April 09, 2013

Gibson in the World Series

The healing power of gift and premium fairpositive: the 1968 Detroit Tigers. Norm Cash. Al Kaline. Mickey Lolich. Denny McLain. Willie Horton staring down Bob Gibson in the World Series (I don't know which one struck the most fear in me).

Sitting down by the Detroit River, with my transistor radio, listening to Ernie Harwell do the play-by-play broadcasts. Ernie on the bedside radio, broadcasting from the West Coast. He was the voice of God during my teen years -- the 1960s -- and it seemed that with all the worldly clamour, when Ernie was calling the game, somehow I knew everything would be all right. Just come on down to The Corner.gift premium Keep an eye out. A lady from Ypsilanti just caught that ball. And the next batter stood there like the house by the side of the road.

The voice of the turtle every year.

My first job at 16, and now I can go see more baseball because now I can afford more tickets. I spent my 16th summer at Tiger Stadium.

A few years later, and I've moved to Montreal. National League. Olympic Stadium (no ball park). Not much history. This is a hockey town. Baseball is on the fringes,executive gift a minor league sport here. As I tell my friends, baseball is the sport of the gods: when God takes a time out, He watches baseball. I know this. He told me.

I'm back in Windsor for a visit. It's a perfect day in May, the kind only had in Detroit. I'm with my Mom and sister, sitting in the first row, upper deck, first-base side of executive gift Tiger Stadium. The game is moving at a pace that makes a true baseball fan appreciate no clocks in baseball. An indescribable serenity. My Mom and sister and I just soak it all in, saying nothing. Tiger Stadium Ball Park Franks. With Red Pelican Mustard. And a chocolate malted. I'm in my 20s. I just turned to them and said: "When I die, my soul will come here." Heaven on Earth. They just nodded.

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