Baseball season is here: Enjoy the game and take in some history
“Take me out to the ball game” rings out at hundreds of ball parks across the American landscape as the national pastime is underway for 2014.
Major and minor league baseball started up in the past week. College baseball is reaching its mid-season mark. Can the College World Series really only be two months away?
In the Omaha area, we’re home to the defending champion of Triple A baseball – the Omaha Storm Chasers. The champs opened the season with a home stand against the Nashville Sounds. Omaha is the top farm club of the Kansas City Royals.
The Creighton Bluejays – preseason favorites – are challenging for supremacy in their first season in the Big East conference in college baseball.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers are making a valiant run toward the Big Ten title in the Huskers’ third season in the league. They are led by Coach Darin Erstad, a former Husker and Major League Baseball star.
The Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks are defending their Summit League regular season championship. The Mavs won the title in their first full season in the conference in 2013. UNO is currently in its third year of transitioning from Division II to Division I. The Mavs will be eligible for the NCAA tournament in two years.
I had planned to attend the Chasers’ opening game Thursday night, but the game was rained out. Thanks a lot Mother Nature.
Instead, I’ll make my way to Werner Park another day.
In the meantime, I thought I’d reminisce about the “good old days.”
Professional baseball has changed since my younger days. I remember when you went to a game, bought a program, a drink or two and a hot dog. You actually watched the game. If you were interested in keeping score, you opened the score book and tracked every pitch.
Now, there are merry-go-rounds, bouncy houses and whiffle ball fields to keep little kids entertained.
You don’t see a lot of dads (or moms) sitting in the stands with their kids and keeping score or discussing the action. Dad likely watches the game while he samples a craft brew, while mom has to run around keeping tabs on the young’uns.
I guess it shouldn’t matter to me since I don’t have those little ankle biters who want to ride the rides rather than watch the game. But, I don’t know how they’ll learn the game and one day teach their kids. Oh well…Enough of the old man in me. Hey, you kids, get off my lawn! Where was I?
A few weeks before the season started, we took part in a tour of Werner Park and tasted some of the new concession food items offered this season.
It was pretty cool getting a behind the scenes look at places normally blocked from the public – the media booths, as well as other parts of the stadium.
The players’ clubhouse and manager’s office were neat.
The clubhouse looks classy for a minor league team, but is a far cry from what the guys will enjoy at the Major League level.
For more information or ticket information on the Storm Chasers, please visit their website at http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t541.
With Omaha the home of the College World Series, college baseball is big here. The Huskers and Jays are the big draws. But, if UNO keeps winning, the Mavs will challenge for some attention.
The neat thing about college baseball is that it gives modern fans a glimpse into what going to a baseball game used to be like. TD Ameritrade doesn’t have a bouncy house or merry-go-round. It has baseball.
You may be able to get a fancy beer at the TD Ameritrade, but you also get true red-blooded American baseball.
The kids playing on the field play because they love the game. A few of them may find their way into professional baseball one day. But, most will move on to become teachers, lawyers, businessmen, etc.
Watching a game is enjoyable because very little changes in the sport year-to-year.
Baseball has a distinct love for the history of its game. Statistics through the years have been sources of great debate. As the game endures, its historical impact grows.
Omaha is currently the spot for a look at the impact that Jackie Robinson had on the game.
A special exhibit at the Preston Love Jazz and Arts Center highlights the story of Jackie Robinson and the effect he had as the first African-American player in the modern Major Leagues.
The exhibit at 24th and Lake streets features memorabilia and photos that document Robinson’s childhood and eventual rise to be known simply as “42.” That was his jersey number during his MLB career with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Love center’s exhibit has items – including a jersey, cap, bat, glove and cleats – that belonged to Robinson on display. I felt like a kid and reached out and touched the jersey and cap. It seemed a bit magical to me to touch something that one of our nation’s pioneers actually wore.
Robinson played in the Negro Leagues before the Dodgers signed him.
Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in professional baseball was akin to Barack Obama becoming the first biracial President of the United State States. These are historical moments.
The crud that Robinson took in just playing the game he loved was disgusting. Being called the N-word, not being able to room or eat with teammates on some road trips is mind boggling. Threats on his life were common.
The Jackie Robinson exhibit is available at the Love center through the end of April. It does cost $10, but it’s worth it. For more information on the exhibit and the Love center, please visit its website at https://lovesjazzartcenter.org/.
So, if you enjoy history or sports action, or know someone who does, get out to a game near you – any level – and have a great time watching America’s pastime.
