by Digger

Major League Baseball's Opening Day is here. Today's game showcases Washington's beautiful new stadium, "Nationals Park". President George Bush is on hand to throw out the cerimonial first pitch to begin our 2008 season, tabbed our Presidential Opener.

Opening day has different meanings to millions of fans and players everywhere. New seasons intensify many emotions from pennant dreams to memories of times past on and off the field. Moments defined by "where were you when?" events that changed or highlighted America's favorite pastime. Some of these historical moments ... Where were you when: Jackie Robinson played his first game? Lou Gehrig's final game? Bobby Thompson's "Shot Heard Around the World", 1969 Mets clinching NL pennant? 1986 Mets Game 6 victory over Boston? Bucky "(expletive)" Dent? Roger Maris' 61st home run? and this list is endless.

In days of old, school children huddling around transistor radios listening to their home team's opening game. Some kids ditching a school day to buy bleacher tickets. Even grown adults calling into work sick.

Today's technologies afford fans diverse opportunities to catch games from local and satellite radio, ESPN, MLBTV, podcasts, local tv etc. Fans no longer need to miss school or work for a front row seat to watch the action.

My all time favorite moment used to be having a catch with my dad. Every opening day we would either stand in our yard or head to local park and play catch. Sometimes it was early in the morning before school or after he returned home from a long day of work... there was rarely a moment either one of us passed up an opportunity to burn a few fastballs at each other.

Those days are long gone. 2008 is a new year, a new season. New memories will be made for millions of fans and players. In years to come today's memories will become new "where were you when?" questions. This is the magic of baseball... dig it!