Baseball fans have any number of reasons for liking the game. For me, the crowd, being there. It drowns out the rest of the world. Feels safe. It’s fun (well if the team isn’t screwing up too much). The food. The tradition.
Baseball fans are part of an extended family!
Do you gab a lot at ball games? I have superstitions, and you probably do as well. There’s a group that I hang with. A favorite place to grab something to eat, either on the way or once there. A jersey to wear.
Fact is I like to salute a military veteran each game. I love the 7th inning stretch. I will not leave a game until at least after that… and I chuckle at any number of the items that are shown on the screen out in left field, including the Kiss Cam. It works for me — it is time well spent. It is part of the fabric of my life, God damn it.
You can get lost at the ball park – but found. Lost in the sense of comraderie, the sense of watching a game with a rich history. Lost in the hope your team wins it. Lost and found at the same time.
And for now, at this point, all of that, every single aspect of it, is unavailable. There is a sickening (literally) virus spreading around the globe. I have not heard it can survive on a baseball mitt, but you sure the heck can’t have players mingling in the dug out. You can’t have the crowd sitting close to each other, and walking within close proximity of each other.
The virus has taught me one thing in a very harsh and stunning manner: Don’t take anything for granted (ok, that I knew and that I already well appreciated); but I never thought that meant I couldn’t join you and all the rest of the fans at the ball park. I miss it. I miss it a lot. And, frankly, it hurts.
When this lifts — this too shall pass, God willing — when this lifts and I get to go to the ball park, and I go through all my years-established routines, and sit down and look out at the field, when that happens, when it finally does, I will break down and cry.
Until then, I will quietly shed a tear or two but put on a good face. Sure all is fine, what do I have to complain about? Just be safe — all of us — let’s get through this, be safe, the sun is going to shine again!
I suspect if we pumped fists through the internet we would have a lot in common.
