Our flag was still there...

Driving hurriedly to the Royale to see the first pitch out in the new stadium, I was listening to the pre-game on the radio. The crowd sang the national anthem, and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. Every time I go to a baseball game, especially in this city, I am reminded that sometimes we are all able to find things in common. It's like the beauty of the Seventh Inning Stretch. Kelly used to always love it because she liked the idea of the whole stadium doing the same thing, and she loved that it was singing and eating peanuts.

There is something wonderfully simple about baseball. It is about family and friends sitting in the sun for a few hours, the Arch in the background, the flag waving, that green, green field. It's the same as when we were little and when our parents were little, and it is, for me, always a beautiful moment of being American. There is a patriotism to it that does not make me feel corny, or like my politics are being corrupted or confused. It is just about being in the same place, a beer in hand, and watching people throw a ball around. It's not life or death, but there are certain days that I think baseball might have all the answers... and then there're days like today, when baseball is the answer.