Today is the day for baseball fans: Opening Day. The start of the regular season for Major League Baseball (MLB) is upon us. Fans and players could not be more ready for the start of the regular season. The players get to take the field for games that count and fans get to enjoy the sights and sounds of their favorite team for the next six months along with the optimistic thought that they can win it all this year. Today is a day of celebration all around the United States. Since baseball starts their regular season earliest on the calendar year, the celebration is the largest of all the professional sports. This celebration is no bigger than in Cincinnati, OH: the home of the Cincinnati Reds. That's not even an opinion, it's a fact. Here is why the Queen City does Opening Day better than every other team.
1. The Reds Always Play At Home On Opening Day
Every team has to play at home eventually. It just so happens the Reds' home opener is their first game of the season every year. The Reds are the oldest professional sports team. Their history dates back to 1869, with the current rendition going back to 1882. So, the MLB has honored them in a special way by granting them a home game every Opening Day. This is something that not every team can boast. It's special to the Reds. In fact, the Reds had the honor of "opening the Openers" every year until 1990. The Reds have only played on the road five times on Opening Day, mostly due to rainouts. They even had the honor of hosting the first Interleague Opening Day game in 2013.
2. The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade
Does your favorite team have a parade on Opening Day? Well, the Reds do. Since 1920, Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine has helped put on the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. This year will mark the 97th edition of the event. It's a celebration of our team and our community. Current and former players ride while local businesses and even local school sports teams get honored by their community. Running from Findlay Market through downtown and past Fountain Square on its way to the ballpark, the parade is a must see if you want to experience Opening Day Reds' style. People will take off work and kids will get out of school, if they have it, to go and watch the parade. It also features a Grand Marshal, usually a former Red or an important community leader who is being honored. Former Marshals include baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, NFL Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz, and Reds greats "The Nasty Boys:" Rob Dibble, Randy Myers, and Norm Charlton to name a few. This year's grand marshal is Lou Piniella.
3. Rain Or Shine, Opening Day Is Always A Sellout
You'd think that by playing the first game of the year at home, fans wouldn't want to show up every year. Well, that's where you're wrong. Fans always go to Opening Days in Cincinnati, no matter what. Tickets sell out fast. While almost every team has a sellout for their home opener, it's better in Cincinnati. It's special because fans can say that they saw their team play on Opening Day. Whether it's regular fans who go to every Opening Day or ones who want to experience it just once, there is not an empty seat at first pitch on Opening Day. Even if the weather doesn't cooperate (we do live in Ohio), fans will go and see the Reds play on this day. Last year, for example, a rain delay didn't deter fans from seeing the Reds beat the Pirates on Opening Day. Opening Day is always a sea of red.
4. The Introduction of the Lineups and Starters Followed By The National Anthem
This is actually one of my favorite things about Opening Day. The players, coaches, and personnel all line up along the foul lines. This only happens for teams on Opening Day or their home opener if they start the year on the road. First, the personnel, coaches, and reserves of the visiting team are announced and they line up along the foul lines. They usually don't receive as warm of a welcome in Cincinnati, especially if it's the Cardinals. Then the same happens for the home Reds, obviously to more cheers. Then, the manager and starting line-ups are announced. This sequence makes up a great moment for everybody. Fans get to see the players who will make up their team this year for the first time. The players get to take the field, giving them chills and happiness, as their hard work is about to pay off. The coaches and other personnel get honored for all their quiet hard work. Then, we honor our country with our national anthem. Baseball is America's pastime, after all. The Opening Day way includes giant American flags in center field, held up by the military, a beautiful Star Spangled Banner held by someone very important, and a very American flyover. This gives us chills, knowing baseball that is soon to be underway.
5. The Ceremonial First Pitch
The ceremonial first pitch is used in baseball to get the game underway. A non-player throws a pitch, good or bad, to a player or someone else to kick off the game. Now, this does happen nearly every game, but there is something special about it on Opening Day. On Opening Day, the first pitch is reserved for a former player, a celebrity, or very important politician. It's also used to kick off the season, making it kind of an honor to throw out on this day. This is no different in Cincinnati. Sometimes, the Opening Day Parade grand marshal gets the honor. Other times, it's a celebrity with local ties, like die-hard Reds fan Nick Lachey. Two of the most memorable first pitches happened about 10 years ago. In 2006, President Bush became the first sitting president to join the festivities of Reds Opening Day, throwing out the first pitch. The next year, Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory tried his hand at the first pitch, to lesser results. The first pitch of the actual game is also special, as baseball is officially back. One of the unwritten rules of baseball is to not swing at the first pitch of the season.
6. For Better Or Worse, Reds Fans Will Stay With Our Team
Opening Day is about optimism. This is no different in Cincinnati. Whether we're supposed to win 100 games or lose 100 games, fans will flock to the ballpark on Opening Day to cheer on their team. Optimists even believe that they can avenge the Bengals as well as UC and XU basketball. In reality, Cincinnati is a baseball town. The fans gear up for Opening Day for months, anxiously waiting through fall, winter, and spring training. Spring is officially back in Cincinnati on Opening Day, with summer right around the corner. For the next six months, we cheer on our Boys of Summer, hoping that this year is better than the last. Fans like my parents sit outside on beautiful summer nights listening to Marty Brennaman on 700 WLW, hoping to hear him utter his famous: "...And this one belongs to the Reds." We love our Reds in Cincinnati, no matter what, and we hope that they can get back to October and beyond this year and every year.
