For some reason, my TiVo went out and found a baseball game. From 1995. Cleveland Indians versus the Baltimore Orioles. It was the day after Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig’s record, and the Indians were trying to clinch the Central Division and make the playoffs for the first time in, I think, 41 years.
They had a 22 1/2 game lead on the second place Kansas City Royals, who were leading the Wild Card.
All the players looked so young and slim. Albert Belle looked like he’d happily eat your face off. Orel Hershiser was still pitching. Eddie Murray was still hitting. And Manny Alexander pulled a groin muscle.
I remember that season. I didn’t watch it though. I listened to it on the radio with my dad. I developed the ability to parse all the action through clouds of static, to hear Tom Hamilton’s voice though the radio was rooms away and I was dozing. My god, that summer. My god.
Julie–I also grew up listening to baseball games on the radio with my dad. For us, it was the Mets though. 🙂
I still prefer to listen to the games than watch them.
Best,
lisa
Baseball can be painful to those with long memories. I particularly hate hearing an announcer refer to a “grizzled veteran” when I can remember the player’s dad’s rookie season.