Their First Taste of Baseball

Growing up my dad was always a baseball fan, having been the best third baseman to ever dawn a Pioneer High School uniform (his words not mine). But dad never really watched baseball on TV. I knew he had been a Cardinals fan growing up, listening to Jack Buck on the radio and my Grandpa Dotter was always watching baseball in the den, but that was really all the more that baseball was in my life growing up. I think we probably watched the World Series in October, but were never highly invested in it. So to say I was a baseball fan growing up would be a stretch. I didn't go to my first Major League game until I was 21 for heaven's sake.

So moving to St. Louis and becoming part of Cardinal Nation was a big adjustment for me. One that I initially tried to resist, but quickly fell in love with the city and how much the Cardinals are part of everyone's daily lives there. I was thrown into the deep end of baseball when we got married. We got married in August of 2006, in October of 2006 the Cardinals won the World Series for the first time in Zach's life. Knowing what I know now, that is a huge deal. And they have since won another one, because they are obviously the best team in baseball!!!  At the time I was annoyed by how many games we had to watch, but winning the World Series the first year I was real fan helped me get on board with how much fun baseball can be.

From then on the Cardinals were the background of our life at home in St. Louis. On the weekends, from April till hopefully October, there would be a Cardinals game either on in the afternoon or evening. We rarely sat down and watched it in great detail, but it would be on while we worked outside, in the garage, or around the house. You'd check in with the score, see how things were going, and continue on with life, thus the beauty of baseball. I can do all sorts of things and not have missed anything in a baseball game. There was always a game on in stores and restaurants so you always knew what was happening and felt like part of the city. We were actually watching a game right up until it was time to push when I was in labor with Zane. I mean there was a game going on, so might as well watch while we waited.

Zach on the other hand has always been a die hard Cardinals fan. He watched them growing up, went to games with his family and Adam's family. He loves baseball and has been dying to share his love with Zane. We never took Zane to an actual Cardinals game because that is a huge amount of money to waste on a three year old with the attention span of a gnat. But Zane is a huge Cardinals fan with all the gear, a puffy finger, a Fred Bird the Red Bird pillow pet that goes to school with him everyday, and sings Take Me Out to the Ballgame complete with root root root for the Cardinals!

 Here is Zane the night the Cardinals won a World Series for the first time in his life, 16 months old!

Ever since Zane's new found obsession with the song Take me Out the Ballgame he has wanted to go to a baseball game. OKC has solved our problem of not wanting to spend tons of money on tickets to see baseball with their minor league team the OKC Redhawks. They have a lovely stadium with a playground behind the outfield and great, cheap, seats all around. Yesterday we finally pulled ourselves together, dawned our Cardinal Red, and hit up a Redhawks afternoon game with Aunt Abbey, Maggie, and Brendan. It took a lot of explaining to Zane that we weren't watching the actual Cardinals, who are in St. Louis, but this team was a red bird so our Cardinal shirts would work for them as well. I don't know that we saved a lot of money, since we bought all the food things you have to have for a real baseball experience. Hot dogs, peanuts, pretzels with cheese, Cracker Jackets, ice cream in a little baseball helmet, and a snow cone. (So yeah not a cheap adventure, but oh so much fun!)

 The Richards crew enjoying their snow cones.

 Brendan was very nice and shared a lot of his snow cone with Little Ro, the beggar.

Zane did watch some, not a lot, but some actual baseball. We learned who the pitcher was, how many bases there are, and how the players have to run around them to score, the basics. His attention span was pretty well shot by the end of the third inning but we powered through a little big longer, learning how to crack peanuts, a much needed skill for baseball games. Rowan had a blast, walking up and down our isle, eating whatever anyone was willing to give him. He looked out over the field, clapped with everyone, and over all was a real champion baseball fan! I think Maggie and Brendan probably could have sat and watched a few more innings, but were also not opposed to getting ice cream and heading to the bouncy houses and playground behind the outfield.

We forgot Zane's glove at home, which we had fully intended on taking, but Zane was ready to catch any balls coming his way.

 

 Very serious baseball fan

  

 Cheering for the home team!

  

Zane finally figuring out how to crack a peanut and enjoying the fruits of his labor. Still a work in progress, but he's getting it. Rowan on the other hand I'm pretty sure ate a lot of peanut shells, but it's ok!

Zane managed to sustain another leg injury on his previously injured leg, which was quite traumatic and he couldn't walk very well when we left, but he has since reported that he had lots of fun and wants to go back. Next time we should just get the super cheap seats, on the grass, behind the outfield, where the playground equipment is. Zach and I usually sat in the bleachers at Busch anyway, so not bad seats at all. I'm so glad we went and it was lots of fun watching Zane take in the whole experience. I know Zach is anxiously awaiting the day we can actually take our boys back to St. Louis for a real Cardinals game. But that is a ways away, so until then I think we become huge OKC Redhawks fans!!!