The Cubs and the Indians

Baseball is important to me. No, you really don't need to know why, and I really don't want to get into that. Just know that it is. I'm a Giants guy and have been since 1958. That year was important to the Giants, thus, it's important to me. And no, you don't really need to know why that is either.

However, I lived near Cleveland, Ohio for quite a few years. I became fond of the Indians ball club, and their fans and radio announcer. Cleveland is a really good baseball town with some unbelievably dedicated and faithful fans. They've earned a winner. Honest. Then there's this: I didn't make a lot of friends while I was in Ohio. It's hard to make friends in NorthEast Ohio. I only made a few. One was Ron Hewitt. Ron was an Indians fan the same way I'm a Giants fan. It was in his DNA. Over the years Ron and I talked a lot of baseball. Cancer took Ron too early. I chatted with him for the last time a few days before he died. He lived a good life and knew it. And he had enough time to wrap things up—say all the things that needed to be said. You know what I mean here. He left it all on the field. All of it. He told me that he had only two real regrets. One was that he was never going to get to use the new worm drive Skil saw he bought just before he got diagnosed.

The other was this:

He didn't live long enough to get to see his team, The Indians, win a World Series.

I have friends who are from Chicago too. They root for the Cubs. They deserve it too. So, while I understand that both teams, both cities, and both cadres of long-suffering fans equally deserve this, I root for the Indians. For my friend Ron Hewitt.

Were it within my power, I would have both teams win this World Series. Since it's not……….


CLEVELAND ROCKS!!!!! Well, maybe next year, Ron……….Maybe next year.  


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