A slice of Americana

  Last night's baseball all-star game was a threefold celebration! We celebrated the game itself, as American as apple pie, we celebrated our diversity while the best of the best played our game from places as far East as Japan, as far South as Cuba, and further South from nations in our Southern hemisphere! Great new players who come from all over, just to play in America, and be so honored as to play this night with the greatest in the world, right here in the country that invented the game, the good ole USA! If you missed it, for whatever your reasons, you missed seeing our great country at her shining best! Suddenly, it was alright to be an American again, it was alright if you got caught with a tear in your eye. Don't tell my wife, but I had a few running down my face.
  The the whole night was perfect. From the pre-game festivities, to the fly over of a huge American flag. Nothing new with that, but last night it just seemed to mean more, it wasn't just corny, but it seemed that everyone was singing, even if they didn't know the words, as they all, from wherever they came from, stood in respect as our great nation welcomed all to see her at her very best!
  And of course, there was our Captain, Derek Jeter, complete with his mom and dad, and even his little nephew, did you see the eyes on that kid? Derek did what derek always does in baseball's biggest moments, he shined! For those of you who don't understand the game, he made an incredible diving catch, jumping to his feet, only to miss one of the games faster runners by an eye lash! Flashing the defensive skills that we Yankee fans are so used to. Then at the plate, 2 appearances, 2 hits, one a double! But Derek is about more then how he plays a kid's game? A game that every kid on my block played, all of us dreaming that we too could play on the biggest stage. And then it happened? Because it is a game that I have been involved with in some way or another all of my life, that strange transition that I told you about when I had gone to a pre season Yankee game. I became a twelve year old kid again, watching my heroes! The game as with all sport brings out the best in all of us. In sports, it is honest competition, I'll throw my 99 mile per hour fastball, and you hit it if you can? Simple, basic, pure!
  So last night was America's night, last night felt like it used to so many years ago. Last night it was OK to be patriotic, last night for three hours, we all became kids again, and last night, all who played, and all who watched became one with the best of us, last night we all became proud Americans again, for last night, we became all that drives so many to want to come here, last night, if only for a little while, all that is wrong faded away, because last night we were all the best we can be! God bless this great Nation.