Opening Day

Opening day, not opening night. Actually, if you grew up anywhere outside of Cincinnati and Washington, opening day was really the second day of the season. Now, between overseas openers (Australia this year, Japan, a few years ago) and the Sunday night ESPN opener, the unique, almost holiday feeling has been watered down. I know and accept that TV, especially network TV, pays a lot of the bills. But the nostalgia for an old-time opening day tugs at many of us lifelong fans. How many opening days (or nights) have you attended? Here's how it looked (from the upper deck) at Shea Stadium when the Mets and Expos -- in their very first game -- kicked it off in April 1969.
Weather was typically early April: a sunny and cool start, before a front crossed the city, whipping up winds, some light rain and a sharp drop in temperature. It was also a time before massive video screens; music was Jane Jarvis at the Thomas organ. Mister Met was on the cover of your scorecard but had yet to become a Disney-esque character. Yes, a simple and gentler era in our national pastime.

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