Take me out to the Ball Game

Summers in Philadelphia meant a lot of things: playing tag in the driveway, catching lighting bugs, Mr. Softie driving up and down the streets, and the sound of baseball in the background.  The love of baseball goes back at least four generations in our family. We have all heard the stories of my great grandfathers listening to the Phillies or the A's.

Danny loved baseball, especially the Phillies. He watched the games, played with his friends, and played for a summer on the local little league team. Once a year, we would attend a game at the Vet with our parents. The seats were usually high in the stadium and we spent as much time watching the fans as we watched the players. My cousins played a lot of wiffleball in ocean city, with doggie dad yelling "John Kruk, traded to the Florida Marlins!" Doggie Dad even drove the grand kids to Baltimore for an Orioles  game.

I don't always follow baseball, but I was able to follow the Phillies through Dan's witty commentary
on Facebook! He was elated when they won the World Series in 2008. Dan, Pat, and their friend Slag braved a huge crowd to attend the World Series victory parade in Center City. They were almost separated until Dan grabbed Pat by the collar and pulled him onto a crowded subway car. Dan continued to go to games at every oppertunity, often attending with our parents, Pat, or his friend Slag.  

Some of the Hellfish at a Game.

Dan was looking forward to taking David to his first baseball game, but I wanted to wait until David was old enough to sit and appreciate the game, which I thought would be next summer. David wore the jersey that Dan bought him a few Christmases ago. We made it through 3 innings before a rain delay forced us to go home (which was probably enough time for David, anyway.)

Diz and Ben are both wearing gifts from Dan.

Taking David to his first game last week was a bittersweet experience, another reminder that things have changed. There are a lot of things that I always assumed that Dan would do, that Dan would be there for, or that Dan would enjoy. I know that I can do these things for myself but there will always be the regret that he won't be there for me in the same way.  I got choked up when I saw a little boy wearing a Kruk jersey.  But then I remembered that these memories, these experiences that are hard to explain because they are are so small... they are not going away.

I like to think that Dan IS still watching the Phillies in his own way. I can only imagine what his commentary would be like this season... or what he would have said to Ben for wearing an Eagles hat to the Phillies game!