Opening Day
We finally made it. The Yanks open at home against the Blue Jays. I swear, it's an eternity from the moment of the last Yankee game of the previous year to the moment of the first game of the new year.
I've always loved baseball. Couldn't play it so well because I was like Napolean Dynamite, asking the ump to have the pitcher slow it down - they threw too fast and I was too afraid. Also, I judged a fly ball pretty poorly. I did have some success at an early age, playing fairly well in Little League and getting a treasure chest of memories from those days. I can name the starting lineup from those teams.
Yet my baseball connections are all family-related. My entire family is made up of Yankee fans. There isn't a dissenter in the group and I cherish the memory of their clinching win in the '96 series because we were all together and slapping high fives when Girardi hit a triple.
I get a different feeling on opening day too. There's the promise of a bright new season. All the negative feelings from lasy year, and steroids, and money matters, are gone and I imagine the bright green grass, the guy yelling that he has peanuts, and the first base hit. (I'm betting it goes to Jeter).
Baseball in the spring sort of kicks off the whole new year. So, no matter what happens today, I will scramble around enough to listen. In years gone by, I can recall the circumstances of the 1st game of the new year, win or lose - I am a winner anyway - because it is finally here!
I've always loved baseball. Couldn't play it so well because I was like Napolean Dynamite, asking the ump to have the pitcher slow it down - they threw too fast and I was too afraid. Also, I judged a fly ball pretty poorly. I did have some success at an early age, playing fairly well in Little League and getting a treasure chest of memories from those days. I can name the starting lineup from those teams.
Yet my baseball connections are all family-related. My entire family is made up of Yankee fans. There isn't a dissenter in the group and I cherish the memory of their clinching win in the '96 series because we were all together and slapping high fives when Girardi hit a triple.
I get a different feeling on opening day too. There's the promise of a bright new season. All the negative feelings from lasy year, and steroids, and money matters, are gone and I imagine the bright green grass, the guy yelling that he has peanuts, and the first base hit. (I'm betting it goes to Jeter).
Baseball in the spring sort of kicks off the whole new year. So, no matter what happens today, I will scramble around enough to listen. In years gone by, I can recall the circumstances of the 1st game of the new year, win or lose - I am a winner anyway - because it is finally here!
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