The first pitch, the crack of the bat and the optimism felt by millions upon millions from city to city from coast to coast … it must be Opening Day.
Opening Day is very special. Every team, every player and every fan receives a fresh start, a clean slate. Last season is a distant memory and it has been replaced by a new hope for the season that lies ahead … How does the saying go? Baseball is as American as apple pie and Chevrolet. To quote Field of Dreams, “Baseball has stood the test of time”. This is our passion and our past time, simply put this is baseball.
This is the same game our grandfather passed down to our father that in turn passed the game onto us. This is the game that is debated throughout the winter, discussed at length at family outings and reunions and talked about by the water cooler with co-workers and business colleagues. This is the game we all played as children and still follow to this day with the same enthusiasm as the 10-year old we used to see in the mirror.
Baseball is different from any other sport. It takes commitment and dedication and for a Cubs’ fan, patience. It is just not watching a game or two a week. Baseball is eight months of day after day, week after week, and month after month of reading the recaps, dissecting the box scores and keeping up with the stats of your team … as well as every other team in the league.
Baseball is full of tradition and characters from Babe Ruth to Satchel Paige to Pete Rose to Ryne Sandberg. Phrases and words from the game are a part of everyday vocabulary and accepted in every walk of life. This game has transcended generations and cultures and has broken down barriers. The books fill our offices, the movies fill our armoires and the names and numbers fill what is left in our memory banks. This is our sport … this is baseball.
So grab your peanuts and crackerjack, maybe a dog or a brat and of course, a cold one. Dust off the old 45 of ‘Centerfield‘, throw in your copy of ‘Boys of Zimmer‘ and get ready for the marathon, after all is it time for baseball … Chicago Cubs baseball.
It is Opening Day!