We Count Everything...
I love the Yankees. I listen to games on the radio. I watch
games on TV. My favorite thing about my iPhone is that I can catch a game
wherever I am at. I stay up on the latest baseball news. Baseball is a daily
part of my life. Fortunately, Alison also loves baseball. In fact, it was
Alison’s idea to have a Yankee wedding cake. Baseball is one of the interests
we share. However, I didn’t always love baseball. There was a time I couldn’t
tell you the first thing about baseball.
My interest in baseball can be traced back to April 2, 2007.
It was opening day and the Yankees played the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. This wasn’t
only the first time I saw the Yankees play it was also the first time Alison
brought me home to meet her family. The Yankees beat the Rays 9-5. Jorge Posada
hit a home run, Derek Jeter got two RBI, and Mariano Rivera closed out the 9th.
It was a pretty standard Yankee game in those days. I had a great time and I enjoyed
spending time with Blake and Debbie. Little did I know during the next few
years there would be many more games and a lot more time spent with Alison, Blake, and
Debbie.
In August 2012 Blake and Debbie took Alison and me to New
York to celebrate Alison’s graduation. While there I attended my first
games at the new Yankee Stadium. One of the games was a Yankee-Red Sox game.
The Yankees hit 5 home runs and won 6-4. One of those home runs was Derek
Jeter’s 250th home run making Jeter one of only 2 players ever in
Major League Baseball with 3,000 hits, 250 homers, 300 steals, and 1,200 RBIs.
It was an amazing experience and one I never want to forget.
The rich history of the game is one of the things, which makes baseball great. As Billy Chapel puts it in For Love of the Game in
baseball “we count everything”. Sportswriter Jim Murray is credited with saying, "Baseball fans pay more attention to numbers than CPAs." Maybe my love for baseball and my decision to study accounting say something about the type of person I am. The bottom line is that the history of baseball is exciting. I enjoy
the trivia, facts, and of course the numbers. I love that I can turn on the television and
see history made on any given night. I decided last year to start collecting
signed baseballs. Each of the baseballs I collect tells a story and represents
a piece of history. For Christmas last year Alison bought me a signed Derek
Jeter baseball. I was so excited. Derek Jeter is my favorite Yankee. Having
that baseball is a tangible reminder of the greatness Jeter has achieved
throughout his career and personally reminds me of the great memories I have
watching him play.
Since Christmas, I have collected many more baseballs. We bought some, we mailed some, and we have gotten some signed in
person. Like I said each of the baseballs has a story and at some point, I may
record each story. My baseball project has grown more quickly than I thought it
would. Initially, I wanted to collect signed baseballs from the core four –
Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, and Mariano Rivera. These four players
are amazing. They started playing for the Yankees in 1995. They played together
for 16 years leading the Yankees to 15 post-season appearances and 5 World
Series Championships during their time together. These four Yankees are my
favorite players. We did collect a signed baseball from each member of the core four and I am glad we did this year. Jorge Posada retired after the 2011
season. Andy Pettitte already retired once and has come back, but he is likely to
retire again soon. Mariano Rivera announced his retirement this year, and Derek
Jeter is also in the twilight of his career. The core four has been the heart
and soul of the Yankees for many years. They are a historic group and I am glad
to own a small piece of history.
Comments
Post a Comment