The Wave

I had always found baseball to be rather dull as a spectator sport. Saturday I attended a Rockies game, only my second since coming to Denver in 1999, my third this lifetime. I have to admit that I actually enjoyed myself. There is something to be said for a day at the field. There is so much more going on than just the game, which in its self is still kind of dull. I felt like I was at a self-contained festival, complete with food, beer and lots of people to watch. People buying bats made on a lathe right before their eyes, watching the big screen between innings when they zoom in on the crowd. I made a game of guessing just how long it would take for someone to realize they were on the screen, then how they might react. Most had the same reaction, falling all over themselves to wave at, well themselves. Seeing it on TV doesn't do justice to the "Wave" and the effort it takes to get it started. I watched one guy shouting at the top of his lungs, calling out two joining sections. "Section 117, are you there?" "Section 118, are you there?" Over and over he called until he was satisfied with the responses, then he called out "Lets GO!" and raised his arms high. Like starting an old car, it took several more times repeating the process all over before the wave got past our section (118). Once it did though, it traveled the stadium round and round, upper sections and lower for about thirty minutes. It was fascinating and fun.

I would still rather watch Football on television over baseball, but I've discovered America's past-time. Even though I am still not sure just who won the game.