Labor Day – – – The all-in fan celebrates the work ethic of his team,
from players to coaches and manager to trainers to management.
He expects all to earn their wages, which he contributes to
every time he buys a ticket or eats stadium food or wears a shirt
or jacket honoring his team and favorite player. Every day — from
the first day pitchers and catchers show up in spring training to
the final day of the season — is Labor Day to the people who
cheer and feel the deep connection that networks the various
circuits that unite enthusiast and his entire team. Every day is
a holiday for the fanatic.
Patriot Day – – – Nations define patriotism differently. What’s referred
to as a patriot is China, North and South Korea, Australia, Canada
and Russia each has a different take, according to their leaders. But
the word has its limits. It comes down to loyalty. In baseball, there
exists a common denominator – – – loyalty to one’s team, which serves
as a melding device so that, for instance in the 2025 season, it meant
that Big League players from Japan, China, South Korea, Canada,
the Dominican Republic, the U.S., Venezuela, Cuba, Puerto Rico,
Mexico, Curaçao, Panama, Australia, the Bahamas, Germany, South
Africa, Honduras and Nicaragua all felt financial loyalty to their teams
as well as emotional loyalty to their teammates and fans. This was
baseball’s deeply felt patriotism.
Rosh Hashanah – – – There are many forms in which celebration of
The milestones of a season are marked. September is a New Year for
the fan; it is the start of the final full month in the pennant race.
These thirty days often determine which teams move on to the
post-season, which teams face and overcome the tension
innate in every pennant chase. Some teams collapse despite
the promise they flaunted earlier in the season. Others gently
fade from the fierce competition and collapse as the autumn leaves
fall to the earth. Every time this month transpires so to do the spirits
of most of the faithful, saddened by echoes of the lament,
“Wait till next year,” while the fortunate few move on and greet
October as a faithful old friend.
THE POETRY OF THE GAME