Baseball Virus

Yesterday ought to have been the first day of the baseball season in MLB.  But... it wasn't.  We are busy running in fear from a virus.

In fear, yes.  

As I have been watching the world unravel in response to a virus, I could not help thinking of a tremendous moment from the Greatest Generation.  Concerned that having MLB games was out-of-touch, perhaps insensitive to the insanity of Moment of the world, the commissioner of baseball reached out to the President of the United States--then FDR.  

Perhaps you, too, have heard of the "Green Light Letter"?  It was a letter written by FDR to Judge Landis (it hurts me to write this, because I do not care for much of what either of these two men did--except for this), in which he told his own opinion--baseball should continue.  

And it did.  Among other things, FDR asked that more day games get moved to nights, so that people helping the cause in the factories would have more opportunity to enjoy seeing what was then the American Game.  

While I understand what we are doing, if not exactly why (we have never responded this way to any flu, and the flu kills far more people than this virus will, in the end), I do think that we could use some "diversion."  It would be a good thing, in my opinion, to have the NCAA tournament, continued NBA games, MLB beginning.  All these things give us some diversion in these crazy days.  

Okay, don't have fans at the game.  Does that help?

Put those games on television.  Let people cheer for their teams.  Let people like the University of Dayton compete for a once in a lifetime opportunity of being the best.  I am a little biased there, since they are just a half hour from home.  Still...

I think our response is exceptionally heavy handed, but I am more happy that I am not the governor of Ohio, or the President of these United States, or any one else who is currently in a position of decision.  I do not envy them.  No matter what they do, their decisions will be subject to scrutiny--both fair and unfair (the president of the red hat will never be treated well by the press, even if he personally solves cancer).  History may, or may not, be fair to their decisions.  Frankly, it will be pretty much impossible to identify the what's and how's of the results of this virus--there are far too many variables involved.  

But, in short, I'd keep the sports going, even without fans.  Let them see it on TV.

That's my 2 cents.