Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Today was a glorious, hot, sunny summer day. In short, it was the perfect day for a baseball game. That is just where my girlfriends and I headed. You probably have a baseball team near and dear to your heart, right? If so I can almost guarantee it is not the Washington Nationals. In my adopted hometown of DC, most people have another hometown that is closer to their hearts, whose teams they continue to cheer for. I went to the Red Sox game, which was sold out, because of Boston fans. I think my dad and I were about the only two Nationals fans in tow. Only Washington's pro football team has managed to capture the hearts of locals.

But that brings me to my first point, which is that I really value community. Sure, I grew up within range of Chicago and St. Louis. With a grandma from southern Illinois, cheering for the Cardinals fit naturally. I remember rooting for Ozzie Smith as a kid. My child-size red Cardinals bat is still a treasured momento. But with a grandpa from the South Side of Chicago, we were White Sox fans too. I vaguely remember the original Comiskey Park. But now that I am in DC, even though the Nationals have a dismal record, I gotta cheer for them. That's where my roots are now. When I'm in Chicago or St. Louis, it's different. Call me a fairweather fan, that is fair. But when I'm living in the team's hometown, I am going to be cheering for the hometown team.

And my second point is much more simple. It's just that on a perfect summer day, going to a baseball game is one of the best ways to spend your time. Agreed?