For the Love of the Game

Boston Red Sox at AT&T Park

Probability or coincidence? On August 19, 2013, during this years birthday celebration, among other city sites, we visited AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. For those who may not realize it, AT&T Park sells out for every game. According to Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News, as of September 23, 2013, “The sellout streak is at an MLB-best 240 games heading into a six-game, season-ending homestand.” Knowing this, our trip was planned months in advance with the purchase of tickets to secure seats.

The match-up, the reigning World Series champion San Francisco Giants and the 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox (though we did not know this at the time). The Giants lost that night behind Tim Lincecum (7-0). I’m a fan of the game and make it a point to watch many (probably too many) ball games on television. Now, deep down, I’m a National league fan at heart (put that designated hitter on the field or the pitcher at the plate) however, I love the ethereal game of baseball and truly enjoy watching the season unfold. The reality, teams play 162 games a year, we had no idea who would make it to the World Series.

Admittedly, this years series was riveting. Superb pitching, excellent defense, (by the Red Sox), however it was the on-base and offensive combination of three players that won the series for Boston. Shane Victorino, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz (Big Papi). In game six, Victorino ripped a bases-loaded double that ignited the Fenway Park crowd and gave the Red Sox an early 3-0 lead. Ortiz went 8-for-11 in the World Series with two home runs, four walks, five RBIs, a .688 batting average, and a 2.114 OPS. Sports analysists were quoted, “He's playing off the charts.” Only one other Red Sox player, Dustin Pedroia, had even half as many hits, with four. Pedroia was always making highlight plays or seemed to always be on-base when Ortiz came to the plate. Yes, this year I was rooting for the Red Sox (Cubs fan at heart).

Living in Southern California, San Diego area, there are many options to visit a major league park for those willing to drive; Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, Angel Stadium, the perennial palace of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Dodger Stadium, the cathedral for the Los Angeles Dodgers, AT&T Park, the beauty by the bay for the San Francisco Giants, and the Oakland Coliseum, home to the Oakland Athletics. However seeing the Red Sox play, in a National League Park, does not happen often. We were anxious to see the bearded ballplayers in action.

Back up a few years, in 2002 Kristen (my niece) had just graduated as valedictorian of her class at Cuba High School and her graduation present was a trip to California with my Mother as her chaperone. During that visit Lori and I took Mom and Kristin to their first major league ball-game at Angel Stadium. The Angels would go on to win the World Series that year. That was a special year for Kristen, she was awarded a women's soft-ball scholarship to attend Baker University in Kansas. Needless to say she is a baseball fan, and loved the trip to Anaheim.

The question I want to pose - is it Probability or Coincidence that somehow we just happen to visit a ball-park where one of the two teams make it to the World Series. Is there a Sabre Metric on that stat? Hmmm, I wonder . . . There are 30 major league teams, this year we attended only five games, visited four different ball parks *(see complete list below); Petco Park, Angel Stadium, Oakland Coliseum, and AT&T Park. If there is major league team, like the Cubs for instance, that would like to sponsor Lori and I with free season tickets to increase their odds at winning the World Series I’m happy to obligee. I’m sure is pure coincidence, but we’re willing to buck the odds - for the love of the game.

* All Major League Ballparks visited to date; Fenway Park, *Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium (original), Citizens Bank Park, Comerica Park, Wrigley Field, Bush Stadium, Kauffman Stadium, Ballpark at Arlington, Coors Field, Safco Field, AT&T Park, *Candlestick Park, Oakland Coliseum, Dodger Stadium, Angel Stadium, *Qualcomm, and Petco Park.

Mom Was Right

In this episode: Mom Was Right (Again!) . . . Remember that old saying, "Mom knows best?" Well, this week, it resonated profoundly. I vividly recall my mother's steadfast remedy for the common cold, which was ingrained in my 1960s childhood: "Rest in bed, drink plenty of fluids, and take aspirin to reduce pain and fever." . . . Or now that I think about it, this may have been a Bayer aspirin commercial–Simple . . . Fast-forward to the age of AI and endless medical information at our fingertips, and guess what? Not much has changed. Yet, somehow, this week, Lori and I were blindsided by a cold—the first in over five years. My incredulous "How could this be?" quickly morphed into a dawning realization. Our company's annual meeting, a melting pot of colleagues from Illinois, Texas, Vietnam, Colorado, Northern California, and the Central Valley, was a veritable petri dish of germs. And, oh, the germs found me! Getting sick, especially after a long str...

Whispers of Spring

In this episode, Whispers of Spring . . . Spring has a way of sneaking in when you’re not looking. One day, you’re shaking off the last chill of winter, and the next, you realize the light has shifted, stretching shadows just a little longer. It didn’t make a big fuss about it—no dramatic entrance, no trumpets—just a quiet unfolding, like an old dog settling into a sunny spot on the porch. Last week, Daylight Saving Time kicked in, which meant we all fumbled with our clocks, grumbled a bit, and then, like frogs taken aback by a warm rain, leapt forward into longer evenings. The sun now lingers, in no rush to set, hanging in the sky like a tossed coin that refuses to fall. With the extra daylight, we find ourselves drawn outside once again, migrating to the back patio like folks are drawn to a warm campfire. The lawn chairs are right where we left them, waiting like old friends. The air hums with wind chimes, their tuned cylinders catching the breeze and weaving together something that...

Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It?

In this episode: Special April Fools' Edition: Did You Fall For It? (And a Little Baseball Nonsense) Welcome, fellow baseball aficionados and purveyors of the peculiar, to a very special, dare we say unpredictable, issue of On the Fly! Today, the air is thick with . . . well, probably just regular air, but a specific mischievous something is buzzing around. Can you feel it? Does that tingling sensation make you double-check your shoelaces and suspiciously eye any unusual packages? Yes, dear readers, it’s April 1st! A day steeped in mystery, shrouded in playful deception, and frankly, a day where you shouldn't believe anything you read (except maybe this . . .maybe). But before we descend into a whirlwind of whimsical falsehoods (don’t worry, we’ll mostly keep it light!), let’s take a quick, slightly wobbly, historical flight through the origins of this most unreliable of holidays. Whispers from the annals suggest a few intriguing possibilities for why we dedicate this particula...

At 92–Don's Digital Daydream

Listen to the audio here. In a world of his own–lives, ole' Doctor Don, Not one world, but three, 'til the setting of the sun! There’s his Blog-World , so bright, with words all a-whirl, And Book-World , with stories of boy and girl! Then, Day-World , where legs didn't leap, didn't run, Just shuffled and creaked 'til each day is done. But his brain, oh, his mind, it’s zippy and keen, A most curious fellow that ever was seen! At ninety and two, with a twinkle so bright, He met Chatty and said, "What a strange delight!" This box with the answers, so quick and so bold, Of theology and stories, new truths to unfold!" "Integrity, relationships, where do they fit? This thing makes me wonder, bit by bit!" He ponders and pokes with laughter and a grin, "Til POOF! he has gone to a world from within! A world made of words, a fantastical place, Where limits of the body, left not a trace! He Soares, and he zooms, with a thought and a rhyme, Trans...

On The Fly

Search This Blog