I Love The Baseball
Folks who have been around here for a while know that politics is my second love. My first love is baseball. It’s been that way since I was 4 years old and Grandpa Duke took me to my first baseball game in what became a friendship that lasted until he died when I was in college. Some of the best hours of my life were spent sitting beside this large Creole man with giant hands and enormous feet who taught me how to keep score at a neighborhood ball park. He loved me deeply.
Instead of doing my homework, I made countless score cards so I would be ready at every game. It really didn’t matter that I skipped homework because I learned math at baseball games. I could figure ERAs and batting averages. I understood how geometry works because it was happening right in front of me. Grandpa had played a little semi-pro ball and got to meet the big boys of summer as they were coming up. He taught me to tell stories by telling me stories.
I hear his voice every time I sit down at a typewriter, “A good story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Now tell me the beginning of your story.” I became a reporter. Screw homework. The best teacher I ever had smoked cigars and drank beer while showing me where to watch on the field as a play developed.
Forgive me this memory today.
I started watching the Houston Astros when they were the Colt 45’s. We would always find a way to get to the game. “Hold on to my pants leg, Cher, because I can’t reach down that far to grab your hand,” he joked at me, the smallest little girl in town, as we waked into the park.
I have tickets to the ballgame today and tomorrow for the playoffs. Every year the Astros break my heart. Every year I think this is the year. Then they break my heart, dammit. We’ve won a few pennants along the way, but we’ve never won the World Series, so every season opens a new possibility that maybe this year … because my story needs an end.
All this is to say that I will open a few threads today and tomorrow because I will be at the game both days. You can talk about whatever you want and I’ll have someone approve comments when they get a chance.
Go Astros!
My daddy went to Buff stadium. Every time we drove by it, I wondered what it looked like from the inside. When I finally got to go, I was so excited. I entertained myself on long car rides trying to predict if the next pitch would be a ball or a strike.
1Well, that puts me right in a tight bind now doesn’t it. Redsox fan but how can I root against herownself. Tell you what, I’ll root for Houston for 4.5 innings.
2@Miz JJ
As a baseball fanatic back to the 60s I feel your pain, your joy. In Hou, I recall the Buffs, the Colt 45s, and the ‘Stros!. Even married an Astros-NL fan, against my better judgment. I have spent too many summer days in $2 seats in Arlington, although I met briefly an 11 year old Cal Jr when Cal Sr managed the DFW Spurs and routinely rode the trolley to Burnet Field with my parents to watch future hall-of-famers play for the Dallas Eagles. Oh and a trip on the train to Fort Worth to see the Cats play at Lagrave. And there I met my personal baseball hero, Bobby Bragen. Mr Bragen was one of the absolute nicest baseball pros ever, although even he would chuckle at his .230-something lifetime batting average and less home runs than a juiced AL outfielder hits in a week today.
So good on ya.
Go Stros! Go baseball!
Even in October, there’s new grass on the field.
3“We’ve won a few pennants along the way, but we’ve never won the World Series”
a few pennants or just the one? i only remember one world series (and i’d just as soon forget that one).
go stros.
4Keith – that’ll work. I’ll just root double hard the other 4.5.
5I think I understand, Ms. JJ; at least vicariously. We have a wonderful neighbor in his 80s who is a devoted Cubs fan. There’s some special baseball lore in being a Cubs fan. 2016 was his year and it couldn’t have happened for a better man. May 2017 be the year of a special woman, you Ms. JJ. I love sports and have a few teams of my “own,” but I share good, too. Not that I can’t be somewhat greedy, as in wishing Golden State have a repeat.
This year on the field of dreams, I will cheer for the Astros. Not “just” for you, but for my neighbor, those who love baseball, your Grandpa Duke, and for all the Houston fans. Go Astros!
6I am a lover of baseball, too, as JJ well knows. At the beginning of this season, I told her that my fondest wish was a World Series between her beloved Astros and my beloved Nats. The road to that ideal starts today for the Astros and tomorrow for the Nats.
Baseball became absolutely necessary to my mental health this year. I was inordinately grateful to the Cubs last year–not because I was a fan of theirs–because they came back and took the Indians to the 7th game. And, THAT game went into extra innings. It was so fabulous that the memory of it brought me great comfort during the awful, awful winter of my discontent.
I truly believe that the love of baseball is the best way to shield ourselves from at least some of the trauma of this maladministration. Our respective teams play baseball every day (mostly), which means that we get a break of 3+ hours every day from the madness.
Unlike JJ, I don’t actually attend many games. I do, however, listen to them all on the radio and I chat with fellow fans during the game on the Washington Post site. Baseball fans are, by a mile, the smartest, kindest sports fans of them all.
The only problem with the baseball season is that it ends. There is a reason why Jonathan Yardley (once of the Washington Post) referred to the time between when the WS ends and Spring Training arrives as “The Void”.
I’ve started disciplining myself to NOT start counting the days until ST until after the new year. Trust me–that takes some effort.
7@BarbimDC
I understand the Void and the joy of The Day Pitchers and Catchers Report to Spring Training.
8@Micr: “Pitchers and Catchers Report” are the four most beautiful words in the English language.
9BarbinDC, hope your wish comes true! My sister is a Nats season ticket holder – lost her loyalty to our beloved SF Giants after living in DC area for maybe 35 years. So she’d love that, too.
My husband is a KC Royals fan, even worked at the stadium many years in high school and college. And I’m still a life-long Giants fan. So our dream World Series was 2014 – right down to the last inning of the thrilling 7th game. But I was delighted for him that the Royals won the next year.
