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9:27:00 AM EDT
Hearing the Cure
Opening Night in DC
My family has lived in northern Virginia for a long time. Grampsie used to take my Dad and his brother to RFK to watch the Senators back in the '60s. They'd sit in the leftfield cheap seats, up where Hondo Howard hit 'em. Those trips to the ballpark almost certainly instilled in them a love for the game that courses through my veins today. But of course, the only professional baseball I've ever known has been an hour north in Baltimore. Until last night.
In what (I hope) will become commonplace, I ditched work early, hopped on the Metro and emerged 15 minutes later outside RFK, just as I had a decade ago for Redskins games. The atmosphere was tangible: protesters shouting, fireworks exploding and fighter jets flying overhead. And people were smiling, talking to one another and genuinely happy to be back in the business of baseball.
Once inside, I felt like the kid my Dad must have been all those years ago. I had butterflies when Livan Hernandez splintered the strike zone with his first pitch and looked toward the heavens. As the twilight turned to moonlight, I was giddy when the Nats plated their first runs and the RFK box seats bounced like they used to. And I cried a little when Vinny Castilla launched a big fly over the leftfield wall.
My thoughts were with Grampsie, who passed yesterday. He went peacefully, which is exactly the opposite of how baseball returned to DC. Opening night was filled with pomp, good humor and great fortune. It didn't matter that the concession stands ran out of ice cubes and hot dogs, Gramps would have loved it. I know I did. It felt like home.
For more on the Nats and opening night, check out AOL Sports and the Washington Post.
Update: I just bought my first Nationals cap.
Written by dcsportsguy Blog about this entry |
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Thanks for sharing the memories and the great pictures.. here in NC , we look slightly north or slightly south for our "home" pro teams.. I've got my Nationals hat on order... I'll be attending at least one game over the summer..
My best thoughts to you and yours... -
i love bast ball a lot yeee!!!!!!
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There are few family memories sweeter than shared sports moments. Been there, done that, know the feeling. Thanks for sharing.
However, tipping your employer off that you plan on making ditching work early a commonplace event might not go over well...
4/17/05 8:10 AM
Good joke about old guys and baseball:
Two old guys in Washington wait and wait and wait until the town gets a new team. One of them dies before it happens. His friend buys two seats to the opening game, and keeps one vacant out of respect for his friend.
About inning number 5, the man is astonished to see the ghost of his friend sitting next to him. The spectre smiles, and says "Wouldn't miss this for death itself."
The spectre starts to fade as the game ends. The living friend stops him...."Wait...I gotta know....is there baseball in Heaven?"
"The ghost smiles, and says, "I have good news and bad news. The good news? There is indeed baseball in Heaven. The bad news? You're pitching Thursday."
S
http://journals.aol.com/monpo