As I walk to gate six of Yankee Stadium, the excitement starts to build. I stand there waiting for the gate to open. Standing there in my Yankee jersey, shirt, and hat, I can hardly wait to step foot into the stadium. Then the clock strikes 11:00 am and the gates to my Heaven open. I make it through security and walk down to the field level. Here I am, looking upon my Heaven on Earth.
This was the 10th time I entered Yankee stadium since 2009, and every time, the same thing happens. The rush of excitement, the anticipation of seeing my favorite players, the hope that my team will pull off a win, this is what it’s like to be passionate about baseball.
My passion for baseball started back in 2009. I was 12 years old and my family was going to see a Yankee game in the New Yankee Stadium. I had been to Yankee games before, but I was too young to understand the sport and at that time I was more into Polly Pockets and princesses than I was baseball. But there was something about going to the stadium that day that sparked my interest.
Maybe it was the fact my cousin was so into the game. I had always tried to be like her so maybe it was copying her that sparked my interest. Maybe it was going into Monument Park and seeing the plaques dedicated to the Yankee greats and the retired numbers of the Yankee legends. Maybe it was hearing my dad talk about his experiences at the old Yankee Stadium. Despite what truly made it happen, after this game a switch was flipped on, and it hasn’t gone off since.
It started with just the Yankees. Memorizing the players’ names, faces, jersey numbers, and positions. Then it went more in depth as to learning players’ batting averages and pitchers’ ERAs (earned run average). Next was learning each league, division and the teams that made up each one. After that happened there was no going back.
There’s just something about baseball that creates this fire in me whenever I talk, watch, or read about baseball.
Baseball, I feel, is a sport that anyone can talk about. It doesn’t matter if you are a novice at knowledge of a sport or an expert, baseball is a way of connecting with people. It’s simplistic. It’s easy enough to understand where you can enjoy a game without worrying about the nit and gritty details. It’s been around since 1839 when it was invented in New Jersey. It’s America’s pastime.
Baseball, unlike other sports, doesn’t have a clock. Games go nine innings or more. Players can’t run out the clock by taking a knee like in football, or by dribbling the ball until the time runs out like in basketball. In baseball, nothing is over until that final out is made. Pitchers and batters will have duels to get that final out. Pitchers throwing with all they have and batters fouling off pitch after pitch until they can get one they can hit. If the game is tied after nine innings, then the game goes on until someone wins.
Baseball is also full of these amazing feats that seem impossible. Not allowing a single player to reach base once, resulting in a perfect game. Diving into the stands, sacrificing your body, and somehow making the play resulting in a player being out. Climbing up the outfield wall to rob a game winning home run. Turning the nearly impossible triple play.
I might not have grown up watching Babe Ruth or Ted Williams, but there are still amazing players I get to say I grew up watching. I got to see Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera play. I get to watch Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw and so many other great players play for their whole career and one day end up on the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Baseball has become such a huge part of my life that it drives why I’m going to college and doing the things I am. I dream of one day being able to step on the field of Yankee Stadium and give the pre-game report. I dream of doing post-game interviews after a walk off win and the potential of having some of the Gatorade shower being dumped on me. I dream of one day being able to go to all 32 major league ballparks. I dream of one day taking my future son the baseball Hall of Fame and sharing my passion for the sport with him.
