Opening Day

I have been wanting to post this at the start of every baseball season for four years. I wrote this on the Opening Day the season following the Chicago Cubs’ historic World Series title. They were the best team in baseball from start to finish in 2016, and started the following season full of hope, promises fulfilled, expectations elevated. This team was about to become a dynasty. And it would start 2 April 2017. That has not quite happened, though they have definitely given their fans a ton to celebrate.

2 April 2017

Every Opening Day brings with it hope, for it indeed springs eternal on this day perhaps more than most. Hope had lost one hundred eight years in a row. With 88M people in the United States in 1908, as of 18 months ago, only 400 remained. As of last October, all of that changed.

For the better, I might add.

The Cubs visit St. Louis Opening Day 2 April 2017. It’s only fitting the team with the most wins against the Cubbies last year would open this season with them. My sister and her family’s favourite team hosts mine. We’ve already had a good day of baseball. The Yankees lost, which made me incredibly happy, making it six times in a row they’ve lost on Opening Day, making me even happier. The Giants lost, which made me incredibly happy, despite a legendary performance from MadBum, perfect thru six innings and cranking two out of the park. The Cubs are, however, down 1-0 for much of the game.

In between innings, I dream of last year’s last game.

A crazy eighth pits the Cubs in the hole 3-0 when Grichuk hits a homerun. Contraras ties it up in the top half of the ninth with a three-run homer to bring our heroes back! Of course the bottom of the ninth proved hard for my nerves. I saw my first intentional walk with the new rules, where Molina, Matheny and the umpire are notified of the Cubs intention. Molina walks to first without coming up to the plate. Before I knew it, it’s two outs, bottom of the ninth and the Cards have the bases loaded. Grichuk again comes through. Ballgame. Cards win.

Baseball’s back!!

(Btw. The Cubs took two games out of three.)