There is a pall hanging around my house from the sports moratorium caused by the corona virus pandemic. The Professor is in mourning. His beloved Washington Nationals, the 2019 World Series Champions, are furloughed along with the rest of the world. These unconventional times have called for much rearranging; it’s the new world order.
Since the 2020 baseball season opener was to occur today, to help circumvent the misery, I surprised the Professor with a fun evening last night. After a fine meal of favorites and a living room game of watching Jeopardy, I pulled a rabbit out of my hat! I put on a DVD that recounted the games leading up to the Nationals victory win in Game 7 of last year’s World Series. (I am told the term Game 7 is the sweetest expression in sports).
The DVD, a gift from the one and only Son, was placed in the player and queued up. The Professor was snug in ‘his chair’ as the sights and sounds of baseball filled the room. It was like watching a kid in a candy store. Wide-eyed and smiling ear-to-ear, the Professor was transfixed.
The story began with clips of the 2019 season leading up to the Series. There were interviews with the veteran players as well as the rookies giving an interesting perspective on how the team got in the fight for the title! The story continued, starting with clips of Game 1 where the Nats won with a marginal lead over their opponent in Minute Maid Park, the homefield of the Houston Astros. In Game 2, the Nationals racked up another win with crushing score of 12 to 3. Wow, the excitement was building in the room and the Professor was in the groove. Game 3 took the team back to their home field, Nationals Park, where the Astros retaliated with a multi-run win which they then repeated in Game 4 and 5.
Game 6 was a do or die for both teams – for the Nationals it was the last chance to even up the series; for the Astros it could of meant taking the championship. I tell you, I was on the edge of my seat watching as the Nats took the field back down in Houston. The game was an exciting win for the Nationals, the victory evening up the series 3 to 3.
Through the Game 7 rap, I was beginning to understand what ‘sweetness’ of that term meant. As history shows, the Nats came out swinging to win Game 7 and take the series winning the coveted World Championship title. The air in the living room was electric.
I learned a lot about the game of baseball last night. I learned about determination and grit. In the Game 5 recap I discovered that even when you are down don’t ever count yourself out – pull it together and try for just one more. And, of course, the victory of Game 7 brilliantly demonstrated the ‘sweetness’ of a fight well-played and well-won.
Where last night’s review of the Professor’s beloved Washington Nationals 2019 season and series win certainly could not replace the energy and excitement of the postponed 2020 Season Opener, it came damn close!
Stay home, stay safe, give love and receive love – we will all get through this together!