When I was a young, baseball-watching fool, I'd wonder about my dad. He was a fan, but he seemed so casual about it. He'd watch maybe an inning or two and then he'd get up and go out to the garage or do some other chore.
Even when he was watching he didn't seem to care. He didn't have as much knowledge about the players or teams as I did because he wasn't interested enough to learn. He was like that with a lot of sports (well, I guess football was the only other one. We didn't really watch any other sports).
Later I figured that's what happens when you get older, you lose interest. And it's true, I've lost interest in a lot about sports. I have not watched one single minute of the NCAA Tournament. I used to be invested. I'd always fill out brackets, at work or wherever. I'd get caught up in the early rounds and the upsets. When my daughter was turning 2 and we had a big birthday party, I had to be pulled away from the TV while watching some random NCAA tourney game. But today I can't even conceive of doing such a thing.
So must be that's what happens when you're older.
But not with baseball.
Opening Day -- the real one -- is tomorrow. I'm thrilled. I can't wait. I'll watch whatever I can until I have to work (which admittedly isn't much -- why the hell are games not starting until 3 p.m.?). And I can't wait until Saturday when I'll watch all the games.
So there is at least something that is still the same as when I was a kid -- I'm still a baseball-watching fool. And I still collect baseball cards.
Sorry for the long preamble. You veteran readers know what I'm getting to here. It's a long-time blog tradition for Opening Day. Let's get started:
The last time the DODGERS won the World Series, baseball cards looked like this:
This is the best thing about this post this year. And you all know it:
The last time the RANGERS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the ASTROS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the BRAVES won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the NATIONALS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the RED SOX won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the CUBS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the ROYALS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the GIANTS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the CARDINALS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the YANKEES won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the PHILLIES won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the WHITE SOX won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the MARLINS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the ANGELS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the DIAMONDBACKS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the BLUE JAYS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the TWINS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the REDS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the A'S won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the METS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the TIGERS won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the ORIOLES won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the PIRATES won the World Series, cards looked like this:
The last time the GUARDIANS won the World Series, card looked like this:
The last time the BREWERS, MARINERS, PADRES, RAYS, ROCKIES won the World Series, cards looked like this:
If the Dodgers can't repeat this year, I guess it's not all bad, they'll retain the same great 2024 design. If I'm rooting for someone other than the Dodgers this year, it probably should be Cleveland -- I'm running out of images for them! It's the only World Series cited here that I don't remember!
Enjoy the season all. The long hard winter is almost over.
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