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

Popular Posts