Take me out to the ball game
Until recently, I have never watched a baseball game, but we went to one in Miami. The game is a little bit like T ball, the game we played in PE class at school. On the day we went it was super-hot, we first went to the shops and drove around Miami for a bit, later in the day we found our way to the Baseball stadium.
In the US they have strict entry rules at big events, entry is only permitted with either see-through bags or very small bags. David had to do a mad run back to the car as our bag was too big. Once we got through the check point, we found our seats and saw a game between the Miami Marlin’s and the Houston Astro’s, it was a good game and the Marlin’s won.
During the break we ate popcorn and the boys had hotdogs. I had never heard the song “Take me out to the ball game” before but heard it in the third quarter.
Why I Titled This Blog “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
If you’re wondering why I chose this title, you’re not alone. I would’ve asked the same question before I ever watched a baseball game. As someone who’s not particularly familiar with the sport, I quickly learned that a bit of context goes a long way.
Baseball is played in nine innings, and each inning consists of both teams taking turns to bat and field. Around the seventh inning, there’s a tradition known as the “seventh inning stretch,” where the game pauses so fans can stand, stretch, and sing the iconic song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
Written in 1908 by Albert Von Tilzer and Jack Norworth, the song tells the story of a woman who loves baseball so much, she’d rather attend a game than go to a show. At the time, this sentiment reflected the growing independence of women in society. Decades later, in the 1970s, sportscaster Harry Caray helped popularize the song during broadcasts, turning it into an unofficial anthem of baseball.
I really enjoyed watching a game and experiencing this unique US cultural phenomena. We however, also did some other fun things like go to the Everglades and play top golf in Florida as we were slowly wrapping up our time in the US. But that is for the next blog.
