What if? This two-word question was a promotional campaign for the Cleveland Indians in the summer of 2014. The campaign features nostalgic reels of blotchy footage from the 1900’s, showing not only iconic Indians moments of the past century, but celebrating the tradition of the sport.
By highlighting the last Cleveland World Series win in 1948 and also celebrating Jackie Robinson and the mark he left on both the game and on American society, the commercial speaks not only to Indians fans, but to the sports fan and the romantic in all of us.
The world is busy and demanding, leaving little space for free time. In an era of deadlines, agendas and a “time is money” mentality, sports of any kind are a welcomed reprieve. We stick to our schedules because we desire stability — but not too much.
As humans, being labeled as workaholics is insulting. We want to believe that we aren’t enslaved to the monotony of everyday life. Baseball, for me, is about forgetting the pressures of the moment and enjoying the great American pastime. It’s about watching the game with strangers and leaving as friends.
Sports fans are so passionate for their teams, it borders on romantic. They wear terrible, baggy jerseys on game day, and do crazy things like removing those jerseys, painting their chests, and waving foam fingers in the air. They yell when their team wins and shed tears when they lose.
To varying degrees, each of us rejects the compartmentalization of the modern world; we find the most accessible romance in sports. Sports fanatics fall in love with their teams. Instead of driving across town, under the cover of darkness, to deliver flowers and a handwritten note to someone’s porch, they drive across the country to watch their home team play each and every away game.
Baseball specifically stands contrary to the hustle and bustle of modern life. There’s no clock — it’s slow and methodical. It’s a game played more on probability and statistics than any other game. Baseball is a game in which the defense controls the ball. Baseball has given us both great athletes and iconic American figures like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Roberto Clemente. So, what if we leave behind our preoccupation with lost time? What if, during this World Series, we gather in a place where time stands still?
The Indians are my home team, and they should be yours this World Series. My love of the Tribe is dictated by little more than loose family ties to the ball club and geographical proximity. I happily embrace the label of a hometown sports fan. When I think of baseball in general, I instinctively think of Progressive Field and the sound of Indians baseball on AM radio.
For a second, let’s forget that Chicago’s underdog story is tarnished by their acquisition of baseball gurus Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon, or the fact that the Cubs have a payroll of over $167 million. Let’s celebrate the long journey that both teams endured to put themselves in a position to contend for a championship. What if the Indians pull out their first World Series title in 68 years? What if they don’t? For me, this World Series is about more than a win for my home team, it’s about baseball.