sports – Marilyn R. Gardner

Father’s Day, Fenway, and Why Rich People Don’t Do “the Wave”

Published on June 21, 2012June 21, 2012 by Marilyn21 Comments

Celebrating a late Father’s day gift last night, we walked to Fenway Park and cheered on a Red Sox vs. Miami Marlins victory.

It was magic. (This from a non-sports person!) Anyone who knows me can tell you I know little about U.S sports culture, but in recent years I have enjoyed some sports events, seeing them as small entries into another world, another culture. I have ceased waxing wise about their faults and begun seeing them as places of learning and enjoyment. And Fenway is nothing if it is not going into another world. Fenway is a cultural icon.

From Fenway Franks, those hotdogs that anywhere else would not taste as good, to fans toting beer in small plastic cups, to “the wave”, to Grand Slams, to singing “Sweet Caroline” at the top of our lungs, it is, and was, a cross-cultural experience.

I always imagined that “the wave” was unique to the U.S but found that is not true. While there are arguments about where and how it originated, it is a standard part of sports spectator behavior worldwide. It is usually set into motion by a dozen or so fans and consists of standing, raising your arms to the sky and sitting immediately afterward. The motion carries forward in a clockwise direction and in a large crowd it is an amazing site to see “the wave” move around a stadium in full force.

But last night we observed something curious. “The wave” was going strong around the stadium, starting in bleacher 39 and moving forward with strength – until it reached the box people, the rich people. And there is where it faltered almost ready to die. It was as if “the wave” was beneath them, as though we, the commoners, were the ones low enough to carry the motion.

Why do you think this is? Were they so busy watching the game that they didn’t see “the wave”? I don’t think so. I think it’s about security and image. And if there was doubt before, after last night all doubt is gone – rich people don’t have as much fun as those with less. Box seats, season tickets and a bank account to match and yet there is not enough security to break out of a mold and do “the wave”? It sounds like a type of prison.

With money comes an image, an image that is carefully cultivated and groomed. It is dependent on the stock market, interest rates and who you know. And evidently that image doesn’t include “the wave”. What do you think?

Toucher & Rich: Fred Hates Fenway Park (boston.cbslocal.com)
100 Years of Fenway Park

WWWP5k Failure on the Freedom Trail

Published on April 30, 2012April 30, 2012 by Marilyn19 Comments

I wanted to succeed. I really did. When Automattic announced that they would have a Worldwide WordPress 5K (WWWP5K) I was without excuse. While I have never pretended at athletic ability, all year I’ve had a disciplined marathoner colleague sitting at my lunch table eating “Marathon training food” (not even going to tell you what that means) to compete in the Boston Marathon. For the WWWP5K event all I would have to do was ~~run~~ speed walk 5K! Not only that, I’m not great at building blogging community and this was one way and day I could stretch beyond my comfort zone. Also with people participating world-wide through WordPress it fit with my love for the world….I was so in.

And what better place to do this than the famous Freedom Trail in Boston? The red-brick trail that takes people through history by showing various sites significant to the founding of the United States. In this way I could show readers history and springtime in Boston all while getting exercise by participating in the WWWP5K. I would create a fancy sign that I could hold up at the end and have someone photograph me as a “Finisher”. I had it all planned. I even set the date for Saturday the 28th, the day before the official 5K.

But.

I failed.

Miserably.

I’d like to blame it on hurting my ribs or on my cheap Payless sneakers or on my crazy schedule but I won’t do that. I will admit defeat. Admit that it seemed doable but I couldn’t complete the goal in the time I had. And it’s freeing to admit failure. Sometimes it just doesn’t work. Sometimes you can’t work full-time, parent, blog, spend time with the man behind the blog, and take part in a 5K.

So I failed to complete the speed walk. But I did succeed in capturing some pictures that will introduce those that have never been here to the Freedom Trail. I call it the “Failed 5K on the Freedom Trail Collectors Album” and hope it will convince you to book a trip to Boston this summer.

At what have you failed lately? Go on – tell us! You know you want to.

Old South Meeting house 2 — Old South Meeting House

Old City Hall 2 — Better view of the Old City Hall

Democratic Donkey — Brass Donkey Statue - symbol of the Democratic Party

History of the Donkey and the Elephant — Did you know the history of the Donkey and the Elephant - symbols of the two major political parties in the United States? Well .... now you do!

