Since 1991

Opening Day should be a national holiday. It isn’t, but it should be.

Every year since 1991, I’ve managed to be home for Opening Day. I guess this makes it 24 in a row – through job changes, grad school, two babies and more.  Opening Day should be a national holiday but formore than two decades, I’ve been able to observe it as one.

Today at 1 p.m., I’ll enjoy ESPN’s broadcast of Jays at Yankees. Then, at 4 p.m., our beloved Braves – albeit a stripped down version – take on the Marlins in Miami. Who knows, maybe I’ll even stick around for some of the night games too.

But, even though that’s the plan for Opening Day ’15 it wasn’t always this way.

Looking back, it’s kind of a funny story when I think back to my last Opening Day. I wasn’t laughing then, of course. A few minutes that day led to me  deciding to take the next one off. And the next. And the next.

In those days, I was still a big St. Louis Cardinals fan.

At the time, I was working at Children’s Hospital.  There was this guy we knew – he was married to a friend of ours – who also claimed to be a Cardinals’ fan. Notice I didn’t refer to him as a friend. He’s just one of those guys who you get stuck with.

And, he was one of those kind of guys who is a one-upper.

If you went to a Cardinals game, he went on Opening Day. If you bought a new Cardinals t-shirt, he bought a jersey.  I’m sure you’ve known people like this. For our purposes here, let’s just call him Mr. Cardinal. 

Maybe he’s the reason I am now a diehard Braves booster? I mean I still like the Cardinals; I just don’t love them as I once did. 

Anyway, back in 1991, tv games were hard to come by. It wasn’t like last night (with ESPN covering the Cardinals). You searched for your opportunities to see them. And since they were opening with a day game at the Cubs, one of my first chances came on Opening Day. Cardinals at Cubs. Day game. Opening Day. Thanks, WGN. 

Since I was working that day, I set my VCR (pre-DVR) to record the game. That evening, I planned to enjoy the game ‘as live.’ Enter Mr. Cardinal

Sometime around 2 p.m., the phone on my desk rang and I answered. Mr. Cardinal was on the line. He had taken the day off. He was generously volunteering to call me every hour to give me live game updates. 

“No thanks,” I told him. “I set my VCR and I plan to enjoy the game at home tonight.”

That wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear. He wanted to tell me the updates so that was what he was going to do. So, he just started blurting out game details right then and there…because that is the kind of guy he was (is).

“Stop!” I told him, somewhat more sternly, “I want to watch the game at home and be able to enjoy it when I get off work.”

“But, but, but…” was the last thing I heard him say as he was starting to tell me more game details (and as I said a quick “Gotta run. Goodbye.” I, then, hung up the phone).

Needless to say, the moment was lost. He gave away plenty of information, ruined my plan and put me in a very foul mood for the rest of the afternoon. I don’t remember that I ever watched that game, a 4-1 victory for the Redbirds.

But, as this is Coach Jeff’s Blog, there is a happy ending to this story.

Moving forward, I thought “If that guy could take off Opening Day, so can I.” I wouldn’t have to implement a news blackout, hope the VCR actually records and wait ‘til evening to see the first pitch. I, too, could take Opening Day as a vacation day.

And a new tradition was born.

A year later, in ’92, I was in grad school so it was easy to be available for all the Opening Day action. Moving forward, I took the day. Now, I just build it into my annual schedule.

Mr. Cardinal might have ruined my 1991 Opening Day but he helped me to enjoy every Opening Day since then. And today, I renew the tradition for the 24th time.

Wherever you are celebrating this Opening Day, I hope you - and your favorite team - have a good one. There isn’t a better day on the calendar than this one!

And, here’s a toast to Mr. Cardinal. As the folks say out in St. Louis, “This Bud’s for You!”

JG

Originally posted 4/6/2015