SOLSC March 30: Baseball’s Opening Day

            I know, it’s March, too cold for baseball, in the 40s. But the Yankees played San Francisco (interleague already?) in the Bronx this afternoon and won 5–0. Aaron Judge hit a home run, what else is new?

            It’s 77, in Miami where the Mets are playing the Marlins. After four innings, the Mets lead 1–0 on a sacrifice fly. (And I have to leave now to go to a storytelling event in Brooklyn, How to Build a Fire.)

            I love baseball. But I hate the TV ads for gambling apps. I really really really hate them. Their disclaimers about “gambling responsibly” are pure sugar coating. These companies make their profits on irresponsible gambling, on hooking in even smart people. For a book only partially on this topic, I recommend Kiese Laymon’s Heavy: An American Memoir. You barely notice the hints at gambling until near the end.

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I’m participating in the 16th annual Slice of Life Challenge over at Two Writing Teachers. This is day 30 of the 31-day challenge.  It’s not too late to make space for daily writing in a community that is encouraging, enthusiastic, and eager to read what you have to slice about.  Join in!

Slice of Life, #8.5*

J. and I were watching a spring training game on TV between the Mets and the Red Sox. Gary Cohen, was one announcer, a longtime sportscaster for the Mets. The other voice was new, yet sounded vaguely familiar.

Around the fifth inning, two outfielders came too close to each other, leading Cohen and his associate to reminisce about a time 10 years ago when Mike Cameron and Carlos Beltran did collide while each dived for a ball neither caught. Beltran had a concussion, and Cameron had numerous facial injuries and was never the same player again. The unknown announcer remembered seeing the collision from left field -- and immediately, I knew he was Cliff Floyd, one of the Mets' better left fielders. When I said it, J. remembered that he'd read that Cliff Floyd was going to do some sportscasting for the Mets this year.

I'm a big baseball fan, but not one of those obsessives who can name every lineup for my team back to its beginnings. Every now and then, though, a trivia fact will surface, and I will know something I didn't know I knew. It was fun.

*I've already posted to the Slice of Life Writing Challenge, but this was something I wanted to write about today, as well.