Spring Training....a Renewal of Hope :0)

     Ah....the fever is about to strike me!  It is that wondrous time of the year when any Red Sox fan feels that unbelievable serge of HOPE!  We can dream that our beloved team will make their special brand of magic occur right there on Yawkey Way.  It is almost a religious experience for me.  Very therapeutic.  All seems right with the world when I have my favorite team, my favorite cat, my favorite t-shirt, and my favorite seat in the house all ready to partake in the perfect game!  Yes, I am NOT that stupid, I realize there was quite a slump there...if 86 years can still be considered a "slump".  How can you maintain "hope", you ask, if your team always seems to lose?  It is the same reason that Christmas is magical even after you stop believing in Santa---it doesn't happen everyday, it brings people together, and you are always sad when it is over for another year.

     My love of "America's Passtime" started when I went to my first Eugene Emerald's game.  My parents brought their girls to the park for some together time and to enjoy the wonderful summer weather outside.  I was immediately hooked!  I couldn't possibly imagine any place better to be!  You could eat hot dogs, peanuts (and throw the shells on the ground at that!), and see the San Diego Chicken.  Ah....it was pure heaven!   It was the first sport that I learned to love while learning the intricacies of the game at my dad's side. 

     The Red Sox would come later....much later.  My family moved to Maine in 1988 and almost immediately I saw more Sox shirts, hats, etc. than I could shake a stick at!  I had always just followed minor league teams, so this was definitely NEW to me.  I began to follow the team just to have something to talk about with some of my friends----then (to quote the movie "Fever Pitch") I became one of the world's most pathetic creatures...yep, a Red Sox fan.  My 8th grade class went to Fenway...the Mecca of the baseball world, no matter WHAT team you root for.  Yaz, Williams, Pesky---legends and they had all been at THIS park!  I was absolutely hooked!

   I think it was absolutely out of control by 2003.  When Aaron-freakin'-Boone sent that homer over the wall and sent the Skankees  (oops, I mean Yankees) to the ALCS.  I could always imagine that it felt like that day when Buckner let the ball go between his legs----argh!  But there was always HOPE.  Hope that another game would send the Yankees home, or at the very least---they wouldn't make it to the Fall Classic.  There was always HOPE that next year Theo would make some magical trade that would make our team UNSTOPPABLE!
    
     It happened.  October 2004.  I have more historical dates than you can imagine running through my head, but October 28th, 2004 was absolutely cemented there.  2 outs, 2 on base, and we were ahead.  Foulke nabbed the batters best attempt, which was practically sent straight to his hands.  It was over.   The Cardinals broke that infamous curse.  They gave Sox fans everywhere more reason than ever to HOPE.  We had remained true to our love, we had showed our support, and we were given the ultimate reward. 

     All of this brings me back to hope.  Spring training and my favorite team bring me hope.  Hope of warm summer days, hope of spending time watching a game I love, hope of being with my family and spending that quality time that you just can buy!  So to all those teams that I have supported---thank you so much for the hope and wonderful memories you have helped make possible....oh, and GO SOX!