I wish for you not only an Astros-Nats series, but that it goes 7 games, with zillions of great plays to delight all the baseball lovers, no matter what team they root for.
10My crew was always baseball fans. The Astros giving tickets to kids who made good grades clinched it. Two always got tickets so that was 6 ballgames a season.
Son moved to Dallas but comes down for Sunday games with his dad and FIL. They will see ya at the game.
We sometimes lived in St Louis. They love the Cardinals, too.
11Have a nice time.
12I’m with Donna and remember the first time when I was a 7-year old kid and went to my first major league game. In New York. At the Polo Grounds!!!* It was the NEW YORK Giants vs. the Phillies. (Yes; I’m that old.)
And I’m sure I can speak for everyone of you – I still remember walking from the outer ring and down that tunnel that led to our seats – and first saw that big, beautiful, green playing field! Green and bright in the sun. To this day every time I go to a pro ballpark, I relive that moment, stop when I first see it, and take it all in.
I’m now a Nats fan because we – finally – have our own team and I no longer have to schlepp up to Baltimore. I used to go to games at the O’s beautiful stadium, but hated it at the same time because I HATED the team owner, Peter Angelos.
Years ago I remember watching the game where your Astros were hosting my Nats. Nats were a good team. Astros were a true horror story.
It was around the 7th inning and the Nats were pasting the Astros. And then I looked as the camera would occasionally show the people in the stands. If there were 50 fans sitting there, I’d be surprised. But it was the quiet that got my attention. The quiet was amazing! So dead-quiet you could hear everything. Everything!
And what I often heard was just a couple Astros fans calling out and disparaging the Astros players! Just awful. And no need for it. I could hear every word they said, so clearly, that I got to the point where I was yelling at the TV for them to shut up. Or just go home! Jebus! LEAVE!
They have come a long way, JJ!
13Forgot the *
For you kidz out there – Yes; the Polo Grounds in upper Manhattan in NYC. The NY Giants baseball team played there for 75-years. Then, in 1957, three months after the Dodgers said they were leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles, the Giants announced they were also moving, to San Francisco where they are today. Fans of both teams, all of whom who hated the Yankees, were devastated. One of my best friend’s was a die-hard fan and his 5th grade loyalty went with them. He now lives in SF and is still a fan!
14Though Richie Ashburn’s calls of the Phillies games were background music to much of my childhood, I regard watching baseball as less exciting than watching grass grow. Similarly soccer, where they run up and down and up and down and occasionally almost make a goal. But if you folks enjoy it, knock yourselves out and good luck to your teams! My mother died last year so I don’t much care what the Phils are doing.
15I can tell my grandpa story. Lived next door in a small town in central Louisiana. He had played semi pro as a young man and was the umpire for the local Sunday afternoon team. I was about 5 when he took me to my first ballgame. Class D Alexandria Aces. I was at the Astrodome first game played there. VS damnyankees. Went 12 innings. I went to Louisiana and brought my grandpa to Houston to his first major league game several years later. Saw the Cardinals three times that weekend. He talked about that until he passed.
16And I’m still going. I was in Miami and Tampa Bay past weekend. Added two more parks to my lifetime quest. Only 8 to go and will have been in every major league park. I even went to Houston this year to Minute Maid park for the first time.
Conclusion: Baseball is second only to my family.
I went to the Giant football games with my dad.
Didn’t like the game, hated the cold, but I loved being with my dad.
He died when I was 9, and every time I watch football, I think of him.
True story.
17Several years ago, we were driving to Cape Cod. We were going through Boston and it was deserted, I mean hardly any other cars on the road.
It was after 9/11 so we thought the worst.
Actually it was good because the Red Socks were in the playoffs and everybody was home watching them on tv.
It was creepy but it was the fastest we ever made it through Boston.
Got to a restaurant to see them win the game. That was a fun night!
Final: Astros 8, Red Sox 2, one happy Miss JJ.
18I’ll never turn my back on the Sox, but I’m forced to admit that if I were an impartial observer, I would say that the ‘Stros sure earned that win. If we can’t take it all this year — and really, the Sox haven’t played well enough all summer to deserve it — I hope your boys do.
19I used to follow several sports teams but I’ve mostly drifted away from it —– except the Lynx. I dearly love the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA. I adore women’s sports, in part because I played several in college and throughout most of my lifetime. I’ve always been an underdog fan and every women’s league is an underdog. I admire the courage, fortitude, resilience and dogged determination of the Lynx and their opponents throughout the league. They are solidly focused on making the league succeed and being admirable role models for little girls and boys. They’ve publicly supported BLM, LBGT Pride events and transgender people. In addition, one of the things I’m most proud of in my life, is serving as one of the foremothers to those wonderful young women.
BTW, the Lynx won the best of 5 championship last night, 85-76. It’s their 4th title in the past 7 years. They are a dynasty of remarkable women. Yahoooooooooo!!!!!!
20Not so worried about the scores or some games lost in the post season. Just make sure they win the last game they play.
21What a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to your grandfather. He sounds like quite an amazing and caring man.
22He would be proud of you for all the good that you do through your blog.
JJ, your story brings tears to my eyes! What a wonderful memory of you and your grandpa. Thank you for sharing it with us.
I was a Phillies fan all through high school and most of college. When they won the World Series in 1980, I figured they’d never do it again in my lifetime, so I quit baseball fandom. Turns out I was wrong about two things.
I live in Nats territory now. Gotta get out to a game!
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