We are in a drought. I’m not referring to the 100+ degrees outside…I’m referring to the shortage of news worthy of a smile. We have a looming debt crisis in Washington and total gridlock from our elected officials. We have rising unemployment and falling home prices. Money is tight. Even our weather forecast is full of misery. We need something good, something positive.
Normally, we’d turn to sports to give us that shot in the arm. But Maryland is sorely lacking ANY good sporting news. The Orioles continue to struggle, the NFL is still without an agreement, the NBA has a lockout… and it goes on and on. Marylanders are desperate for something good…so much so that Baltimore boasted the highest viewership for the Women’s World Cup. I’m not saying the World Cup wasn’t exciting, but the lack of anything else positive suddenly made many of us instant fans. We wanted…we needed something to cheer about.
It is a difficult time for Maryland sports fans. But we can still make the most of it. I just spent three days talking to Red Sox fans about Babe Ruth. The nostalgia and history helped put a smile back on my face. It could work for you, too. If you are desperate for sports, now seems like a good time to visit the Babe Ruth Birthplace, the SportsLegendsMuseum or the LacrosseMuseum and Hall of Fame. Come relive the exploits of the Bambino, Johnny Unitas, and Brooks Robinson. Come relive the glory of the ’58 Game, the ’83 World Series or Michael’s Olympic gold! Times are tough, but we’re all in this together.
Shawn Herne is the Chief Curator for the Babe Ruth Birthplace Foundation, Inc.