It's Finally Here!

I can't believe it! It's finally here! After 180 long, tedious days, it's finally here! Can't you just smell it in the air? Can't you just feel it? If you listen hard enough, you can probably hear the crack of the wooden bat.

For those of you not in the know, today is opening day in Baseball! For some of us, today is the absolute best day of the year. Every time I've had a chance today, I've logged on to http://www.mlb.com. If for nothing else than to see my beloved Cubs in first place in the National League Central Division. Aah yes. Thank heavens for alphabetical order. As my Dad used to say, my Cubs are the only team to be mathematically eliminated for the season by the end of spring training. Damn, that's harsh.

But today is a day of hope. A day of optimism. A day of happy memories.

I can see Mom, sitting the couch with her note pad and pen in hand. She would write down all the players, noting the name, jersey number and position played. This sacred list would be kept right under her seat on the couch. If I wasn't home during the game, notes would be taken. She could write faster if she just wrote down the player's jersey numbers. Then, when I'd get home, I'd get a run down of the game, inning by inning, with Mom translating her short hand into a color commentary on our beloved Cubs. Rick Sutcliff, a Cy Young award winning pitcher, always made her heart beat a little faster. Ok, mine too for that matter. But I digress.

I remember the days when my phone at work would ring and when I answered it, I would be listening to Harry Caray singing the seventh inning stretch. He's be singing loudly and badly, just like I do! Mom wouldn't say a word, just hold the phone out for me so that I could join in the song.

Baseball for me has changed a lot since then. It's hard to get though an opening day without calling Mom to say "Did you see that???" Or to lament with her over how things are going with our two ace starting pitchers beginning the season on the DL. As a matter of fact, baseball itself has changed. Gone are the glory days replaced by steroid abuse and contract squabbles.

Harry Caray no longer is around to sing to us and to yell at the Cubs to "let's get some runs". I won't pick up the phone to call Mom about the game, but I'll wish I could. It will be hard to concentrate this afternoon at work when baseball is being played by my boys in blue. But, for today, I am filled with hope for the new season, and filled with happy memories of the games of days past.

C'mon, Cubs! For Mom and for Harry...let's get some runs!


Update: CUBS WIN!!
Cubs Win over Cincinnati, 16-7. Now THAT's getting some runs!