For Love of the Game

Being that this is my first entry, I feel that I should lay down my baseball philosophy.

I didn't attend a major league baseball game until I was 16. It was 2003, the year that the Tigers set a new team record...for losses. I was there with about a dozen senior citizens from the Saint Clair Shores Cruisers Club (no joke, that's what they're called), of which my grandmother is an avid and active member. She asked my brother and I if we wanted to go along to see the "new" ballpark (which opened in 2000...seniors are slow). We agreed. Little did we know that we had the worst seats possible, which was an accomplishment back when they averaged about 11,000 fans per game. I don't remember who was playing, nor what the score was. I do remember that the Tigers lost. It was not exactly a magical "first game" experience.

I didn't go again until 2007. My friend decided to take me for my birthday. I do remember that game. We lost 3-0 to the New York Mets. Five days later Justin Verlander threw a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Life's all about timing.

I went to another game in 2008, then another, then another. I'm not sure why, but for some reason an outing to see our boys lose to the Angels 3-4 got me hooked. I think it was because it was a close game...they're much more exciting.

I know that my status as a "new fan" might make some lose a certain amount of respect. Some may even call me a...gulp...bandwagoner. However, I assure that though I arrived late to the Tigers party, I'm not leaving anytime soon. I believe in this team. I believe in this city. I go to baseball games to watch baseball and I don't leave until the last pitch is thrown ( in the interest of full disclosure, I did leave early once, but it was 100 degrees and I was physically ill). I'm a lifelong Tigers fan, who just happened to be "born" at 22.