I thought this would be a good time to share some thoughts about the changing of the seasons. Hockey season is winding down for me, and it’s always a bittersweet time. College hockey season is a long endeavor, and even if I feel a little tired around this time, it is always worth it. The weather is slowly turning warmer, and the second hockey ends, I automatically start thinking about baseball. It’s been ingrained in me going back to 2005 when I got my first pro baseball broadcasting gig, with the North Shore Spirit of the Can-Am league. Starting that year, I would go from hockey to baseball after having a few months off in between. It was the perfect life- broadcasting year round, covering the two sports I love most.
In fact, it was that way for 15 years. Until 2020. COVID 19 landed on our shores. Prior to the arrival of this nasty disease, I ended the 2019 season in heartbreaking fashion. The Lowell Spinners were 8 outs from a championship , leading the Brooklyn Cyclones in the decisive Game 3. Brooklyn would rally to win it, dashing our hopes, and preventing me from earning my first ever championship ring. It felt really awful walking out of what was then called MCU Park that night. As terrible as I felt, I was comforted by the old familiar refrain, “We’ll get them next year.”
Except there would be no next year. For anybody. COVID reared its ugly head, and we were all denied baseball in 2020. Again, I was comforted by what I felt would be everyone and everything being back to normal in 2021. For most everybody in baseball.., it was. But not me.
The Spinners, heartbreakingly, ceased operations going forward. While every other team in our league ' ultimately found themselves a home, Lowell did not. And that meant no more broadcasting baseball during the summer. It is as hard for me today as it was four years ago.
I feel my baseball window is closing, and fast. I’ll be 60 years old in November, and as badly as I want back in, the seeds of doubt are something I battle with every day. I try to process the thoughts that I have about this- am I too old? Does God have another plan for me? Does He need me to be there for my Mom now? Does anyone believe that I can still bring them a quality broadcast?
I feel like I have at least 12.years of calling games left. The talent is there, and the commitment is there too. When I go, I want to go out on my terms. I feel like I did back in 2005- just give me a chance, and you won’t regret it. I’m a fighter and I’ll fight until the day I die. I’m not ready to give up the chance to call baseball again. I believe I still have a lot to contribute. I don’t want a pity party. I just want to broadcast baseball again. I attached my feelings of esteem and importance to my play by play, and it haunts me to be without it.
I’ve done my best to fill the time- books, podcasting, music, narration. I’m thankful for those things. And I’ll always have hockey. But it’s time for baseball to make its triumphant return to my life. I’m ready for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment