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I recently spent a few days in Chicago and Milwaukee on
a baseball pilgrimage.
This is something I do every year to scratch that
baseball itch that washed up wannabes like me deal with
every year.
On the way up, I was reading sports pages, baseball
publications and media guides. I noticed something that
sort of puzzled me on the eve of the All-Star break. A
vast majority of the players in the Major Leagues don't
live in the cities where they play. I started thinking
that this is a function of the times we live in.
For example, not one player on the Cincinnati Reds lives
in Cincinnati or anywhere close, really. Barry Larkin
was born there, but now lives in Orlando, Fla. much like
his teammate Ken Griffey, Jr.
Back in the old days, players lived in the cities where
they played and often took subways to and from the yard.
Of course, in the old days, players didn't make the
money that is being distributed today.
Now players drive their Beemers, Lexuses or SUVs to the
park and live elsewhere. Again, always being the
supply-sider, I applaud wealth, achievement and those
who attain it. And I suppose if given the choice of
living in Detroit or Catalina, I'd likely pick
Catalina...except you can't drive cars there, I'm told.
It just is a sign of the times. Players are making
abundant money and don't last in one market very long.
The days where someone lives and plays in the same
market for 20 years has long since passed.
Guys like Larkin, Mike Schmidt, Ozzie Smith (yes, I know
he played for a time in San Diego) are anachronisms.
Guys like Mark McGwire, who brokered his own contract
without aid of an agent, are old news.
Fans have changed, too. There are a few of us hardcore
people who offer allegiance to certain teams. I'm a Reds
fan (no, really, I am, though I know that's hard to
believe) in a largely Cardinal foothold. And there are
Cubs and Braves fans sprinkled around here. I have even
noticed a few Reds hats floating around here. But
nowadays, fans are rooting for players rather than
teams.
People will follow the Giants because of Barry Bonds or
the Reds because of Junior or the Cardinals because of
Albert Pujols, not the other way around. I'm not saying
it's right or wrong; rather, I'm just saying that things
have changed and times have changed.
I saw three games last week, two at American Cellular
Park (formerly known as Comiskey, another manifestation
of change) and one at Miller Park in Milwaukee. For
weeknight games, the crowds were good. Attendance
approached 30, 000 in all three games, including a
Thursday afternoon matinee between Anaheim and the White
Sox.
The games were exciting, interesting and I saw a lot of
fans of differing ages and ethnicities. To me that's
encouraging.
I thought it was great to see how many knowledgeable
women were in attendance. Baseball has a broad-ranging
appeal.
There are pretty good pennant races going on in all
divisions. I watched some of the Cardinals-Cubs series
on TV and seeing that crowd energized was exciting.
I still hate how concessionaires gouge the patrons at
the park (and if you want to watch a game at Comiskey,
get ready to ante up $16 just to park; at Milwaukee,
it's just $6).
Soft drinks and hot dogs are $3.50, a bag of peanuts can
cost up to $5 and beer is $5.75 (not that I'd know, of
course).
Baseball still has its challenges, but was encouraging
to see the players and fans having fun at the yard. |
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