys/girls making a great pickup on a hot foul grounder, the smell of mustard, onions, relish and hot dogs, getting beer spilled on you from the upper deck , t-shirt cannons, hearing The Star Spangled Banner, and watching veterans enjoy the game, Take Me out to the Ballgame at the stretch. This is America, this is Opening Day, Hope you get to enjoy it with the ones you care most about.