"Play Ball!"

Opening day was Saturday and Surprise Stadium hosted its two resident teams, the Texas Rangers and the Kansas City Royals, duking it out on a day made for baseball. Clear sunny skies, temps in the high sixties (pleasantly cool for locals), and a crowd of about 6,000 who apparently had waited long enough for the new season to arrive. Seems like KC fans outnumbered those from the Lone Star state but that didn't stop anyone from enjoying a bunch of grown men play what is in essence a child's game exceptionally well. The Royals won the game but I don't think anyone from Texas will begrudge them their 1 and 0 record.

Ticket prices for these games range from $8 to sit on the outfield lawn where the kids try to flag down the occasional homer to $30 if you want to stare down the pitcher from behind home plate. The field here is immaculately cared for and you can tell the full time staff really take pride in "their" stadium.

As I write this Phoenix is getting some weather they don't regularly see - rain. At today's game featuring the Rangers hosting the Milwaukee Brewers it held off until the first pitch and then maintained a steady drizzle the rest of the game. The players didn't seem to appreciate being out in the wet as they seemed equally lethargic on both squads. A couple of hundred miles north up in Flagstaff they are expecting upwards of a foot of snow but Flagstaff is several thousand feet higher in elevation than Phoenix so folks here tell me all we can expect are some cooler temps along with the precipitation.

There are games everyday from now through March 29th. One of the more anticipated games comes this Wednesday when the Royals welcome the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs. Apparently Cubs fans fill the stadium for these games so the excitement is building for that one. The Stadium is not too far distant from Luke Air Force Base and periodically F-35's fly low over the stadium in formations of two, three, or four as they head back to base. I'm sure none of the pilots are flying over the stadium to check things out... Home to the 56th Fighter Wing it's something to see and hear (more like feel) these beautiful jets rocket by just a couple of hundred feet above the stadium. For the history geeks out there the base was named for Second Lieutenant Frank Luke , a Medal of Honor Recipient and the number two United States ace in World War I.  He was shot down and killed by German soldiers in France in September 1918.

Not that any of the fans think about any of that as they bask in the sun beer in hand munching contentedly on hotdogs and Crackerjack. Nor are they bashful for buying Spring Training gear for their favorite team. That stuff doesn't come cheap but they simply smile and reach for their wallets and purses and they walk away seemingly thrilled with their purchases. And that's as it should be. Whether you love it or hate it fans go to baseball games for one reason - to have fun rooting for their favorite team. Spring training just gives them a chance to indulge a little bit sooner than most of their peers who sit at home locked in Winter's embrace.

So I'll put up with a rainy day now and then as at least for this season I'm one of the faithful flocking to the Arizona desert in eager anticipation of the crack of a bat on a ball and the roar of the crowd. So hey 2017 - ready or not - baseball is here!