By Terence Monroe
New
Year’s day, Easter, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving,
and Christmas. If you haven’t figured out by now, the list above just happens
to be all the national holidays that are celebrated in the United States. But
there are certain days that could get the holiday tag just like the others. One
that just passed was Major League Baseball Opening Day that is already
considered a holiday by most avid baseball fans. Every year usually around the
first of April, baseball celebrates its Opening Day. It is very significant to
some, most being sports fans. This is the first day of baseball season, when fanatics
get to watch their beloved teams play ball. This is the day that signals the
start of a new baseball season, one where everyone’s favorite team has the same
chance to win the World Series. It’s only later in the season when fans of poor
teams realize there team isn’t going to win the big one, but when opening day
is here that thought doesn’t cross anyone’s mind. Opening day is usually when
teams send out their best pitchers to face off against other teams best pitcher
to try and get a heads up on their first win. True baseball fans will really
enjoy the fact that aces will be set up across the board to battle each other,
in what is known to baseball aficionados as a pitcher’s duel. Usually that
means that it’s going to be a well-pitched game, with little to no scoring game.
One where the suspense gradually builds up toward the ninth inning when the
game is usually on the line, unless it’s a tie game and in that case the fans
enjoy extra inning baseball.
The St.
Louis Cardinals were guess to the Arizona Diamondbacks on opening day April 1.
The Cardinals had their ace Adam Wainwright facing the Diamondbacks ace Ian
Kennedy. It was a great duel, but eventually after nine innings the Cardinals
were defeated. Even though Cardinals fans didn’t get to see there team win on
opening night what they did see was a game of Cardinal baseball, something St.
Louis fans have salivated for since the devastating series loss to the San
Francisco Giants last fall. The regular season usually ends in September and if
teams are lucky they go to the post-season, which is usually completed in late
October after a team has been crowned World Series Champions. If you do the
math that is roughly five months without baseball. Baseball is something that
brings people together, to enjoy a game with one another. This is why baseball’s
inaugural Opening day is a holiday to some. But what classifies the others as
holidays and not this special day?
Normally,
holidays bring people together and that is something that Opening day has in
common with other holidays. Everyone wants to enjoy a game with family and
friends around the television set, jumping, clapping and cheering, as if they
where at the game when their team scored a run. Usually on holidays most people
have the day off and to some extent the same can be said for Opening Day. On Opening
day, especially home openers, fans take the day off. They even pull their kids
out of school so that they can enjoy the day. This day is usually an all day
event. The home teams have parades before the big game and other special events
to get ready for the first pitch. If anyone is lucky to have gotten their hands
on tickets then they have taken off work and are ready to celebrate for the
day. Going to the ballpark on opening day is special; it’s the first time in
months that you can enjoy an outside atmosphere. This day is usually accompanied
by nice comfortable spring weather. Opening Day seems to have a lot in common
with a national holiday.
With
that being said there are other things that define what a holiday is, but are
there really a set of rules that classify what a holiday is and what isn’t? If
there is one I haven’t came across it. What needs to be said is that this day
is a special day regardless of if it has that holiday tag or not. It’s
something that only happens once a year and should be enjoyed.
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