When I say that I was born into this relationship I really do mean it. My dad grew up listening to Astros games with his grandpa and he passed that love of the game onto me as soon as he could. Before I was even a year old my parents had me posing for a picture wearing a baseball bib in the arms of a giant green alien who I was, oddly enough, not afraid of even though looking back he looked TERRIFYING!
(Sorry Orbit. Love you. Mean It.)
My parents took me to see Nolan Ryan pitch for the Texas Rangers a few days before my 2nd birthday and as always I was more than happy sitting around eating popcorn and watching a game. We watched the Corpus Christi Barracudas at Cabaniss Field a few years later but my first real memory was going to a Rangers game with my brothers Boy Scout troop at Ballpark in Arlington. At the Rangers game, I yelled "CHARGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" at the top of my lungs and clapped along with the "Let's Go Rangers" chant which is something I wouldn't be caught dead doing today. I've learned team loyalty since then but when you're 7 being a part of the crowd is fun and I refuse to apologize for that.
We went to Houston and saw Astros games in the Astrodome and then Minute Maid Park once it was opened. We'd drive down to Robstown to see the Coastal Bend Aviators for a few years before the team folded and then the Hooks came to town and gave a us a (hopefully) permanent hometown team to cheer for!
The company my dad worked for had season tickets to the Hooks so our family went out as much as we could. During those games I'd ask tons of questions and my dad was happy to teach me all the ins and outs. My mom and brother were there more for the food and atmosphere but baseball quickly became me and dads "thing". He taught me about balls, strikes and the different positions of players on the field. As I learned more we started to talk about players and how there were just certain players you could tell "had it" and we'd try and guess who would be the next guy to make it to the Astros. In between the wins, losses, homeruns, strikeouts and conversations with dad, I fell in love with baseball.
(July 1992)
When I go to games these days I can't help but remember how small those moments seemed but they led me to not only a love of the game but a career in sports where I've earned 2 Championship rings...but we'll get to all of that in a future post. What matters for this story is that every time I see a dad and daughter at a baseball game now I get this warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart and I think back to my memories with my dad. I think about how even though she probably won't remember the score, she'll remember the feeling of being at a game. Her dad is going to pass on the knowledge and the passion for the game and maybe, just maybe, someday she'll fall in love with this game too.
What made you fall in love with your favorite sport?
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