Blog Archives
Mr. 3000: Derek Jeter
For most who read my blog and for those who know me, I am a die-hard New York Yankees fan. So, I am excited that Derek Jeter homered on his 3,000th hit. This marks a special day for those who have followed Jeter’s career over time.
Jeter is a world-class athlete, and he has a fan following that is large. Why, you may ask? Well, Jeter is not like many baseball players, who have fallen prey to steroid scandals. Jeter plays for the love of the game, and this would explain the following.
3,000 hits is no small feat, and Jeter shows class through his appearance at the press conference after the game (Source: CBS Sports). It’s a great day to be a Yankees fan.
Vacation…
It’s a great time to catch up on baseball, rest, half-marathon/sprint triathlon training, and spending time with family and friends. I should be back in action shortly.
The Boys are back in town…
Remember the Thin Lizzy song, “The boys are back in town.” The Boys of Summer are back, as the 2011 MLB season started off. This afternoon, the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers, 6-3. Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals did not have such good luck in their opener losing to the Atlanta Braves, 2-0.
Springtime might mean the season of renewal, but there is no doubt that America’s great pasttime, baseball, is the welcome game. Go Yankees!
Congratulations Texas!
As much as I hate writing such a post, I do this to celebrate for a team that has never been into the World Series. While I am a die-hard Yankees fan, I have to admit that it’s pretty cool to see the Texas Rangers have a chance of becoming World Series champions.
God Bless Texas! Go Rangers…make Nolan proud!
Yankees Owner George Steinbrenner Dies
It’s been a sad week for the New York Yankees. Yesterday, Yankees announcer, Bob Sheppard, died and today, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died of a massive heart attack, New York Daily News reports.
While there are many who disagreed with Steinbrenner’s management styles, I have always admired “The Steinbrenner Way,” and without that style, the Yankees would not have made their ways to numerous World Series championships.
As a die-hard Yankees fan, I am in a New York-state of mourning today. My thoughts and prayers are with the Steinbrenner family.
Baseball Season Commences
Finally, the baseball season has kicked off with much fanfare. The New York Yankees (my favorite team) lost to Boston yesterday. However, baseball in Washington takes on a different meaning come opening day. President Barack Obama was greeted by cheers and boos as he went up to deliver the opening pitch. Let’s just say, Obama should stick to governing, not pitching.
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Saturday Tuneage: Departure from Normal
Normally, I would highlight a song for Saturday Tuneage. However, this week marked the start of Spring Training for Major League Baseball. As most of you know, I am a die hard baseball fanatic. In honor of my favorite sport, I wanted to focus Saturday Tuneage on my favorite baseball movie…Major League.
27 World Series Championships Later…
and they’re still DYNAMITE to me!!
NEW YORK YANKEES ARE THE 2009 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!
Saturday Night Baseball: O's vs. the Nats
My friend, Nikhil called me on Saturday night with an offer that a die-hard AL East fan could not refuse: free tickets and a road trip to Oriole Park at Camden Yards (home to me, but to others…it is Oriole mecca). So, we drove in the midst of a traffic jam on 495, getting lost in a real bad neighborhood in Baltimore before we found parking, and arriving at the game, just in time to enjoy some real BBQ (Boog’s, that is, and for a ex-Marylander, hon, we call this true Pit BBQ at its finest) and to see the Nats crack off the first homerun of the game.
As a ex-Marylander and a Yankees fan, I took to cheering for the AL East to dominate the NL, while Nikhil cheered for the Nats. Too bad for Nikhil, he was surrounded by the home team with only a few Nats fans in our section. The crowd roared “Charge” before Nick Markakis came to bat, and I knew I was officially home when we sang, “Thank God, I’m a Country Boy” during seventh inning stretch. It was just awesome being back at the ballpark that I love the most to watch a Beltway rivalry really take shape. The O’s slammed the Nats 6-3 before a raucous crowd.
For the Love of Baseball
Other than politics, baseball has been another pasttime that has provided much joy. Whether it is a double play that determines the end of a game or a home run that is smacked into the deep center field area, it is the love of the game that keeps me determined to stay a fan.
Today, I went to the Nationals game versus the Mets, and sat behind the first base line. While I am not a fan of either team, I went for the love of the game. It was the atmosphere that kept me hooked, whether it was yelling, “Charge,” doing the wave, singing “Take me out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch. While at the game, I kept remembering what it was that brought me to love this great American pasttime.
Growing up in the Baltimore area, I was surrounded by family members who loved (and still love) the Orioles. It was not unusual to hear my Uncle Junior talk about the Orioles of the early 80s, and how electric the fans were in Memorial Stadium after Cal Ripken, Jr. hit a home run. Whenever we had family picnics in the Summer, we would gather around the TV with Grandpap Bill to watch a game in the living room of their home. In our heavy Baltimore accents, we would yell “How about them O’s!” It was all about the love of watching line drives, watching the players of the opposition team getting struck out at home plate, listening to Chuck Thompson’s fabulous sports announcing, just talking about other games we watched on TV. It was beautiful learning about the rules of the game and having a common tie with family.
As I grew older, I lost interest in the game. My interest quickly turned to fashion and girl talk during my preteen years. I came back to the game during my junior year of high school, only to rebel and become a New York Yankees fan, which my Uncle only speculated that it was due to Derek Jeter. From then on, I became a die-hard baseball and New York Yankees fan. The hilarious thing was that my first ever Major League baseball game was when I was sixteen, watching the Boston Red Sox lose to the O’s.
It’s still a love for the history of the game that keeps me devoted to baseball. I love watching the classic games of the 80s, and being transported to the time when there seemed to be no worries, except whether your team won or lost.
