say friday #5

everyday is a new opportunity. you can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. that's the way life is, with a new game everyday, and that's the way baseball is. - bob feller

one of my favorite places in la, and essentially the world, is dodgers stadium. there's a sense of serenity when i enter the park and pure joy when the first pitch is thrown. a sense of nostalgia during the 7th inning stretch, followed by anxiety and stress in the 9th. i love my dodgers and cherish the game, so anytime i have the opportunity to catch a game i'm at my happiest. 

but seriously you guys the view. beautiful. my bad photography 'skills' don't do it justice but despite that the park still manages to look majestic. 

what is one of your favorite places? where are you happiest?  

opening day: america’s unofficial holiday

few things are more beautiful than this...

i got into baseball at an early age. out of all the sports my brother and cousin’s played growing up it was the easiest to understand. the catcher catches. the pitcher pitches. the first baseman stands at first base. the most difficult position to understand is probably shortstop, who plays between second and third since most right handed players hit grounders into that area. it’s simply and i think that’s what makes it so special. anyone can understand the rules and people of all ages can play, whether its t-ball, little league, minor leagues, major leagues, softball leagues, or just catch with their children. the outcome of a game can change with just one swing. and october brings the best out of the sport and its players. after the horrific attacks of 9/11, it was the game that helped heal NYC a little and it was done by mike piazza’s swing and mr. october himself derek jeter. it’s a beautiful game.

so in honor of opening day, i’ll list 5 of my favorite baseball movies:

1. the sandlot: if you didn’t want to be him or were madly in love with benny ‘the jet’ rodriguez than your pants are on fire cause you my friend are a liar. growing up it was apparently the only movie teachers at my school owned, but i wasn’t complaining. the more i watched it the more i fell in love with it. it was a story of friendship (the sandlot crew are my brotp) and a coming of age story. it taught kids how to face their fear and most importantly how to get a lifeguard to kiss you. plus it made me never want to chew tobacco in my life. and who doesn’t love an appearance from the ‘sultan of swat’ ‘the king of crash’ ‘the colossus of clout’ ‘the great bambino’ telling benny to be great: "let me tell you something kid; everybody gets on chance to do something great. most people never take the chance, either because they’re too scared, or they don’t recognize it when it spits on their shoes.” it has sequels but like the bring it on series, only watch the first one.
2. league of their own: a fierce group of women who love the game and are recruited to play ball for an all women league kick ass and take names. it has an eclectic cast that includes tom hanks, rosie o’donnell, geena davis and madonna. the reason why I love this film is because of the strong female leads, who despite the odds play the game they love and play it well. they don’t fall into the stereotypical rolls of women during that time and even if they did it isn’t looked at as a bad thing because its their choice. the important thing is that they live life how they want to live it. i think it’s important not just for young girls to see but for everyone to see. 
3. field of dreams: an iowan farmer has a dream in which he’s told that “if you build, he will come.” he builds a baseball diamond in the middle of his corn field despite losing profit because of it. committed and determined to find out who he is, kevin costnar’s character goes on a journey that serves as little history lesson on the ‘black sox’ scandal and spend time with a former player that left the game for another love. its charming and heart-wrenching when he comes. fun fact: the field used for filming still exists, so if find yourself near dyersville, iowa make a pit stop.
4. fever pitch: you might hate the red sox (and i wouldn’t blame you cause i’m still bitter over nomah being traded in 04. but if he made amends i guess i should too.), but you can't hate the dedication and commitment jimmy fallon’s character has for his team. i understand it. i think it does a fabulous job at showing what a fan is; to be fully invested during the summer and early fall but then it leaves you. you get a taste of it during winter meetings and then you being to smell the freshly cut grass in february when players start reporting for spring training. and then finally it starts up again. it takes a lot to be a baseball fan. as angelo bartlett giamatti wrote in his book, take time for paradise: americans and their games “[baseball] breaks your heart. it is designed to break your heart. the game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall all alone. you count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.” i feel this quote exemplifies the love of the game shown in the film. plus it was filmed at the best possible time ever, when the sox were in the race for the pennant and eventually won. it was like the baseball gods looking down on the film. maybe the cubs should invest in producing a film too.
5. 42: it isn't even out and i have yet to see it but i already know its going to be one of my favorites. the story of a great american hero who despite the odds and bigotry he faced he achieved greatness. his story helped open up the door for players of all race and ethnicity to play professionally. he was made an icon through it all. its a similar fate the first out athlete in the states will face. i can't wait for the films release.   

these are some of my favorites because they showcase the love of the game and the impact it can have on our lives. they essentially show the power of baseball. the game is a powerful, magical experience and i will never understand why people don’t love it or why opening day isn’t a national holiday. i mean whats more american than beer, hot dogs, baseball and yelling obscenities to everyone from the fan of an opposing team to the players themselves? plus its an excuse to day drink. i guess more people need to experience a walk off grand slam in extra innings by the home team when they were down by three. thank you russell martin. it’s  honestly a thing of beauty.