First Ball Game

Last week, I went to my first ball game. It was the Chicago Cubs versus the Tampa Bay Rays. I watched the first two games on TV and the last game, I watched live at the Tropican Field. The Rays sweep the Cubs. The scores are: 3-2, 5-4, 8-3.

Here's my impression. The live show is definitely way beyond exciting compared to the television. You feel the emotional current in the stadium. You shout, you clap, you scream, you cheer. It's different.

Furthermore, I learned that live ball games are a big advertisement. Between innings, while we see the commercials on TV, there are "commercials" going on in the field, too. They have little contests with prizes from a concessioner inside the stadium; they have freebies from local restaurants if the hometeam scores a particular run; they have advertisng flash in the marquee or the big screen all the time.

Morever, I observed that a ball game is a big entertainment. They use lights and drum rolls to get the thrill going; they have a mascot that makes funny dances; they have really pretty girls in shorts who encourage cheers from the crowd.

I realized that these baseball players who have honed their skills and talent to be the best they could ever be in the name of the sports, all come down to "entertainers." After all, they are performers who delight the fans. They enjoy celebrity status because they are in fact like musicians and actors who perform before an audience.

And yes, they should score-- make the paying public get their tickets' worth and go home with a smile.