Happy Opening Day that wasn’t
Today, as I write this on Thursday, March 26, was supposed to be Major League Baseball’s opening day.
It’s a day I look forward to as much as my birthday, as much as Christmas, as much as any day on the 365-day calendar.
Why? Because every team is undefeated. Spring is fresh and dreams of this year being the year can’t be crushed on this day.
Stadiums are decorated with red, white and blue. Every seat is spit-shine clean and sold out. In some cities, like Cincinnati, there are even parades on Opening Day.
The hot dogs taste great and the beer is mighty cold. Indeed, buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks.
I’ve heard some folks say MLB Opening Day should be a national holiday. I won’t go that far, but I appreciate the sentiment.
Once upon a time, there were only a select few games available on TV on opening day. It was the Braves on TBS, the Cubs on WGN and maybe a game or two on ESPN.
Now with MLBTV, Extra Innings, MLB Network, just about every game is available in some form or fashion. And on opening day, the games are staggered all throughout the day, so you can catch just about everybody.
It is a baseball fan’s dream. So back when the MLB schedule was released several months ago, I did my homework and had a game plan on set up for MLB Opening Day, including what restaurant to order takeout food from.
The games would have started around the noon hour. Personally, I would have taken in a few innings on my lunch break then switching back to some radio broadcasts after returning to work.
How ‘bout some defending World Series champion Washington Nationals at the New York Mets?
Catch an inning or three of the Kansas City Royals playing at the Chicago White Sox.
I’ve heard there is no ballpark more lovely than Camden Yards in Baltimore. The Orioles were most assuredly expecting a big crowd with the New York Yankees in town.
Everybody around here seems to love the Cardinals — they were playing at Cincinnati.
The cheating-scandal villain Houston Astros were opening up at home against the Angels.
My evening was going to conclude tonight with me trying to find a way to stay up extra late to watch my Braves play the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.
It was going to be a glorious day. So happy Opening Day that never was. MLB teams are still celebrating today with “Opening Day at Home” according to MLB. com, broadcasting old games for each team.
It’s a wonderful gesture by Major League Baseball, and it may give some temporary relief, but it won’t come close to the thrill of the real thing.
Hopefully we’ll have a real Opening Day sometime later this spring or summer when life returns to normal.