Baseball Class
I'll admit it: I'm not a baseball fan. I find most televised baseball games exceedingly boring and I can't remember the last time I watched one. I surely wouldn't normally watch a game between the Dodgers and the Padres.
Having said that, I'll also admit that sitting here and watching Rachel Robinson talk about her late husband's career, and the state of baseball today, from the booth of ESPN's broadcast of the LA/San Diego game is a privilege. She's an articulate and passionate spokesperson, not only for the legacy of the first man to cross the "color barrier" in big league baseball, but for baseball overall, and for civil rights as well.
I salute ESPN's wisdom in inviting her into the broadcast booth -- and especially for giving her free reign to speak her mind (including rooting openly for Los Angeles, which is fun). And I salute the LA Dodger players, all of whom are wearing number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson (as did many other players around the league today).
And thus, I must make one final admission: baseball is more than just a sport, in many ways. It's an integral part of America and American history. Even a non-fan should be able to recognize that.
Like you, I'm a bigger fan of the idea of baseball (as Americana) than of the actual game from a spectator's perspective...playing baseball, or softball, is a lot of fun. The best part of going to a real game is the hot dogs and peanuts and cotton candy. ;-)
Posted by: gwynne at April 18, 2007 08:50 AMDon't feel bad. I found out this weekend I'm not a NASCAR fan, either.
Posted by: Janie at April 18, 2007 10:13 PMI'm a bigger fan of baseball statistics than I am of the actual playing of it that generates those stats.
NASCAR? Uh, no thanks.
Posted by: Eric at April 19, 2007 09:29 AMAbout the publisher
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I like to watch baseball because I am reasonably sure that no one will be raped, murdered or autopsied as entertainment during the game! (And Christian-bashing will be kept to a minimum.)
Posted by: Deborah at April 16, 2007 02:47 PM