Saturday Scribbles Vol 2.11

Happy Saturday my friends.

Spring is my favorite time of year, even though my allergies can't stand it. But it's my favorite time of year because the one sport I care about starts up. I'm a huge baseball fan, and I love the fact that baseball season starts up. I don't get to as many Astros games as I would like to, but I try to go to one a season. Sometimes, I make it to more than one, and other times, I don't make to a game at all.

How did I fall in love with America's National Pastime? Well it started when I was little. You see, the school I attended, and my brother attended, would give out two free tickets to two games for either straight A's or perfect attendance. So my parents would always make sure to order 4 tickets to the games so we could go as a family. Which meant 4 games - 2 for me and 2 for my brother. By the time I was in 2nd grade, my mother told me that I couldn't bring the book with me. So I asked what I was supposed to do at the game then. Her response was to watch the game. And so I started watching it. I'd pay attention to what was going on. I developed a crush on the 2nd baseman (Bill Doran at this time). As I watched the Astros, I learned the players. I learned how to read and understand a batting average. I learned terminology. And I people watched.

The Astros remain my favorite team, even though I don't know who half of the players are anymore. I grew up in the era of Nolan Ryan. And then the Killer B's of Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman. And the really cute catcher, and my second favorite player, Brad Ausmus. But even though I don't know half the players on this young team, the love of the game is there for me.

When my brother and I went to our first game at what is now Minute Maid Park, we were both like kids in a candy store drinking in all the sights and sounds. When I was teaching, the field trip that my students go to take that year was a tour of the ballpark. I actually think that I was more excited than my students. Because I got to walk on the field, sit in the dugout, and more.

So while I freely admit that I'm not a sports fan, I love everything about the game of baseball. Because baseball has so many memories for me.