Baseball's Back

"You know what we get to do today, Brooks? We get to play BASEBALL!"

--Jimmy Morris (The Rookie)

Opening Day in Cincinnati used to happen on the first Monday in April. The tradition also had the Reds opening before any other team seeing as it was the first professional baseball team--founded in 1869. 

Modern MLB scheduling has has done away with much of that, although the Reds are still afforded the privilege of opening at home. 

This year has been extra strange, with Opening Day slated for the last Thursday in March just shy of an early Easter weekend. The Findlay Market Parade was even moved to the following Monday due to downtown merchant concerns that the parade festivities might spook Easter shoppers. On Wednesday, forecasts of rain on Thursday prompted the Reds to postpone the game until Friday (follow that?), thereby marking the first Opening Day rain out since 1966 (which is a year or two prior to where my Baseball Memory kicks in).

But here we are. It's Friday noon and skies appear to be clearing to the west right on cue. Although playing the opener on Good Friday will likely cut into hot dog sales at the ballpark, and folding chairs may not be set up in the outfield as they were for Robby's first in 1956 at Crosley Field, we prepare to shed the shackles of winter once again.

Baseball's back.