Opening Day!! A day full of hope. A day where anything is possible. A day that promises warmer weather and green fields. A day when the "Star Spangled Banner" is followed by "play ball!," and then seven and a half innings later followed by "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Opening day is a day where hot dogs and chips become a staple in my diet. It is a day where play is not measured by time, but by strikes, hits, runs and outs. The crack of the bat. Triumph. Defeat. The ball snapping into the leather of the catchers mit. The calls and cries of balls and strikes. The home run cheer. Rounding the bases. Dust after a stolen base. The swing and a miss. The bat slammed on the ground. The high fives and pumping fists after a win. The white "W" flag. The box scores in the paper. Fantasy teams. The call of the beer and hot dog vendors "Beeeeeeeeeer here! Ice Cold Old Style! Hot Dooogsssss! The chocolate malted with the wooden stick spoon. The crowd. Harry Carey. Pat and Ron. WGN. KMOX. Cubs. Sox. Cards. Tigers. Damn Yankees. Late night West coast games on the radio. Falling asleep in the third inning. Waking up in the eighth. Foul balls. Peoria Chiefs. Wrigley Field. Comisky Park. Busch Stadium. Comerica Park. Called third strikes. The Heater. Line drives. Duck-snorts. Bobbles. 4-6-3 double plays. World Series. God, I love baseball.
