Take Me out to the Ballgame

I went to a Colorado Rockies game last night.  A warm spring evening in Coors stadium is a great way to celebrate the coming of Summer in the Rockies. 

Some time between the first pitch and the expected Home Run by number 99 Manny Ramirez that sealed the game for the Dodgers, I noticed that there was a lot going on outside of the game.  I remember going to a game in Toronto several years ago where it was noted that the first digital cell phone (PCS as it was called at the time) call was made.  It seemed to usher in a new world where you could talk to anyone when you wanted to.

There were a few people making miscellaneous calls from the seats around us in the left field bleachers, but most of the activities were taking place with people supplementing conversations with periodic texting.  It takes some getting used to, but clearly people outside of the game experience were either involved remotely or other topics were being worked out over the text message network from the stands.

As more of the stadiums’ namesake was consumed, the fans grew louder and more emotional.  Although not enough to change the outcome of the came, participation came in a lot of shapes and sizes.  There was some relationship building taking place before our eyes as well as perhaps some minor embarrassing moments that would be pointed out later since they were captured on the ever present camera’s that accompany most all of the texting devices in use around us.

As my son and I left the stadium and headed for the light rail, the area around the stadium transitioned from those leaving town to those arriving.  With late night act ivies being nudged into place via some very quick thumbs, people were connecting with communities in person, close by, and perhaps sometimes in other states, or even countries.

While the sporting event was fun, for many it was only a stop along a more connected lifestyle that tries to balance being there and connecting with those who are not