Play Ball!...

It’s baseball season.

That’s why I have this big smile on my face. I’m sitting here watching a baseball game on TV even as I write this. Not so thrilled with the teams…it’s Boston and Toronto…I’d rather be watching my Dodgers, but at this point in the season, any game will do.

Now, to be sure, I haven’t followed the game that closely the past few years. I try, but I don’t live in a major league city anymore, and where I do live the predominant team is the Giants. We’ve got their triple-A team, the Grizzlies here, in fact. But because I was raised not just to be a baseball fan, but to be a Dodgers fan, it’s really difficult for me to get excited about anything Giants.

I think there is a radio station that carries the Dodger games here locally, but I haven’t been able to find it. If I could do that, I suspect I would follow the game more closely. It would be even better if I could get to a game once in awhile, but with a five-hour drive to Dodger Stadium (in good L.A. traffic), that isn’t a real option. When I lived 11 miles from Chavez Ravine, back in the days of the legendary Steve Garvey/Davey Lopes/Bill Russell/Ron Cey infield, I was able to see at least a few games a season. And I listened to pretty much all the games on the radio. Made it to a few Angels’ games a season (back when they were the California Angels, before all the name changes…but don’t get me started on how the Angels don’t even play in Los Angeles; they don’t’ even play in Los Angeles County…grrrr) back then, as well, since it wasn’t much further to Anaheim Stadium (or whatever they’re calling that these days) than it was to Dodger Stadium.

Actually, I even have vague memories of a Dodger game my parents took me to when I was about three years old and the team was still playing in the Coliseum before Dodger Stadium was built. I don’t really remember much about the game, but I do remember giving a hard time to the little kid who was sitting in front of us. I feel bad about that now, but I treasure the memory of having been at that game.

There are other sports I like…basketball and tennis (which has gotten awfully boring, I think)…but I will always be a baseball fan most of all.

Now, I’m going to watch the game.