On Opening Day, hope springs eternal. (Unless you’re a Chicago Cubs fan, in which case, 100 losses goes well with a Chicago Dog). By mid-May, most of our pennant dreams are dashed and we’ll be content with the belief that maybe, hopefully our teams will be in wild card contention by the July 31 trade deadline. Still, this week’s exuberance elicits our readiness for rebirth, hope, peanuts, and Cracker Jacks. Here are a few #tbt tips so you can prepare for the start of the baseball season accordingly.
First things first: get to know your team. We all know who’s on first – right? Follow the link after the jump if you got lost.
Now let’s put in practice the fundamentals you learned in spring training. Just stay in front of the ball, don’t bean too many batters, and make sure you actually reach the base when you try to steal it. Cheating is prohibited!
Everyone needs a warm-up song – here’s a good one. Make sure you grab a few bats to warm up with in the batter’s box and stretch out those arms and back.
What a game – I’m pooped! The seventh inning seems as good as any to relax, right?
Now let’s review our experience of Opening Day. Pope Francis reminds us this Easter that God “always surprises us!” Opening Day continues to surprise fans with a breath of fresh air that matches the new life of the changing of the seasons – liturgical and meteorological. Think back to 1947 when Jackie Robinson surprised us when he broke the color barrier. Or back to 1981 when Fernandomania surprised us with his screwball.
How was your Opening Day? Has your team surprised you? Be open to surprises, and regardless of record you’ll end up in heaven in this baseball season (or Iowa – one of the two). Play Ball!!
—//—
Cover photo: Baseball by theseanster93 via Flickr.
