Friday, November 02, 2007

Baseball musings


It's been five days and yes, we are still basking in the glow of the Red Sox World Series sweep. Even now it's still fun to watch some of the videos over at MLB to enjoy the game clips. Just seeing the intensity on the pitcher's faces...the joy of the home runs and what the hell are those white towels for? Are the fans surrendering?

What makes baseball popular you non-sports types might ask yourselves...well here in Boston its one of the ties that binds us. For years we joked about Pennant Fevah striking the hub in June to have our hopes dashed by the middle of August. It was a topic that we all could talk about, brothers, sisters, parents, neighbors, co-workers and strangers on the subway. How about those Sox. Think about the talk around the dinner table? Baseball is something that can be shared, we all have opinions.

With another World Series win, I think about the Uncles, Brother and Friends who loved baseball and weren't alive to see them win. A columnist wrote earlier this week, that the first World Series was for the past, all those who loved the Sox and never got to see them win and this win is for the future, of how an organization can build a team. My phone call after the winning game was to my father who said, "Thank God we can get some sleep this week." I am sure that he wished he still had his brothers to call. That's what Baseball means to us, the connection with others.

I wasn't always a baseball fan and definitely not as rabid as my good friend L who was still getting weepy after the first Series win when she would watch a tape of the game. But I became a fan when my husband always had the game on, either on TV or on the radio when our sons would join us. Even on vacation, it was great when the Sox were on and the whole family gets together and collectively yell at the tv. Yes, we are vocal and I know, Francona obviously knows what he is doing and can't hear us, but a person has to let it out.

So yes, the sun is shining brighter in Red Sox Nation and for all Red Sox fans who came to the away games to boost attendance figures. We want to see Mike Lowell stay and Arod move on. It was a fun Series and great that it got over early for us.

8 comments:

  1. Naturally I loved this post. Of course, I have to remind myself that to grab my iPod, not my Walkman, because there are no more Cub games to listen to and won't be until spring. Living in a two-team town, you are your team as much as you are your religion or your political party. Cub fandom was passed down to my mom and dad by their parents, and they passed it down to me. The only way my nephew Nick will know his Great Grandma Ruth, who died before he was born, is through stories, and mentioning her love and loyalty for Ryne Sandberg whenever his name comes up during a Cub game is one way to do that. Imagine how effective a World Series would be at bringing her to life for him!

    Congratulations, Red Sox Nation. Enjoy your victory. I dream of knowing what it feels like.

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  2. I don't follow baseball any more but as a kid the Kansas City Athletics (now Oakland athletics) had a farm club in my hometown. We loved going to the baseball games. Kids got knothole shirts and got in free. We loved standing outside the big fence and retrieving balls that were hit out of the park. Ah , , ,the memories. The problem with it on TV as with any other sport is you get to see what the camera man focuses on, not the whole field. in college, I went to evry athletic game they had because I was there in person.

    Happy for you that yoru team won.

    Haven't seen you around for ages and definitely not at my blog. . .

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  3. Thanks for coming by . . . yes, you eat the seeds of pomegranates. I just cut it in half and then sorta peel off the inner "skins" between the seeds and shove the seeds in my mouth as i go. Ü You can google pomegranates and find out how ritzy people do it. They use a collander and seed it all and then use the seeds in different dishes! lol i always ate by hand. Mom would divide one in 4 and give us each a piece to et outside as they can get kinda messy. i love the taste and they are good for healthy bodies. I sometimes buy Crystl Light with pomegranates juice in it.

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  4. Jen! I have been out of the blogloop for so long but finally I am back. Just wanted to say hi! Your blog looks great!
    Winona

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  5. I'm not a baseball fan but I'm one of your friend so I'm glad to read you are happy!

    :)

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  6. the gal herself said it right: Cubs fans are a special breed. It was hard for me to cheer for the Rockies, even though I'm in Colorado, 'cause I'm a Cubs fan through and through. And I really didn't expect the Rox to do that well; the Cubs taught me never to get my hopes up.
    And the towels are NOT white flags of surrender. Hardeeharhar.

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  7. I guess I'll still talk to you, even though I was pullin for the Rockies.
    lol

    Taking some time off from getting in the way.

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  8. Send AFraud to the Cubs would ya

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Any thoughts or musings of your own to add?