I
was driving up to Wal-mart to grab some things and remembered that the Indians
were playing, so I tuned them in on the radio.
As soon as play-by-play announcer Tom Hamilton’s voice came over the
speaker, I began to feel a sense of calming and peace that hadn’t been present in
me for some time. I drove and listened
to his calls, imagining the action on the field and feeling like I could smell
the fresh cut grass of the field and the breeze blowing, snapping the flag overhead.
I
called John and began sharing my thoughts on listening to the game on the
radio. He agreed entirely. What was it about this phenomenon that could
evoke such strong, emotional feelings in us?
It took me back to my childhood; to playing on our makeshift ball field
in the vacant lot next to our house, collecting and swapping cards, running
bases, pitching against the garage door, and wearing the dirt and dried blood
from hard play.
And
it was about more than just baseball…it was the radio. I have such vivid memories of my grandparents’
kitchen…my absolute favorite place in the world…and the old radio sitting on
the shelf above the kitchen table. It
would be playing first thing in the morning during breakfast and again in the
evening just before dinner, to bring the latest news into the house. It was background noise for me, but as
important as the sound of sausage or bacon sizzling in its own grease in the
iron skillet or grandpa saying the world was going all to hell.
“We
both need to get some old radio at a garage sale and make sure its playing in
the house for all the games,” I told him as I walked into the store.
I
finished shopping and drove home, immediately going to the Rec Room where I
knew Holly had a boom box sitting that she used to play her CD’s while
exercising. I turned it on and tuned in
1100 AM and the Indians game. I cranked
it up some so I could hear it wherever I walked on the lower level of the house
until I started receiving complaints from Holly upstairs. She did not have these emotional attachments
to the radio and baseball, and she did not want to hear the game. I lowered the volume, but continued to play
the game…and enjoy the serenity it offered.
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