At Wrigley Field in Chicago, opening day usually means cold, windy weather, and warm hot dogs served up with anything but ketchup. Kids skip school, grown-ups call in sick, and everyone gathers in the friendly confines to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." And, on this day only, nobody seems to care if the Cubs win or lose. Yesterday was opening day for Major League Baseball, though things really get rolling today. And if you listen to TOTN with any regularity, you know that opening day is a national holiday anywhere within about 100 feet of Neal Conan. Add our baseball buddy Alan Schwarz (and a bag of peanuts) to the mix, and you have a ready-made radio segment. Alan collected favorite baseball memories from some of the game's greatest, and their famous fans ... Ernie Banks, Derek Jeter, Kevin Costner. You don't have to be famous to have a story about that first game of the Spring, or that prized autograph from Ron Santo. What memories does opening day bring back for you?
Blog of the Nation
My favorite memory is from my senior year of high school, the day before my graduation, in fact. My brother, who is a year younger, was playing in a playoff game against one of their big rivals. I played softball, but was able to attend this game (normally we would play at the same time). As I watched, my brother ripped a fastball over the fence in left-center--his first (and I believe only) homerun! A few minutes after he trotted around the bases and recieved his congratulations, he came out of the dugout and walked up to me. In his hands he held the ball that he hit over the fence, which someone had fetched for him. He held out the ball to me and said, "Happy graduation, sis." He was a typical teenage boy, who was not prone to signs of affection, but we hugged and I had tears in my eyes. To this day I proudly display it in my home.
I'm listening to the follow-up to this story on Morning Edition -- too bad I missed entering! This is my 3.5 year old daughter's favorite bedtime song -- each night she picks a family member who gets taken out to the ballgame, and her favorite to include is, of course, herself: "Take Miranda out to the ballgame, take her out with the crowd..." Thanks, NPR!
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