World Series Memories.

Kia and I are currently on vacation with our family. I have prepared a few new posts, and I’m mixing in a few old posts to highlight. In my post “What to do when dreams die” I write about my love for baseball. Here is some more background on why I love(d) baseball so much. It originally ran in November of 2008.

I’ve planned to write something here for a while, but haven’t been sure what I wanted to write. I of course have a lot of spa info to pass on, have some great ‘what’s been happening lately’ stuff to share, and as always, I could share about what’s going on in the family (like Chilton, the 3-year-old, has been a dog for the most part of the last month. Literally 24/7 when at home. asks for water in a bowl, scratches himself, rolls on his back to have his belly rubbed, etc. He’s a great dog.), but it’s the World Series that was on my mind most of last week.

I know the World Series for the most part was a complete dud. The Phillies controlled the series from the beginning and the upstart Rays were a real flop. But it was painful to watch the Phillies in the World Series as a KC Royals fan (one of the 12 out here).

I started to think about that series and what I remember from it. I was 7, almost 8 when the Phillies and Royals played. I don’t remember much about the specifics of the games played. I remember George Brett have some hemorrhoidal issues during the series and that Morganna the Kissing Bandit attacking him during the post season (after further research it was during the 1979 all-star game…I was 7!).

So, other than the Royals losing in 6 games, why was it so painful? Well I think it had more to do with the fact of my sister ending up being a Philadephia fan – and not our hometown KC fan. Why? Because she loved Pete Rose who after a long and successful career in Cincinnati, defected to the Phillies.

So, not only did my team lose, but I had my first experience of a betrayal of my team. I just didn’t get it. How could someone root against my beloved Royals? The Phillies? Pete Rose? I guess, really, I still don’t get it. I’m still a Royals fan. I briefly followed the Reds because I looked up to a couple of cousins who lived near Cincinnati and were big Reds fans, but I’m a Royals fan. They stink. I’m still a Royals fan. I’m teaching my kids to love the Royals. It’s tough, we go to watch them lose.

So, the World Series was a reminder of disappointment for me. Not only did they make it, but they won. The Royals haven’t been good (I mean really good) since they won the World Series themselves in 1985. Man was that a magical time in my childhood. Still remember the early part of my 6th grade year and Buddy Biancalana doing more than he ever had or ever did afterwards.

GO ROYALS!!

What are some of your best memories of a sporting event or team?