Thanks to our flat screen high definition TV and much to our daughters’ surprise, we have joined the Boston Red Sox nation and now follow baseball. Attending a Red Sox game was on my summer “fun things to do” list so when my brother called with two tickets, we were delighted to join him and his son. I held my own understanding everything that was happening on the field with only a few “What just happened?” questions, mostly answered by my nephew. My brother and I reminisced about going to Yankee stadium as kids with our dad, back in the days of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Yogi Berra, and laughed about how we both became Red Sox fans – eventually
I hadn’t attended a game in quite a long while. Here are some of the things I learned:
1. Attending a game is not the same as watching it on TV. You might see more but you miss the smells and excitement. The amazing talent, strength and skill of the ball players isn't quite as apparent on TV. Watching David Ortiz hit a ball out of the park and seeing Jacoby Ellsbury steal a base makes you realize just how talented these men are. It gives you a greater appreciation for the concept of multiple intelligences, especially the bodily-kinesthetic intelligence.
2. If you are hyperactive, you’ll fit right in at a ball game. I was immediately struck by the movement in the stands – the whole stadium was in perpetual motion. Hawkers wandered up and down the aisles with food and drink. There were constantly people walking through the aisles, while others danced at their seats. Starting in the bleachers, everyone stood, raised their hands and screamed, creating a huge wave that went around the stands at least four times!
3. People like belonging to a group. And sometimes that means being labeled. Probably 75% of the people were wearing Red Sox clothing, mostly t-shirts and baseball caps. No one seemed to mind being labeled a Red Sox fan.
4. An upbeat mood is contagious. People wore smiles on their faces. Those who were lucky enough to catch a ball tossed it to the nearest young child to the cheers of those nearby. Even though it rained at the end of the game, everyone quietly stood in line waiting to get into the T stop – and no one complained or pushed!
5. There’s always something to learn, no matter where you are!
So this summer, take yourself out to the ball game!
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Great points about the differences between being there and watching - even though both are passive. The same is true of concerts - and also, arguably, of attending a lecture instead of watching through videoconferencing from another location or later through recorded video. Just to expand on one of your points, 2 of my students walked out of class together earlier this week, joking. I asked if they knew each other before and they said, giggling, that they met in class. Hard to make those types of connections remotely.
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