Diedre Silva - It Takes More Than Balls: The Savvy Girls Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Baseball

Y es, the song embraced by fans in baseball stadiums across the country is really only the refrain to a song written about a woman, Katie Casey, who was, baseball mad, who had the fever, and had it bad. The words were changed somewhat in 1927, but it remained a song about a woman itching to take in a game. Norworth himself didnt attend his first game until many years later.

Other songs about baseball came and went, but it was this one about a woman wanting to go to the game that made a lasting mark on the national pastime. It was arguably Harry Carays throaty rendition during the Cubs seventh-inning stretch that brought the song into the publics consciousness after it had been pretty much forgotten for fifty years.

So, thanks Jack. Thanks Harry. And thanks Katie. Thats for helping to give female fans a comfortable place in the world of baseball. Many, like us, have found that going to games can be a nice way to spend the day. Weve learned that baseball can be fun to read about. And tracking whatever baseball information that may interest you can be a rewarding pastime in itself. Lord knows, the games unending stream of numbers and names offers plenty to satisfy the most unrepentant detective in any of us.

And one of the things we most enjoy is that our time in the stands folds out as easilyand sometimes as dramaticallyas the action on the field, and weve got the stories to show for it. Like a lot of fans, our baseball stories have little to do with the players. Some of these stories are borne from allowing our brains to flatline during the game. Then what comes out of our mouths is pretty amusing. But thats not to say we cant be pretty engaging, too! Well share a score card, a little chatter, and some drinks. And, yes, weve had our ugly fan moments. Take your pick. One of our favorites is the proverbial cellphone call to the friends in a nearby section. Cue ridiculous and obnoxiously loud conversation. Were in front of the guy with the pink sweater! Nonot the bald guy, we yell and wave wildly for them to see us. Two rows down. See us? Hiiiiiiii! So, maybe we arent true fans. Certainly, after confessing to having made the irritating call, many would politely decline to comment. Others wouldnt be as polite. Definitely not true fans, theyd decree. But dont we get bonus points for spending three years writing a baseball book? Come on. Surely, that must help our standing for those tracking the fan-o-meter. Ok, maybe we are simply real fans? Hmmm. Is that a demotion from a true fan? Probably like you, were hard to pigeon-hole. So, dont let anyone get uppity about questioning your fan status. And if they do, state your mind, then run like hell. Remember: if only in spirit, which is best in such dicey sitations, were behind you all the way.

Hey, what are friends for?

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