Sports Fanatic
This may not exactly be a Super Bowl story as we’re a baseball family, but it’s as close as I can get!
A few years ago our friend Jon called on a Saturday morning. It just happened to be the third day of the World Series.
”We haven’t seen you guys for awhile, how about dinner and a movie tonight?” he said “We can show you pictures of the baby.”
Jon and Jeanne had just gotten back from visiting their newborn grandson.
”We can’t’ I said, “tonight is game 3 and you know Danny will be glued to the TV!”
Jon is my husband’s best friend although inexplicably a Mets fan, and is forever hounding Danny about his Yankee baseball obsession.
“The Yankees aren’t even in the Series this year” said Jon, “And to tell you the truth Danny’s like a kid during baseball season, all he talks about are the stats and the minor league trades, and his criticisms of the coaches and managers. He’s ridiculous!”
“Well, “ I said trying to placate Jon, “If we can’t meet you tonight how about brunch and an afternoon movie tomorrow?”
“Dana, are you nuts?” boomed Jon over the phone. “Tomorrow is the Giants-Eagles game!”
Us at the Stadium
– Dana Susan Lehrman
Dana Susan LehrmanThis retired librarian loves big city bustle and cozy country weekends, friends and family, good books and theatre, movies and jazz, travel, tennis, Yankee baseball, and writing about life as she sees it on her blog World Thru Brown Eyes!
www.WorldThruBrownEyes.com
Love it and love the photo! Definitely a “pick your poison” kind of story. I have a Brandeis classmate who is a sports fan for every season (and tho he’s from the Boston area, cheers insanely for the Yankees because Mickey Mantle was his boyhood idol. Must have been tough, growing up in Red Sox territory).
Thanks for sharing this.
Thanx Betsy, I’ve been a baseball wife for lo these many years, and must admit I’ve become a big fan myself. and love the trips we’ve made to Cooperstown, a drinking town with a baseball habit!
Now baseball I understand! And I love the particular sound of the World Series being broadcast wherever I happen to go…in the super market, in passing cars, America’s game! There’s something almost timeless about it as it takes me back to my school days and hearing it over the P.A. system during recess. Nice take on the prompt…it was a stretch for me as well!
Wow B, growing up in the Bronx (when New York had 3 baseball teams!) I too remember the World Series games being broadcast over the PA system at school!
Then I’d come home and my parents would be watching it on our (black and white) TV!
For us it was the L.A. Dodgers.
Actually altho I grew up in the Bronx, my folks both grew up in the Rockaways and were Dodgers fans.
My husband who is a rabid Yankee fan, grew up in Queens, go figure!
I do know that in 1957 the Brooklyn Dodgers became the L.A. Dodgers. And that, Dana, is pretty much the extent of my sports knowledge. 🙂
What’s the matter with you BB, you don’t know that the great former Yankee manager Joe Torre went on for a time to manage the LA Dodgers (or was it the LA Angels?)
Hmmm. Seems like Danny and Jon are wired the same way I am. I really am a very social and sociable person. Except when duty calls.
When duty calls, I’ll go to the movies with the gals!
I enjoyed your story, Dana, because baseball was all that mattered growing up in my house. My father never missed a Tiger’s game and often listened on his transistor radio during dinner. Consequently, when I left home I also left baseball behind. Except for the year the Cubs won the World Series. That was quite a celebration in my neck of the woods.
Laurie, Arnie Kantor, a Chicago friend of ours wrote a sweet book called God is a Cubs Fan!
By chance do you know him or the book?!?
Very funny story, Dana. You always have such good punch lines. Either you have a bunch of comedians for friends, or else you are just adept at finding the humor in situations where others might not. Thanks for the laugh!
Thanx Suzy!
I think I gravitate to the humorous side, maybe a good thing nowadays when the news is so dour!
Fun story, Dana, as you really catch the humor — and selective passion — of sports fandom. As an at least fair weather sports fan, I do empathize. But I gotta say, as to your great punchline, how much can you care about an NFL regular season game in October?
Thanx John!
Albeit you remind me it was early in the football season, I guess it was the Giants-Eagles match-up that pumped up my friend Jon!
Full disclosure – that newborn grandson our friends had gone to visit is now 10 years old – so my memory may be a bit rusty.
And my son reminds me that he played football in middle school AND in high school.
MEA CULPA!
Well written, relatable theme for me! We share the affliction of having rabid Yankee fan hubbies! (And mine is from Brooklyn!)
Thanx Sara, I know we share each other’s pain but hey, that’s what friends are for!
Welcome to Retrospect!