Play Ball

Baseball season starts today, and I am excited. Just as we have begun the season of spring and enjoy its hope of new things to come, a new baseball season means that all fans share the hope that their teams will be competitive this year and will play well. In only a few short weeks, some poor fans will already be resigned to the reality that their teams just won't be able to compete with some of the other teams in the league, and they'll quickly lose the possibility of extending their seasons into the playoffs. But the beginning of April is a different story. All teams start off with the same record. All teams start off with ballparks packed with fans who are cheering the possibility that this season may be the one that they'll win the pennant. All teams start off with the hope that, if they work hard and gather some momentum, they might just be able to pull off a winning season and relish the joy of victory...even those teams with 17-consecutive losing seasons.

So, once again, I am hopeful with the start of another baseball season, hoping that my favorite team can find a way somehow to bring back those thrilling memories I cherish from when I was still in elementary school and emotionally cheered them on in the playoffs. And even if this is yet again another disappointing season, I still find great joy in the beginning of another baseball season. It's a beautiful sport, combining athletic skill and intense strategy, and it's a sport that connects brothers, sons, cousins, fathers, daughters, sisters, mothers, grandparents, families, etc. It's a sport that enjoys a rich history and is deeply connected to our American culture. It's a sport that embodies the joy and adventure of youth...baseball is here, meaning summer is only a short while away...

Play ball!