Take me Out to the Ball Game . . .

. . . Any Ball Game will do!

Earlier this year, I discovered the book Our Team by Luke Epplin which is about the integration of the American League by Larry Doby and Satchel Page. Any fan of baseball is likely to be well aware of Jackie Robinson’s accomplishments and the sacrifices he made to be the first African American to integrate baseball. However, although I consider myself a fan of baseball, I was sadly unaware of the details surrounding these other two heroes of the sport and wished I had discovered their stories sooner.

(You can check out a great summary of their story by clinking here for a Washington Post review of the book.)

My main take away from reading this book was that by learning about both the “big” and “small” stories, the “well known” and “not so well known” one can gain an even greater appreciation for a story as a whole. By highlighting Doby and Page, Robinson’s accomplishments aren’t diminished rather when taken together as a whole - the work of integrating Major League Baseball is an even more extraordinary story to tell.

As I reflected on this take away, I was struck by how easy it is in life to focus on the “big” at the risk of not seeing the “smaller story.” In doing this, I miss out on the opportunity to appreciate the fuller and more complex story.

For example, I am a Red Sox fan and am proud that I get to watch my team in the greatest baseball park in the world. At every game I attend, I love seeing fans of baseball making their pilgrimage to the park, taking pictures and soaking in the tradition - all while passionately hating the Red Sox and New England sports in general.

Fortunately I have had the privilege of visiting many other stadiums as well - Wrigley Field, Progressive Field, Angel Stadium, Camden Yards, Rogers Center and I’ve even had my picture on the scoreboard of Great American Ball Park. I’ve been to countless minor league stadiums and still dream of visiting Bull Durham Athletic Park and Albuquerque Isotopes Park. Each time I visit a new stadium no matter how “big” or “small”- I fall in love with the game more and am inspired to visit more ballparks - even Y*nkee Stadium.

I think this idea of enjoying the “big” and “small” to its fullest can be applied outside the world of sportsing as well!

For example, in reading - I can often chose which books to read based on the hype they have by being considered a classic, having a spot on the New York Times Best Seller list, being a #Bookstagram favorite or Reese Witherspoon picking a book for her book club.

This hype can prevent me from experiencing the simple joy of meandering through a library or bookstore and finding a little known treasure that becomes a lifelong favorite. The well known can often crowd out the lesser known. Yet as any fan of Jane Austen knows - I can love both Pride & Prejudice and Mansfield Park! and as any fan of Louisa May Alcott knows - I can love both Little Women and Long Fatal Love Chase!

I am also aware of experiencing the “small” and “big” while traveling. I love that I have seen some of the greatest wonders in the world: Eiffel Tower, Garden of Gesthemane, Half Dome in Yosemite, the trails of Cinque Terre and so on… However, equally as memorable was driving through Fergus Falls, Minnesota en route to Fargo, North Dakota and remarking to my husband how stunningly beautiful the farmland was. One of the best meals I’ve had was some random gas station in the middle of rural Morocco. Fergus Falls farmland and gas station kafka with flies buzzing around may not make a Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 10 list - but these will forever be places that make our world all the more beautiful to me.

So now to return to America’s pastime - what a thrill it has been to experience countless grand slams by David Ortiz, legendary closes by Koji, a clutch performance by first time player Darnell McDonald and other lifelong memories at Fenway Park.

However, when I look back on all of my sportsing memories - they will be coupled with the the games I’ve experienced at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio with my dad. People may not travel from around the country to see a game in Cleveland like they do Boston, however, it is in Cleveland that I learned to love the game of baseball.

No one tells Cleveland sports jokes better than my dad and he may not have written a book about Larry Doby and Satchel Page - but getting his perspective on their accomplishments made the story even more remarkable to me. In addition, as a child - I got to see my dad cheer for his team while sitting in Cleveland’s old Municipal Stadium, eating dollar dogs at a time when movies were being made about Cleveland baseball. The crowd was small, but one of Cleveland’s biggest baseball fans was in attendance! These small childhood memories showed me there is something special about sports and that was a big lesson!

So as we embark on this baseball post season and the upcoming sportsing seasons in general - let’s spend time learning about the “big” and “small.” Let’s discover the stories of Jackie Robinson and also the stories of, Satchel Page and Larry Doby. And let’s not forget what a Kid From Akron once said: “What’s the difference between Miami and Cleveland? It’s the same.”