Despite the tricks the weather is playing on us, baseball is finally back and I couldn’t be more excited.
To me, there’s nothing better than watching my favorite team – the Indians – drinking a beer, eating a hot dog and basking in the summer sun.
Normally, people would say their favorite holiday is Christmas, Halloween or Thanksgiving, but mine is the Indians’ home opener – that’s a holiday to me. If you’re a true baseball fan, you’d feel the same way about your favorite team.
Unfortunately, I could not make it to the home opener this year and that is the most devastating thing I’ve encountered in a while.
I know a lot of people who think baseball is such a boring sport, but I don’t think they appreciate the game.
Baseball has always been my thing; it’s something I was always good at. I’ve played softball since I was 6 and I fell in love the second I started playing – it was love at first sight.
This sport is something that always brings my family together. My brothers and I all played baseball/softball, although Daniel – my oldest brother – wasn’t fond of playing it.
We’re all grown up now and there we sit in the crowd discussing stats and what we thought of the previous play that just happened. Whether it’s sitting in our living room or at the Progressive Field – it’ll always be Jacobs Field to me – we all agree on one thing: We love the Indians.
I’ll admit, even though my mother goes to the baseball games so she can get her cotton candy, she does understand the concept of baseball. Throughout my softball career, she was at almost every game and felt awful when she couldn’t make it.
Even though I could handle my mother not being at my games at times because she would be that mom screaming “Let’s go, Coll,” every time I went up to bat, or was yelling at a bad call made by the umpire when I was pitching.
In the end, I loved her being at my games because she was and still is my No. 1 fan in everything I do.
In the summer, I sit watching the Indians as if they were my kids and I’m the proud parent. Even when they lose, I make up some excuse for them. It’s hard to take pride in Cleveland teams because they aren’t exactly the best, but I’ll never give up on the Indians.
I’m also not interested in any other Cleveland teams because baseball is the only sport I follow.
Football may be more appealing to some because of how fast-paced it is, but baseball tickets are cheaper, the weather is better and the drinks are cheaper.
As the semester comes to an end, I become more and more eager to get back to my hometown and catch my one of many Indians games of the summer. A time where I can relax and enjoy the game I love the most.
COLLEEN LANGHAM
