- November 27, 2024
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When I took this job as the sports writer for the Observer, one of the things I was not looking forward to was covering baseball games.
Of the gazillions of games of other sports I had watched in my lifetime before taking the job, when it comes to baseball, I had watched a grand total of one: My best friend compelled me to watch Game 7 of the 2012 World Series, after St. Louis and the Texas Rangers supposedly put together a magical Game 6. I never thought about watching any of my school games, and would’ve dared a friend to ask me to watch them play a city game.
I hated baseball. I use to say that my torturers, instead of pulling out my eye balls, could torture me by forcing me to drink milk and watch baseball all day.
But, after covering two games so far, things have changed.
First, I seem to get a kick out of all the players in the dugout yelling random encouragements to their teammates at bat. It took me half the game to get over Mainland’s Jacob Tilghman, who often changes his voice and yells things like, “Let’s go, 1-1; we need this one,” or “Alright, Six. Get us one on base,” to get in the opposing pitcher’s head.
Then, when a player strikes out or grounds out, the entire team embraces him and assures him he’ll get the next one.
To add to the sportsmanship, the “clunk” sound of the ball pounding the catcher’s mitt for a strike is like the beginning of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” After all the years where I cringed on my couch at the ESPN highlights of a 1-0 game, pitching has become my favorite part of the sport; I love the pursuit of a no-hitter or a perfect game.
I’ve grown to love a lot about baseball, thanks to the Flagler Palm Coast Bulldogs, Matanzas Pirates, Seabreeze Sandcrabs and the Bucs. After attending their rivalry games, I’ve even accepted the warmup time between innings as a social period.
I know I may be a generation or two behind, but I’m here to declare that baseball, American’s favorite pastime, is ... growing on me.
What’s your favorite baseball memory? Or, do you know of a great story about a local player I should be writing about? If so, email me at [email protected]. Follow me on Twitter at @pcosports.
