I’ve been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember. I followed the Orioles at first, because they were the closest team to where I grew up. I grew older and my fandom waned, but my love for the game didn’t. I needed a new team, one I could believe in. I ended up falling in love with a dynamic young player in Pittsburgh named Barry Bonds. The late 1980’s and early 1990’s were great times to be a Pirates fan, and I wholeheartedly jumped onto the bandwagon. It was a great ride, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Then Sid slid.
An unprecedented string of losing began, and the bandwagon emptied. The losing lasted 2 decades. But then two years ago, the strangest thing happened. They started to win. They were still in it at the All-Star break. They had another dynamic young player, Andrew McCutchen. The Pirate bandwagon started to fill up again. I saw new hats and shirts on the streets, kids just like me who were latching onto a fun new team. It’s really cool to see actual fans again.
As late as last night, the Pirates were in 1st place. It is highly likely that they’ll make the playoffs this year. They’ll have a winning season for the first time since I was (gulp) 16. As one who has endured the losing, this is particularly sweet to me. I’ve earned every bit of vindication, and I plan on celebrating it. Don’t get me wrong — everyone is welcome on the bandwagon. Especially those who are flying the Jolly Roger for the first time. By all means, come on in and enjoy the ride.
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