Thursday was supposed to be the official Opening Day for Major League Baseball, but with the current situation with COVID-19, there is no date set yet for a return. Fans across the country shared their disappointment and yearning for the return of the game they love. When it comes to other sports league’s first day of a new season, none compare to the specialty that is MLB Opening Day.
The first day of the baseball season packs a wide variety of traditions and surprises. A majority of fans will flood stadiums for games that a good portion of them will be played in less than ideal weather. Unless a game is played in a dome or warm weather climate, a majority of fans will attend games in chilly temps, cloudy skies, and in wet conditions too. About two or three games on Opening Day are usually rained out, which is the reason why the MLB schedule makers have an off day scheduled after game one.
Fans will brave the conditions regardless because of the symbolism of the first game. No matter how bad the weather conditions are, avid baseball supporters view the day as the true unofficial start of summer, and the end of winter. People are aware that the jackets and sweaters, along with the hot chocolate, will give way to shorts, tank tops, and ice cream.
The inspiration of hope isn’t just for the weather, but for the fan’s belief, in whether or not their team could be good that season too. Whether it is the defending World Series Champions or the team that finished with the worst record the prior season, every team gets a clean slate on Opening Day. There might be a single Orioles or Tigers fan that truly believes that their team may shock the world by just winning the first game of the season. The false hope is a beautiful thing because it’s what makes the return of baseball that more special.
For the actual Opening Day games themselves, there is so much fun within. Fans will wait for the excitement to see a new stadium revealed or an All-Star player’s debut with a new team. Friends will bet with one another on who hits the first home run of the season for their favorite team. A league-average player could have a two-home run game in the season’s debut just to finish the season with a total of eight home runs. The best closer in the game could blow a save that fans thought was a sure thing.
Anything that happens on Opening Day is magnified like no other. Players who do something special on the day, are remembered in fan’s lore but had the same player done the same thing in the other 161 games, no one would remember a thing. There’s a reason why Tuffy Rhodes lives in Cubs lore, and why the highlights of his three home run game are shown just one day of the baseball season.
The only other league that could compare to MLB’s Opening Day is the NFL and its Kickoff Weekend. Where the NFL has almost a religious following, baseball season is special because of everything that is associated with it during the summertime. ESPN and MLB Network will air more wall to wall action of games on Opening Day than on any other day of the baseball season.
Opening Day will come at some point in 2020 and it will be more special than ever for fans due to wait. It will lack the tradition of the cold and unpleasant weather, but will have more anticipation than years prior. It won’t symbolize just the return of summer, but also the return to normal life for millions of fans. When that day comes, it will be a celebration like no other for baseball fans everywhere.
