COLUMN: For love of baseball
I'm not much for horticulture, but I do like hot dogs, peanuts and a good game at the park or dome. When the baseball season finally decides to roll around, it brings with it fresh faces, stories and hopes for the upcoming year.
In fact, training camp is usually the most hopeful period of a Houston Astros fan's normally bleak existence. Don't put me down for 50 bucks or anything, but this should be the `Stros year to make a run at the World Series.
Call me an optimist, but Houston is in a new division without the Atlanta "Turners"...uh, I mean Braves or the San Francisco "Earthquakes"...uh, I mean Giants (hey, shouldn't major league baseball teams' names accurately reflect their city's major industry or aspect?).
That should mean every Astros supporter's eight-year-long dream of a playoff spot is finally within reach.
I could consult expert analysis and crunch numbers from last season's almanac to back up my claim, but I want you to continue reading my column without slipping into a coma.
Besides, my gut, which serves for digestion as well as intuition, tells me that the real key to Houston's success in the coming pennant race lies not in the numbers, but in their new uniforms.
C'mon, any bum off the street knows that the old uniforms are the only reason the Astros haven't been butt-kickin' powerhouses for all these years. Houston's past problems may be attributed to the old adage: "You can't win if you think you look ugly."
Who wants to wear a jersey with orange and a messed-up rainbow on it? How would you like to be seen by millions on national television, looking like your momma dressed you up for a bad '70s Brady Bunch photo? Would you play your best? I sincerely doubt it. Good thing the `Stros got some new threads if you ask me.
Even if my dreams are shattered, which is likely, considering that the Astros are a Houston sports team, it will be great to wear memorablilia that looks cool and see others dressed like me for once.
For the first time in their history, Houston will probably sell some merchandise to people that aren't Astros fans. If your a purist, then you're likely appalled by that idea.
But if you are as hungry as I am for a National League Central division crown, then you understand that baseball cap sales equals money equals free agents equals wins.
Get another coat of paint for the Astrodome's seats so that they match Houston's new uniforms and laugh all the way to the bank baby.
That strategy may sound lame, but the White Sox are milking it up in the Chicago area by selling all of the Michael Jordan number-45 baseball jerseys that they can get their hands on.
He's not there for his batting, fielding or base-stealing capabilities. Air Jordan has only been granted his major league opportunity because of his merchandising all-worldnesss.
You can't blame the ChiSox management or Jordan for exploiting each other to meet their own ends. It is very simple to defend the team's front office against charges of "ruining the game" and "embarrassing baseball" because Jordan sells tickets.
When Chicago gets tired of having a guy that can bring people to games, send number-45 to Houston C.O.D. It'd be nice to see the Dome sell out for a home game. Heck, he could base run for some of the slower players on the team.
Who cares if he isn't a power hitter or gold-glove fielder! Let him contribute in some small way while developing as a player.
How could anyone fault a guy for chasing a boyhood dream? Number 23 turned in his jersey and high-tops for number 45 and cleats because he wanted to see what he was made of on the diamond. This probably stemmed from a combination of basketball burn-out and his recently deceased father's wish to see him play baseball.
In the end, isn't the dream what baseball is all about? Kids wearing jerseys and caps and worshiping heros. Is number 45 such a bad baseball jersey for a youngster to wear? Isn't it good for the sport to have a guy like Air Jordan come in for the love of the game? Maybe some of the purist out there have forgotten the phrase "love of the game" since you haven't heard it used in conjunction with the word "baseball" in a while. Give Mike a chance.
Isn't it great to have baseball and flowers again? I love springtime.
This item appeared in the Sports section of the March 18, 1994 issue.
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