TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

Someone told me that watching a baseball game is like watching grass grow! As mentioned in my profile, my favorite sports are hockey (NHL) and football (NFL). Since almost everyone in St. Louis loves baseball and the town is known as "Cardinal Nation", I thought I should learn a few things to understand the game of baseball. I know to cheer when a player hits a home run or when a player successfully steals the base. The knowledge comes in handy at business meetings when I could talk about last night's game just like one of the boys!

Right now the talk of the town is the battle between the St. Louis Cardinals v. the New York Mets to win the National League Championship Series. The team that won this Series will square off against the Detroit Tigers for the World Series. Exactly 22 years ago, October 14, 1984, the Tigers made their first appearance in the World Series. The last time the Cardinals won the World Series was in 1982 and the New York Mets won the title in 1986.

I thought it would be fun to compare the two Cities based on my personal information. So here are a few interesting things about my connections between St. Louis, Missouri (STL) and Queens, New York (QNY) -

STL - I have lived here almost 12 years (since 1994)
QNY - I lived in Elmhurst about 5 years (1981-1986)

STL - I took a photo standing next to Mayor Francis Slay, Mayor of City of St. Louis.
QNY - My sister, V, has a picture of her and Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City.

STL - I could visit Anheuser-Busch world headquarters every weekend and get free taste of beer.
QNY - I could always get a seat on the #7 train from Flushing station or Grand Central Station.

STL - Public transportation called MetroLink carries 15.7 million passengers in 2005.
QNY - A total of 1,449,000,000 people ride the Subway each year.

STL - I walked across the Eads Bridge last month. The Bridge was built in 1874 and spanning the Mississippi River.
QNY - I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge in 1988. The Bridge was built in 1883 and spans across the East River.

STL - The Gateway Arch stands at 630 feet. A tram took me all the way to the top of the Arch. My most recent trip to the top of the arch was last year when my Mom, my brother L, his wife and my favorite nephew J came to visit.
QNY - The Lady Liberty stands at 305 feet. The last time I walked up to the crown was in 1988.

STL - I graduated from Saint Louis University in 1999. I was awarded scholarship and did not have any outstanding loans when I graduated.
QNY - I earned my Bachelor's degree from Hunter College and an Associate's degree from LaGuardia Community College while working full time. I paid for all the tuitions and did not have any student loans when I finally graduated in 1988.

STL - I am a homeowner. It is a modest ranch style house. We paid off the mortgage a few years ago.
QNY - I rented a small room in a house in Woodhaven for $300 a month. I had to share a bathroom with two other renters.

Looking at the above comparison, I have come to the conclusion that I should cheer for the St. Louis Cardinals based on the fact that I have lived in St. Louis longer than the time I spent in Queens. However, I will need to re-evaluate my support once we know which team will square off against the Detroit Tigers.

One thing for sure, no matter how long I live in St. Louis, my favorite hockey team will always be the Detroit Red Wings. For now, take me out to the ballgame so I could yell "Go Cards"!