opening day's eve

tomorrow is a momentous day in the life of a baseball fan.

opening day!

it's a day for rejuvenation . . . . a day for excitement . . . . a day for hope. for on this day, nothing else will matter. the world (or at least the baltimore baseball world) will be focused on one sole thing: the baltimore orioles. on this day, anything is possible. for all we know, the orioles could start a shocking 35-5 rip that extends throughout the first few months of the season. they could be on their way to the franchise's seventh pennant. hell, they could even be on their way to their fourth world series title! likewise, they could also be on their way to a dismal 0-21 start just like the beginning of the 1988 season. although unlikely, any of this is possible. and that's the beauty of opening day . . . . the beauty of the game . . . . the beauty of a fresh start. isn't it? even though humans find fear in the world of the unknown, they also find a glimmer of hope. because anything and everything, even the most audacious of dreams, can become a reality.

i was actually born the night before opening day. my father worked at baltimore's wbal radio 1090 and was scheduled to do a live remote from the ballpark the following night. that night (thursday, april 19, 1990), the orioles faced the detroit tigers in a 7:05 pm contest before 49,288 at baltimore's old memorial stadium. due to my unexpected arrival however, my father ended up staying in the hospital that day, spending his time with his son instead. as for the game: dave johnson, a native baltimorean, took the mound and pitched six strong as the birds captured and maintained a 4-run lead that they would not surrender. after a couple of innings, gregg olsen came in to do his usual thing . . . . produce a sparkling save. the orioles won 4-2.

obviously, i did not attend opening day that year. i did however, inherit my appreciation of baseball from the very person who chose to spend his day with me, rather than at the ballpark. baseball has been a very important part of life for as long as i can remember. unfortunately, i won't be in attendance tomorrow at camden yards. and considering how passionate i am for the game, it's really a shame. but maybe that's fitting . . . . maybe i'll take the time that i would have spent at the game and spend it with the people that i love instead. because in the end, that's what really matters.