Granary Burying Ground - Resting place of the likes of John Hancock and Paul Revere

Paul Revere is buried here — The sign challenges the "Youth of Today when they visit this old house be inspired by the patriotism of Paul Revere"

A Quick History of the Boston Marathon (bostinno.com)
Planning your Boston Adventure (beontheroad.com)
Running the Automattic Worldwide WP 5k in Spain (foodbloggeronadiet.com)

100 Years of Fenway Park

Published on April 20, 2012April 20, 2012 by Marilyn12 Comments

It wasn’t until I was 44 years old that I attended my first major league baseball game. As a third culture kid in Pakistan I didn’t grow up with an affinity for baseball. In fact, the bulk of my experience around baseball consisted of me sitting at my maternal grandma’s apartment during a home leave, watching occasional games on a small black and white television. “Grandma K” as she was lovingly called, was a fan. All I saw were men in funny suits running around catching a small ball. It didn’t make sense to me. Now cricket, the game enjoyed across the pond and throughout the subcontinent? That made sense! I was mostly interested in Grandma K’s Ritz crackers and peanut butter.

But at 44 I entered the big leagues. I found myself at the Diamondbacks Stadium in Arizona with premier seating, a benefit through my husband’s job. To my surprise – it was fun. Really fun. Despite the pitiful record of the Arizona Diamondbacks that year I found myself caught up in the Wave, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and even watching people down huge amounts of beer in plastic cups. It was, for me, a pivotal point of learning to enjoy something that is an American past time.

It was that year that I became a Red Sox fan, just in time to thoroughly enjoy the historic winning of the World Series after years of succumbing to the “Curse of the Bambino”. A few years later we moved back to Massachusetts and found ourselves walking distance from Fenway Park.

And this week Fenway Park has turned 100 years old. Home to the famed Boston Red Sox and one of the most beloved stadiums in baseball history, Fenway had its 100th Anniversary Party yesterday and will host a game in honor of the anniversary today. Heads up fashionistas – they will be playing the New York Yankees wearing vintage uniforms. As America’s oldest major league stadium Fenway deserves this recognition.

There is a magic at Fenway Park – anyone who has visited will attest to this. Much smaller than other major league stadiums, it has the charm of history and longevity on its side. Fenway Franks, those hotdogs that would probably taste mediocre anywhere else, Sweet Caroline, The Green Monster, and more are all part of the Fenway experience.

So Happy Anniversary Fenway Park. In our world that honors progress, beyond what it is worth at times, may we enjoy 100 more years of vintage!

Fenway mug — At a mere $15.00 you too can purchase a commemorative mug!

Happy 100th, Fenway Park (realclearsports.com)
Photo tribute: 100 years of baseball at Fenway Park (times-news.com)
100 Years Old, Throwing Fenway’s First Pitch…. Twice (aarp.org)
SBJ: Fenway Park timeline (aol.sportingnews.com)

Number 7597 on Marathon Monday

Published on April 16, 2012 by Marilyn5 Comments

I am not athletic but when Marathon Monday comes on the first day of spring vacation in Boston I am a fan. The city is alive with people from everywhere. Pick your country and your language – it’s here. You have to dodge cameras (lest you end up in the Facebook photo album of a stranger)and tourists (who are staring up at skylines, oblivious to those of us below).

The Boston Marathon is a 26.2 mile race that goes from Hopkinton, Massachusetts and ends at Copley Square beside the Boston Public Library. Around 26,000 runners have come, representing every state, and over 90 countries. As for spectators? Over half a million of us will be on the sidelines vicariously sweating and cheering on the competitors. The race not only attracts élite runners but also a wheelchair and handcycle race.

This year we are celebrating entry number 7597. Carmen is a friend from Arizona who we met through our church. Beautiful and brilliant, Carmen is sure proof of a world that is not fair. As a third culture kid who migrated as a toddler from Canada to Ecuador, she has one foot on the ground and another foot in an airplane: since we last saw her four years ago she’s been in India, Uzbekistan, Spain, Paraguay and possibly some I have forgotten.

Carmen lives life with passion and that passion is contagious. Over lunch yesterday we talked about her journey to the marathon. It began in college at Arizona State University where she ran her first marathon with a time of 4:30. It’s safe to say she was hooked. The marathon that qualified her for the Boston event was in Tucson and she ran it in 3 hours 14 minutes (of course I would think anything is great time, but this really is!) This is beyond my comprehension so all I can do is sit back and admire.

Following the Tucson marathon a pivotal sports event for Carmen was the Worldwide Championship Duathlon held in Spain this past September. She qualified with 30 others to represent the U.S team at this event

As non sports people we wanted to know what she would eat for breakfast, what shoes she would wear, and if she was nervous. She’ll eat two Pure bars packed with dates, walnuts and protein and have tea. Her shoes? Take a look below and see her shoes! Is she nervous? Not really. I think it’s a “Chariots of Fire” thing – when she runs she feels the pleasure of God. And this is what I love about this 26-year-old woman – she is taking this in her stride, enjoying everything that Boston has to offer, taking pleasure in God and running and at today’s marathon she’ll give it her best shot.

“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” Eric Liddell