Ah, Sports.
Some of us love them and some of us can’t stand them. I am on the side of loving them — baseball, specifically. I know it can be boring to some, but growing up watching and learning it, I promise the game really is so exhilarating.
When I was little, my dad introduced me to the Mets: the greatest baseball team ever. My first baseball game was when I was still in my mom’s stomach and I was almost named after the Mets’ first stadium, so it truly is in my blood. My parents took me to Mets games, and then my brother was born so he got to come along to the games too. The all-too-complicated rules and regulations were taught to us over and over again by my ever-so-patient father. Then in kindergarten I began t-ball, where I got to play baseball myself. I don’t remember it so I don’t think I really liked it that much. But I liked that my dad was there, by my side the entire time, as my coach. I didn’t continue to play too much longer, but once my brother started playing he never stopped. So then, all throughout childhood and middle school and high school and some of college, all my brother did was play baseball.
“Oh we can’t go to this show because your brother has practice; oh you have to come home this weekend because your brother has a game.”
Honestly though, I never ended up being too mad or saying no. Just for the chance to watch this sport that I had come to love — and I guess I could watch my brother play, too. The thing about baseball is that it’s not just a game, there’s so much more to it. There are movies like “Field of Dreams” (which my parents actually took us to visit in the middle of Iowa) and “Trouble with the Curve” (which my dad always points out that Justin Timberlake is in) dedicated to it.
There are shows and art pieces and songs just to show how great the sport really is. This one small thing has really made its way into my heart.
Now back to the Mets. I started following them because of my parents. My brother, on the other hand, had to be the cool one and chose to follow one of their division rivals: the Nationals. But this meant I got to make fun of my brother and connect with my dad at the same time. My dad and I are very similar, we have a similar way of thinking and pretty much go about our lives with the same mindset.
As much as we have disagreed or had different opinions on things, he is the person that I turn to every second that I need advice; or literally just want to brag or rant, and I think it all stems from baseball.
For the love of the game. I am so thankful that I was able to share the sport and the Mets with him because I think it really has made us closer and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Since the beginning he truly has taught me everything I know and as a graduate student, all I have been thinking about recently is how I got to this point in my life. I may not ever be sure of exactly what path I’m on or where I will go next, but I know that I will always have my family, my friends, baseball and especially my dad to lean on when I am feeling confused. So no matter if the Mets are number one and win the World Series, or if they’re dead last one hundred games behind, I will support them. Because that’s My Team, that’s Our Team.
(sorry it’s cheesy y’all I had to get a nice one in before I leave)
Celeste Pietrzak
Graduate Advisor
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