The Misery of Youth

Both times I have seen the Washington Nationals walk-off on the Baltimore Orioles I have witnessed the same phenomenon, a young loud mouthed Orioles fan sitting with what must be his grandfather that never gave up cheering for the Senators. It is interesting to see the pure innocence of youth on display in young fans of bad teams. They just don’t know any better than to cheer every player, and believe every one of their pitchers should beat everyone of every other team’s hitters and their hitters should always be hitting homers. When Julio Lugo looked to be the unlikely hero on Saturday there was no surprise from this young Orioles fan. No shock that not only had Julio Lugo gotten a hit, but it was a hit to tie the game. Of course the Orioles have the worst bullpen in baseball, and really was a Washington win ever really in doubt?

As soon as Josh Willingham hit the ball in the bottom of the 10^th the entire stadium knew it was gone. Except this young Orioles fan. He was cheering for Corey Paterson to catch the ball. Paterson wouldn’t have caught that ball even with a ladder as it bounced off the bullpen wall. It was this exuberance of youth being crushed that made me smile inside. It was like the Simpsons episode where Bart pinpoints the exact moment Lisa breaks the heart of Ralph Wigum. Then the grandfather did something surprising.  He laughed at his own grandson. He cheered the Willingham homer, laughed at the misery written on his grandsons face, and then patted him on the back of the head as a signal that it was time to go. The entire game I wasn’t sure who the grandfather was cheering for. He was motionless and had no team paraphernalia on at all. Aside from him cheering as Willingham rounded the bases I still wouldn’t know.

In 2008 when Ronnie Belliard hit a walk-off homer against Orioles closer George Sherill and annoying kid that had the same beliefs that the Orioles are the awesomest was sitting near me as well. The crushed look and the sad eyes as you realize that your team just isn’t that good. It is funny to see. It makes me happy when loudmouthed away fans come into the home ballpark and get their hopes dashed. It is like the cheering turned into a giant groan when your team is on the road and an outfielder makes a nice diving catch to rob the other team of runs. It is just a moment that is beautiful and heartbreaking. It is the loss of innocence in a child as they release they are after all an Orioles fan.

As much as I enjoy baseball now I wish I could have enjoyed it earlier in my life. It just wasn’t possible for me. I watched the great Cal Ripken on Home Town Sports and then on Comcast, but it just wasn’t the same. I remember going to Baltimore on my parent’s boat as a kid and enjoying the Aquarium, Science Center, and Little Italy, but I wasn’t from Baltimore. I cheered for the Redskins, the Bullets, and the Capitals. For most of my youth the Ravens didn’t exist, and Washington didn’t have a baseball team so logically it made since to adopt the Orioles, but I just felt that something wasn’t right. Baltimore wasn’t my home, and I would go to other cities with four teams and think, “Why the hell doesn’t the Nation’s Capital have a baseball team.” I could see no reason against it.

So, maybe as I watch joy turn to heartache in an instant on young children’s’ faces I am reminded of something. Something I never had.  Something that is impossible for me to have. An innocent youth cheering for my hometown team, and believing my players can do nothing wrong. It is only later in life when I was no longer a child wondering why there was no baseball team in D.C. that I discovered that Bud Selig and Peter Angelos had teamed up to rob me of this essential piece of my childhood, and I can never get it back, and maybe this is why I enjoy watching young Orioles fans realize just what they are cheering for.