BIG numbers

 
 

This is one of those milestone things that used to mean a lot more.

Back in my first year or two of blogging, I'd note the milestones that passed and really celebrate them as if they were a big deal. And they really did seem like a big deal at the time:

300th post. Wooo!

400th post. Weee!

500th post. Well that was kind of lame.

900th post. You could tell I was already getting sick of coming up with milestone post ideas.

But I still like celebrating milestones, no matter what form they take. Not only does it satisfy my compulsion to categorize with numbers, but a nice, big, round number is proof that you've been doing something for awhile -- and if it's worth keeping track of, then probably that thing you've been doing for awhile is enjoyable.

So even though I don't flip out quite as much over blog milestones, I've reached yet another one and here I am mentioning it.

I've surpassed 3 million views, you guys.

Just once I'd like to witness the odometer turning over during one of these things. I totally missed it hitting 3 million, since it happened on Wednesday, a day that was extraordinarily busy that prevented me from even posting.

Pageviews are a rather suspect milestone, as you know, probably propped up by bots and spammers and my own repeated trips to my own site. But, come on, 3 million is a big number regardless. I can't even conceive of it.

Back in the early days, I tried to connect a blog milestone to a certain baseball feat. Batting .300, three thousand hits, stuff like that. But three million? How does that fit into baseball?

Well, if you're a Dodger fan, you know what 3 million has to do with baseball.

The Dodgers were the first team to draw 3 million fans at its ballpark in one season. It happened on Sept. 15, 1978.

They've hit 3 million fans in a season far more than any other team, reaching 3 million fans six more times before any other team reached it for the first time. They drew 3 million fans every year between 1996 and 2010.

Since 1993, other teams have attracted 4 million fans in a season, something the Dodgers have never done (they came close last year). But I associate 3 million with the Dodgers because they owned that attendance mark for so long.

So, I hope that's what 3 million pageviews means here at Night Owl Cards: Fans/readers turning out because they enjoy coming here over and over.

That's about all I have to say. Usually I have a contest with these milestone posts, but I've run a couple of giveaways in the last few months and I'm a bit tapped out, not to mention I'm having enough trouble sending out regular trade packages.

But thanks for showing up, fighting the traffic and the parking, taking the time to buy a ticket and search for a seat, and being willing to settle in here and watch the show.

Four million is next. And, yup, I'm coming for you, Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays and any other team that hits 4 million in a season.

Have a good weekend.