America's favorite pastime

You might wonder why today's post is not about voting. If that is the case, don't worry; I'm very grateful for the opportunity to vote and will be posting about such tomorrow:)

But today? Today it's about baseball. I married a second generation Giants' fan and am currently raising generation three.

Last night the Giants won the World Series. I watched the exciting game with my husband, uninterested sons, parents in law, and brother in law and his girlfriend.

I've almost always like baseball. I remember going to a few professional games as a kid and enjoying them. I never really tried to understand more than the basics though and such led to a teenage dislike of watching baseball, though I always enjoyed playing. I even considered joining the high school softball team, but the girls on the team and the annoyingly large ball they played with led me to stick to only soccer.

Annnnyway, in college (the one year that I wasn't married), after some observation, I decided that I did not want to marry a sports fanatic. I liked my Sundays to be sports-free and my guys to care more about going on a date with me than watching the game (of which there was ALWAYS one to be found on tv). But then, I also wanted to find a man who would enjoy playing sports. What's a girl to do?!?

I found the perfect combination in Bret. He'd play soccer with me on the weekends and come to my intramural games if he could. He found enjoyment in sports without feeling the need to watch every game. We'd go to school basketball, volleyball, and football games and have all sorts of fun. But he would do his homework instead of watch a game. He'd plan a date that did not involve sitting in his apartment to cheer on an obscure team on the other side of the country. He loved baseball. But most importantly, he clearly showed me that his love of the Lord was greater than his love of baseball.

Long story short, we're married and I recommend baseball fans as good marriage partners:) In the last seven years I've really come to appreciate baseball myself. I'll never be into all the stats, know the players and their positions on every team, or understand all the rules. But this is a sport that I can get behind. A sport I can feel good about my boys playing.

I love the pace of baseball. I love the suspense. I love the finesse. I love that pitchers will bean a batter for doing something stupid. I love that there are extremely few professional players that I would classify as "thugs." Lots of family men play baseball. I love the moment after a batter gets a hit before they drop the bat and sprint. I love watching an outfielder line up under a fly ball and wondering if he'll catch it or not. I love watching infielders fancy work in getting the ball there in time for an out. I love going with my family to the local minor league games. I love that there is actually a definable season, unlike the basketball season which seems to never end. Baseball is a great sport.

Though society seems to be gravitating toward the more stupid forms of entertainment, I hope baseball will always be America's favorite pastime.