Baseball Groundhog

Today is Groundhog Day, I have for years attempted to have this day recognized as a major holiday but to no avail. Outside of Punxsutawney Pennsylvania, no one seems to care. What is up with this country? We celebrate a calendar rolling over from one year to the next without a second thought but suggest we celebrate a rodent predicting the weather and people think you're nuts. So I am left once again celebrating on my own. I prepared my traditional Ground Hog dinner of sausages and the family took turns making shadow puppets on the walls. We ended the day watching the classic Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day. As I sat watching the movie, I began to ponder how all events have a connection to baseball. This holiday is no different. In life, the groundhog comes out of hibernation and looks around to see if spring has arrived. In baseball, pitchers and catchers come out of hibernation to see if spring training has arrived. In life, fans cheer if the groundhog doesn't see his shadow and spring arrives. In baseball, fans cheer if pitchers and catchers don't see their shadows and spring training arrives. In life, after the groundhog reports, he is locked away in a cage for six weeks. In baseball, after pitchers and catchers report, they are locked away in dormatories for six weeks. In life, everyone questions why we care what a rodent has to say about the weather. In baseball, everyone questions why we care what a rodent has to say about minorities in New York. In life, I cannot find anyone who agrees that Groundhog Day should be a national holiday where we all get out of work. In baseball, I cannot find anyone who agrees that Spring Training should be a national holiday where we all get out of work. Sometimes these parallels even scare me. This is like some kind of Twilight Zone episode.