Miss my girl

 

For the first five years or so of this blog, I would take a time out on this day to recognize my daughter's birthday.

She wasn't a sports fan, never has been, so it was my way to recognize her by refraining from sports and briefly mentioning something that she likes. I knew as much about Hannah Montana, iCarly and shojo manga as she knew about baseball, so those posts were brief.

Eventually, I dropped posting on her birthday altogether, preferring to spend the whole day celebrating with her instead of tip-tapping on the keyboard.

Today is the first time since 2014, I believe, that I've actually posted on March 22.

Times have changed. She's all grown up now, a college graduate, with a full-time job and has moved away for good. Last year was the first time I didn't celebrate her birthday with her in person, but that was because of COVID. This year is actually the beginning of the new era, when her birthday celebrations from me will be mostly calls and texts because -- not to get all "Cats in the Cradle" on you -- she's got a life to live with all of those adult limits and restrictions.

I understand. But, yeah, I'm missing her today. So I thought I'd return to recognizing her day here in my little way.

Above is a trading card from the Animal Crossing video game series.

Animal Crossing really "blew up" as a thing last spring during the height of the pandemic, but my daughter has been playing Animal Crossing for at least the last 10 years. Out of all the fads and interests that passed through her life from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, AC has stayed with her the longest and she still plays it all the time.

I looked up the prices of those Animal Crossing cards and it seems that like everything card-related, the prices have gone up. A quick look tells me I'd have to pay between $3 and $20 for most cards.

That's quite a lot for something I know nothing about. What I do know is baseball. I also know that my daughter is now a Dodgers fan, although pretty much in the "my dad likes them and they're really good and exciting right now so I like to check out the scores" kind of way.

But good enough for me!

I've never looked up what Dodgers share her birthday, like I have with my birthday, so now that she's a "fan," I thought I'd do that now.

There are four of them and two barely have cards, at least that I know.

Here they are:

1. Bill McClellan (1885-88)

Ol' Bill played during the days of the original Old Judge cards and I don't have any of those.

2. Overton Tremper (1927-28)

You can find O.T. in the 1990 Target All-Time Dodgers set. That's one of the cards I don't own.

 

3. Ramon Martinez (1988-98)

The best Dodger born on March 22. Martinez is often overshadowed by his younger brother, Pedro. But in 1990, almost nobody knew who Pedro Martinez was. They certainly knew who Ramon Martinez was.

 

4. Juan Uribe (2011-15)

The fun-loving Uribe turned out to be pretty valuable for the Dodgers, which wasn't expected -- by me, especially -- when he was first acquired.

That's it for Dodgers born on this day.

As for other baseball notables who share a birthday with Night Owl Jr., here's a small sampling:

Edwin Diaz

Ike Davis

Dexter Fowler

Mike Morse

Cory Lidle

Sean Berry

Glenallen Hill

Scott Bradley

Dick Ellsworth

Billy Goodman

George Crowe

Justin Masterson

Matt Sinatro

Eric Rasmussen

Gene Oliver

 

I am 100 percent sure that my daughter doesn't know a single one of those names.

 

When she was younger, baseball was on the TV in front of her all the time and I'd mention names to her in hopes that some of it would take. She would do the same with me with Animal Crossing, rattling off names and other ... uh, Animal Crossing things, usually at dinner.

 

Today, she does know who Cody Bellinger, Clayton Kershaw and Mookie Betts are. But I couldn't tell you a single Animal Crossing character.

 

So I guess I should stop posting and start learning. 

(P.S.: Now that I think of it, I do remember her talking about "Blathers").