Opening Day began with some heated but jovial debate with Dave over whether Vivi should wear her baseball cap to Easter Mass. Dave lost by overstating his argument. "Baseball is my religion, and wearing a Red Sox hat is how I celebrate it." A simple eye-roll sealed my win. Vivi wore her pink flower headband- she doesn't debate just yet.
Our argument occurred on the church steps when Dave realized I had "forgotten" Vivi's baseball cap in the car. My mother was not there, but she is an accomplished debater herself. She picked up on the paradox of a joint Easter and Opening Day and once again provided her opinion on the state of our daughter's mortal soul while we take some time to discuss the implications of Baptism. "You want to avoid indoctrination..." she remarked as she saw us packing the diaper bag for Fenway Park.
I'd never admit it to my mother, but she's kind of right. Baptism after infancy requires classes and a conscious commitment to enter the religion. Batism of babies is simple. Choose some Godparents, pour some water, watch the adults eat some cake. Introduction to baseball at different stages of life is similar.
My father is a huge Sox fan, but he is likely to be working in the garden with a radio in the wheelbarrow on game day. He enjoys having company watching the games, but it was never a requirement for me and my sisters. Dave is a much more demanding fan. Game day attire is Red Sox Under-Armour, jersey, and hat. You'll find him on the couch with the TV on... perhaps the radio too. When he says "watch this," you'd better not blink.
The connection? I am schooling myself on the Sox and making a commitment to learn to love baseball, whereas Vivian is going to have her head dunked in it.
Bringing a five-month-old to a Red Sox-Yankee home opener at Fenway Park opens you up to comments.* "Starting her early!" was the most popular, but one Yankee fan went a bit further. "Talk about indoctrination. Is that how Red Sox Nation gets fans?" I would have disagreed, even though she doesn't really have a choice of teams to root for, but Vivi took that moment to throw her pacifier towards the stands.
Tithing while teething. Uh oh.
*Including some fun-to-field questions from an older male who was quite the fan of beer... and breastfeeding.
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i was driving to work this morning listening to sports radio. they did a segment where a caller has to guess how many questions a pink hat can get correct. they had the answers the pink hat gave recorded while leaving the opening day, red-sox/yanks game.
ReplyDeletethe pink hat on the hot seat today got 1 out of 6 questions correct....and she was just at the game with her pink hat on.
so, without using your notes or the internet (or Dave) can you get these questions right?
1) who is your favorite player and what position does he play?
2) can you name 4 starting red sox pitchers?
3) what is a full count?
4) what is the major difference between the american league and the national?
5) what is a double header?
and 6) can you name the red sox closer?
good luck and enjoy the game tonight.
-jon
This is fun, Jon. I promise no googling, wikipediaing, or Daving.
ReplyDelete1.I love Youkilis- he's like the Team Mommy. I also have a new fondness for Dice-K. I was rewatching the little kid's Miracle rendition on youTube, and Dice-K cracked up when the kid said "Screw-em". Youk played 1B on Sunday.
2. Four starting pitchers: Beckett, Wakefield, Lester... Dice-K needs to wait a week/ 10 days (?) after coming off the DL (can't conjure up the other 2 in the rotation right now)
3. Full Count: 3 balls and 2 strikes
4. Difference btwn AL and NL: DH vs. pitcher bats
5. Double header: two games in one day
6. Red Sox Closer: Papelbon (Dave would kill me if I didn't know that one)
That pinkhat needs to read my blog if she couldn't answer that quiz... I understand not knowing the player's names, but come on, this stuff should be easy even for bedazzled-pinkhats.
A note... I was told never to comment in my own comment section, but I think that advice was given assuming the comments would be from angry Bluehats and Yankee fans. As the comments thus far are generally supportive or inquisitive, I think I'll start commenting back. (Plus if I do start getting mean comments, who doesn't love a little blog banter?)
ReplyDeleteIf you left a comment for me in the past, thank you so much. It's so exciting to know people are reading. And don't worry! I've added all your questions to a running list of things to research and blog about this season.
Hi Alli,
ReplyDeleteI'm really enjoying your blog! This is quite an undertaking. I usually tire out somewhere around the All Star break. There are so many games! There are some many quirky things to learn! It took me about 20 years to learn what a walk off home run was. I had no idea. :)
Alli this blog is so cute and not in a pink hat kind of way;)!! As for Vivian, just think of the bragging rights she will have when she can say, "I have been a sox fan since birth. I was under one for my first game, it was at Fenway on opening day and we beat the pants off the YANKEES!! I say, keep on keepin' on!!
ReplyDeleteAlli -- enjoying the blog. I am surprised you mentioned the Yankee fan -- if I were there I would have called over Security. No business harassing a wonderful mother who brought a dear child to the game. But that's the typical Yankee fan, no manners.
ReplyDeleteA Clockwork Orange fan?
ReplyDelete