Hallelujah, Its Opening Day In New York

There is no better sound than the reverberation of an umpire’s call to “Play Ball,” on Opening Day. That wonderful sound that is met only seconds later with the slap of the ball hitting the catcher’s mitt from the first pitch, symbolizes a yearly rite of passage for millions of baseball fans. Opening Day signifies so much more than just the first game of the Major League Baseball Season. Opening Day is not just for baseball fans, it’s for everyone. Opening Day represents the final escape from the dreariness of winter, the launch pad towards summer, and the arrival of spring’s glorious weather.

As New Yorkers, we experience all four seasons in relatively mild fashion. Our winters are not too cold with some exceptions, and our summers are for the most part tolerable when compared to the southern regions of the United States. However, its our fall and spring seasons that are the envy of the rest of the country. There is nothing like Autumn in New York City or a Long Island Spring. Opening Day serves as the first reminder of the glory days of our past, to quote Bruce Springsteen.

Every year, one of New York’s Major League Baseball Teams open at home. Yesterday the New York Yankees opened their 2017 season on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field in sunny Florida. Starting at 1.00 pm on April 2nd The New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays game was the first official game of the 2017 Major League Baseball Season. It was one of only three games played on the official 2017 Opening Day. At 4.00 pm the Arizona Diamondbacks opened at home against the San Francisco Giants. The day’s final game presented baseball fans with a night cap in St Louis with the Cardinals hosting the Chicago Cubs.

With the New York Yankees out-of-town on Opening Weekend, the New York Mets get the chance to utilize their home field on Opening Day in New York.  The New York Mets will open at home on Monday April 3rd against the Atlanta Braves. With the New York Mets game starting at 1.00 pm on a school day, the team will continue the tradition of fueling the absentee lists of students across the metropolitan area. And yes, substitute teachers will be busy tomorrow filling in for all those teachers who are die hard opening day attendees.

Last year’s New York Yankees home opener was rained out. But today’s weather calls for above average temperatures and mostly clear skies, so at 1: oo pm no matter how many planes from nearby LaGuardia Airport look to disturb the peace at Citi Field, the umpire will stand behind home plate and yell out those golden words that will send chills down the spines of all ready to witness the ultimate rite of spring….Play Ball!

Photo Credit: User: (WT-shared) Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage [CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons