Thursday, March 29, 2018

Baseball is Back - Opening Day


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baltimore.com

Today is opening day for baseball fans! This morning, I opened the windows and spotted two cardinals singing in the tree - perhaps a good sign for the St. Louis Cardinals! My father rooted for the Cards - he listened to them on radio as he grew up in rural Mississippi. I grew up in a Miami suburb before the Marlins came to town. I attended high school and college in the Tampa area before the Devil Rays came to town.  

I did not know it at the time, but rising star Tito Martinez played baseball at the University of Tampa while I was working on my Math degree.  He left UT before graduation to join the  MLB, where he played for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  

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Fenway Park hosting the 2013 World Series
Public Domain (link

My first baseball game came when I moved to the Boston area with the Air Force. My roommate and I attended the home game on Patriot's Day at Fenway Park. We were more focused on soaking up the atmosphere than paying attention to the game itself.


Ten years later, my husband and I were assigned to Scott AFB, IL, across the river from St. Louis. My office attended a special fan day to cheer Mark McGwire in his pursuit of the home run title - he achieved 70 on September 27, 1998.


Mark McGwire

That's the extent of my baseball experience. Do you have a favorite team?  How about a favorite book, movie, or TV character featuring baseball romance? 

My office is split between the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals. I enjoyed Kate Angell's NO ONE LIKE YOU featuring a baseball star during spring break in Florida. I adored Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones in FIELD OF DREAMS. Tom Selleck as Magnum, PI, is handsome in his Detroit Tigers cap.

One randomly selected commenter wins swag. Comments are open through Sunday, April 1, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Monday, April 2.


Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

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14 comments:

  1. My favorite team is the Chicago Cubs....I've been a fan all of my life....my dad was a Cubs fan.

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  2. Definite fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates but I don't like what management has been doing. We lost a lot of good players (McCutchen for one) because they won't pay much compared to other teams (sigh).

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  3. Love this post! Baseball Season. A truly exciting time. Go Chicago Cubs!!

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  4. I'm a Yankees fan. They acquired Giancarlo Stanton and the season looks promising.

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  5. Yankee gan here as well. Tom Selleck looks good in any cap for sure. I loved Field of Dreams and The Lou Gehrig story.
    Carol Luciano
    Lucky4750 at aol dot com

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  6. Baseball is not a big deal here in Australia. I liked FIELD OF DREAMS too.

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  7. I like the San Diego Padres because we went when we went to see my father but my husband likes the Detroit Tigers so I see a lot of them.

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  8. I'm a Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers fan (live in Ohio, grew up in So. Calif). It rained ALL DAY yesterday, so opening day was postponed in Cincinnati. :(

    My favorite baseball movie is probably Bull Durham. But I also loved Major League and Field of Dreams. Oh, and that one with Robert Redford (can't recall the name).

    We have seasons tickets to the Dayton Dragons (Single A team of the Reds). I have a lot of fun at those games. I just hope it stops raining!

    No need to put me in for the drawing. Just felt like yapping today, I guess. Hahaha!

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  9. So, we're one of those conflicted Baltimore/Washington DC families you referenced in your post. My older son is an avid Orioles fan, and my hubby is routing for the Nationals this year as they are one of his fantasy baseball teams. My son's favorite Orioles moment is when Michael Phelps almost cracked up during the playing of our National Anthem at the 2012 Olympics because he heard all his friends and family hold onto the "O" note like the fans do at Orioles games.

    And speaking of the National Anthem and baseball, all my kids have had an opportunity to play and/or sing the National Anthem with their school band or chorus before Frederick Keys games. And one such year, my daughter won a "Simon Says" competition held just off the field for all the kids in the park during a rain delay. I think she got a signed baseball and a gift certificate.

    My favorite baseball movie is also "Bull Durham", although I do appreciate James Earl Jones' character in "Field of Dreams".

    Like Stacy, no need to put me in for swag. Your baseball post just really spoke to me and I felt the urge to contribute.

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  10. I grew up watching the Phillies. My husband grew up with the Yankees.

    My favorite baseball movie is Field of Dreams.

    denise

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  11. Being a Michigan native I always loved seeing Magnum in the Tigers caps!

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  12. I love Field of Dreams. I like the San Diego Padres...they may not be the best team out there, but as a SD native I cheer on my home team.

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  13. none don't care for baseball

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