Cactus League

This past Thursday Bill, Bec, and I went to the Cubs’ season opener at the new Cubs Park, financed by the citizens of Mesa after they (we?) were blackmailed by the Cubs organization (“build us a new ballpark or we will move to Florida”). I don’t begrudge the Cubbies’ ownership. The ballpark is gorgeous and the record-breaking crowd undoubtedly put some cashola into the hands of Mesa businesses. It was definitely a win-win.

The day was also gorgeous – a lovely blue sky and temperatures in the mid-70s. Everyone was in a good mood. The Chicago Cubs v. the Arizona Diamondbacks. Spring games are so much fun because no one really cares that much who wins and we all sit together, eat our hotdogs and drink our beer and get along. I think in part that is the nature of baseball. It’s a friendly sport. As my sister pointed out, when the Diamondbacks player hit a homerun, he ran the bases and was greeted in the dugout with handshakes and high fives by his fellow players. Not a single victory dance to be seen. No one stuck his face in an opponents’. Not a single finger pointing into the crowd.

There were a couple of 10- or 12-year-old boys, baseball mitts on their hands, watching two Cubbies players playing catch between innings, hoping against hope that one of them would toss them a ball (they didn’t). But the boys never gave up hope.

So I had plenty to smile about that day. But here’s the thing that really brought a grin to my face….

Now, I’m not great with ages, but I think this woman must be in her late 70s, don’t you? She was decked out, from head to toe, in Cubbies’ colors. She had on a Cubs’ cap, Cubs’ earrings, a uniform shirt, and even had Cubs’ colors on her bracelet. And I really do mean head to toe…..

She and her husband are full-time residents of Arizona now, but she grew up loving the Cubs. She’s a Dbacks fan now too, she told Bec. And the woman is not just a fair-weather fan like many of the rest of us attending the game. In fact, every year for her birthday her husband gets her the MLB television package so that she can watch any games she wants.

Her baseball enthusiasm made me smile.

Have a great weekend.