Has it already been three years?
The New York Yankees are visiting the Washington Nationals this weekend. I am a fan of both, traditionally permissible because of the distinctly separate leagues in baseball that never played each other. Now, with interleague play configured as it is two teams can count on playing each other at least every 3 years.
You know how people say they are “born ____ fans.” I mean it literally — my mother worked for the Yankees, so they were my team. Her dad was also born and raised on 161st Street in the Bronx which is of course, the street that both version of Yankee Stadium share. He watched it get built and could hear the crowd from his home when Babe Ruth hit a home run. I wore a Yankees cap and jacket throughout high school (which isn’t necessarily a way to impress girls). They remain my AL team.
I used to say the only things that BeltwayLand lacked were skyscrapers, a grand suspension bridge and a baseball team. We finally got the latter and I immediately adopted the Nats as my NL team. It was a no-brainer. I am not counting other the other two, but as recently as 2004, I would have said they were more likely than a DC baseball team.
In short, I’m still making the Selig-ian pass on who I am rooting for this weekend. My beige heart bleeds with neutrality. Am I going to wear a Nats cap and Yanks shirt (or vice versa)? That’s a clown question, bro.
Ah, now your irrational hatred for the Orioles makes sense…
Nothing irrational about it — the BALTIMORE Orioles voted no on DC baseball and took away the TV rights which kept them off most cable systems for almost 2 whole seasons.
Rooting for the Yankees is like rooting for the house in blackjack.
Rooting for the Orioles is like rooting for the thief who robbed the table.