SPECIAL SPORTS ARTICLES

Nobody Asked Me But....
by Wilbur Wilke
April 13, 2005

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

So you want to take the kids to the ball park to see a good baseball game, Okay, that's a noble idea. A day out in the sun, bonding with the kids, enjoying a good game, rooting for the home team, cheering for a few home runs. and watching some great defensive plays. The boys will love it. So you call a ticket agent and the odyssey begins.

For a decent set of seats, somewhere a reasonable distance from the playing field, you shell out about $30.00 per ticket. With taxes you lay out close to $100.00 for yourself and two kids.

On the day of the game you wake up to chilly weather under threatening skies. Suddenly your warm day in the sun is gone. You really are not looking forward to sitting in a chilling wind and getting sprinkled with raindrops. but you have to go. The tickets are paid for. So you start out hoping for the best.

As soon as you hit the highway the traffic is backed up and you inch your way toward the park. The boys start getting restless. You have to conjure up some games to keep them amused. But you're not amused by the stop and go traffic. A few hours later, after spending $15 for a parking space, you're inside the park. Now you have to buy each kid a program and a souvenier. Then you have to tip the usher for finding your seats and wiping them off with his mitten glove. You haven't seen one pitch yet and you've already spent about $140.00. Hey, but the kids are loving it, and after all, that's the reason for going, isn't it?

If the game is cancelled you get a raincheck, but what if the game is delayed for hours while you all sit in your seats waiting impatiently for a decision. You know how irritable little kids can get. The people behind you are getting rowdy, and their kids are dropping popcorn down your neck and spilling soda on your jacket. But you can't complain because your kids are doing the very same thing to some guy in front of them.

Finnaly, they decide to play the game. Now the kids are hungry. Hot dogs, and sodas, and crackerjacks, and cotton candy, and later on some ice cream, and pretzels, and a beer or two for you. You can dine at the Plaza hotel in New York for less. Then you remind yourself that you have to factor in the cost of gas for the round trip and the tolls. All together you've shelled out over $200. But hey, the kids are having a good time. When I was a kid, playing with my mother's pots and pans was a good time.

Then one of the boys says he has to go to the bathroom. The other says he doesn't have to go, but you take both boys with you, You can't leave one behind in his seat, unwatched. You miss half an inning. A short time later your other son announces that now he has to go. You take both boys with you to the men's room and wait your turn. You miss another half-inning. Once back in their seats, the brothers become restless and start fighting with each other.

The fans around you, who aren't long on patience, begin getting annoyed with them, and then with you. Then the game is halted in the third inning because of a rain shower. Another hour and a half delay. The kids will never sit through that long a wait. You'll probably wind up getting into a fight with the people around you, so you'd better leave. The kids couldn't care less. So you're out $200. But hey, everybody had a good time, and that's what really counts.

Wilbur Wilke's Daily Sports Blog
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