As you may have seen in my profile I have a 7 year old son. Bringing Casey up is probably the most important responsibility I have ever taken on in my life. Well, at least it is the most important one to me. Every time I look at him I realize that nothing I have experienced before even comes close to what he makes me feel. That being said, I pray from the bottom of my heart that he becomes the baseball and sports fan I hope to spend my golden years with.
I chuckle to myself saying that but I have seriously bonded with so much of my family in that way that I'm not sure what it would be like to have my only son not share it with me.
My Grandfather used to sit next to me in my earliest memories telling colorful stories of the 1920's when he sat in bleachers everyday for a quarter watching the Tigers in Detroit. How great were Ty Cobb? Babe Ruth? Tris Speaker? Lefty O'Doul or any of the other American League stars of the day? To me it brought a kind of syymetry to the world. I knew what I saw but also how it connected to those summer days he spent in Tiger Stadium.
My father took me to Oakland Raider games starting when I was only 5 years old and we had season tickets until the Raiders left when I was 26. The memories of those times together are some of the dearest I have and I believe it is the same for him.
My little sister, a mere 12 years my junior, was my first project. I used to drag her on average to 40 plus Oakland A's games a season and to Dodger Giant games whenever I could conive a ride out of our Mom, (Which to her credit was quite often). By the time she was 6 she knew the names of the A's, Dodgers and Boston Red Sox starting teams and loved it whenever George Scott would come to the plate so she could howl "Boooooomer", "Boooooomer". I'll never forget how happy that made her. Well, she is over 40 now and for the last few years I have enjoyed our baseball trips together. This year it was to Arizona to take in the Cactus League action. Last year it was Southern California where our Dad joined us for a Dodgers - Padres game at PETCO Park, a round at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and finally a Braves - Angels match up in Anaheim. 2007 we flew seperately to Chicago where we took in a couple of rounds in the Cubs - Cardinals rivalry and a nightcap at US Cellular Field to take in the rock and roll attitude of the White Sox faithful.
My Grandfather has been gone for some time now but I have him with me everytime I turn on a game. My Dad and sister have relationships stronger than those of most of my friends with their families and we all have sports to thank for it.
Now, if only my son will come around. Guess I will just have to keep taking him out to the ballgames. Keep filling him up on peanuts and Crackerjack.
I chuckle to myself saying that but I have seriously bonded with so much of my family in that way that I'm not sure what it would be like to have my only son not share it with me.
My Grandfather used to sit next to me in my earliest memories telling colorful stories of the 1920's when he sat in bleachers everyday for a quarter watching the Tigers in Detroit. How great were Ty Cobb? Babe Ruth? Tris Speaker? Lefty O'Doul or any of the other American League stars of the day? To me it brought a kind of syymetry to the world. I knew what I saw but also how it connected to those summer days he spent in Tiger Stadium.
My father took me to Oakland Raider games starting when I was only 5 years old and we had season tickets until the Raiders left when I was 26. The memories of those times together are some of the dearest I have and I believe it is the same for him.
My little sister, a mere 12 years my junior, was my first project. I used to drag her on average to 40 plus Oakland A's games a season and to Dodger Giant games whenever I could conive a ride out of our Mom, (Which to her credit was quite often). By the time she was 6 she knew the names of the A's, Dodgers and Boston Red Sox starting teams and loved it whenever George Scott would come to the plate so she could howl "Boooooomer", "Boooooomer". I'll never forget how happy that made her. Well, she is over 40 now and for the last few years I have enjoyed our baseball trips together. This year it was to Arizona to take in the Cactus League action. Last year it was Southern California where our Dad joined us for a Dodgers - Padres game at PETCO Park, a round at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and finally a Braves - Angels match up in Anaheim. 2007 we flew seperately to Chicago where we took in a couple of rounds in the Cubs - Cardinals rivalry and a nightcap at US Cellular Field to take in the rock and roll attitude of the White Sox faithful.
My Grandfather has been gone for some time now but I have him with me everytime I turn on a game. My Dad and sister have relationships stronger than those of most of my friends with their families and we all have sports to thank for it.
Now, if only my son will come around. Guess I will just have to keep taking him out to the ballgames. Keep filling him up on peanuts and Crackerjack.
ummmhhh.... OVER forty? wow, those family bonds might be broken soon.... ;)
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