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Topic starter
23/04/2024 10:39 pm
AMERICA'S FAVORITE PAST TIME MAY BE PASSING US BY!
It's no secret that I'm a Major League Baseball fan. Since I was 10 years old when the Minnesota Twins came here from Washington D.C. where they were the Senators, I've followed them. My memories are a million and counting.
Hall of Fame players, playoff games, Divisional titles, and two World Series championships. I've traveled to baseball games in every Major League city, letting me brag that I've been to all 30 ballparks. It's about Hot Dogs, Cotton Candy, Popcorn, Beer vendors, and dozens of other menu items, they make every ballpark experience fun.
Outside under the sun on a blue sky day or under the stars of a night game, both are filled with innings of memories. Seeing balls hit short, balls hit long, players running the bases, fielders making seemingly impossible catches, and the best moment of them all...a Home Run!
And why do I follow these baseball games (or any sport for that matter)? It's simple, they're an escape and they bring me enjoyment. They allow me to go through the turnstiles leaving the world happening around me, outside the park. All the normal daily routines of work, bills, meetings, family, and countless other stresses that shout loudly to me for relief. Take me out to the ball game!
But wait! I can no longer "just go to a ballgame". When I get in the park, I'm given reminders of news happenings and crime in our cities, requested moments of silence for fallen hero's or tragedies taking place in the world. I have to tolerate organizations parading on the playing field touting or shoving their agenda's down my throat. Reminders of homeless people, people who prefer pronouns after their names, rainbow parades, and now, get ready for this...DOGS! Yea, you read right, DOGS!
Last night the Twins had a "Bark in the Park" night. Fans were allowed to bring their dogs to the ballgame! HELLO! What's happened to "America's past time?". Attracting people to a the ballpark should NOT be about trying to cater to everyone, but rather catering to "baseball fans". And let us enjoy a ball game.
I want to sit in my seat and hear the words, "Play Ball!". Take a bite out of my Hot Dog, gulp down a sip from a bottle of ice-cold, December cold beer, cheer on my favorite players and stand for the 7th inning stretch with some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, root, root, rooting for the home team to win...because I know if they don't win, it's a shame.
Come on MLB and owners, GIVE US BACK OUR GAME! Oh and hey vendor, can I get another Hot Dog? That's the only dog that belongs at the game. 
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
24/04/2024 2:59 am
Wow George have u ever hit a chord with me! We are 9500 miles apart yet the empathy is overwhelming! I could take up half the forum space responding with what is happening here in Melbourne and in most cases Australia wide. Its pretty much the downright destruction of so many sports as true spectator sports. While our most popular sport Australian Rules Football thrives, with crowd numbers and media audiences at record levels, there is now so much emphasis on anything else other than the game. We have a screaming PA announcer who you can hear in the next suburb yelling at the top of his voice for everyone to join in "kiss cam". Yep during breaks in play the the TV camera roves through the crowd showing couples on the big screen kissing! We used to have a seconds game before the main game, not anymore, our screamer extolls the virtues of the sponsors products at 400 decibels! Cricket, crowds and TV audiences down, Tests used to be structured with specific breaks in play, now at every opportunity players are refreshed with drinks, and chats! You have 20/20 cricket coming to a sports grounds in Dallas, New York and Florida in June. Enjoy the disco and doof doof fireworks shows! Horse racing is nearly totally destroyed. Authorities here no longer have any interest in promoting the sport as examples of horse and rider skill and courage, the races are now merely backdrops to the bars and restaurants operating on course. All this has happened over the last 20 years or so. Its awful for those of us, like you, who just want to enjoy the game/sport for what it truly is.
24/04/2024 4:14 am
a polished piece from a skilled author....thank you George
Topic starter
24/04/2024 1:33 pm
Wow George have u ever hit a chord with me! We are 9500 miles apart yet the empathy is overwhelming! I could take up half the forum space responding with what is happening here in Melbourne and in most cases Australia wide. Its pretty much the downright destruction of so many sports as true spectator sports. While our most popular sport Australian Rules Football thrives, with crowd numbers and media audiences at record levels, there is now so much emphasis on anything else other than the game. We have a screaming PA announcer who you can hear in the next suburb yelling at the top of his voice for everyone to join in "kiss cam". Yep during breaks in play the the TV camera roves through the crowd showing couples on the big screen kissing! We used to have a seconds game before the main game, not anymore, our screamer extolls the virtues of the sponsors products at 400 decibels! Cricket, crowds and TV audiences down, Tests used to be structured with specific breaks in play, now at every opportunity players are refreshed with drinks, and chats! You have 20/20 cricket coming to a sports grounds in Dallas, New York and Florida in June. Enjoy the disco and doof doof fireworks shows! Horse racing is nearly totally destroyed. Authorities here no longer have any interest in promoting the sport as examples of horse and rider skill and courage, the races are now merely backdrops to the bars and restaurants operating on course. All this has happened over the last 20 years or so. Its awful for those of us, like you, who just want to enjoy the game/sport for what it truly is.
I assure you, I feel your pain. The advertising and shenanigans are the goings on, instead of the paid for ballgame. I won't even go anymore.
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Geoff Jowett and Steve Jacobs reacted
Topic starter
24/04/2024 1:34 pm
a polished piece from a skilled author....thank you George
WOW!
George Schire
Oakdale, Minnesota
Tony Perrone reacted