Go Fish!

I appreciate all the response I receive from viewers reading my blog. So please keep them coming to BlogHRKovar@News12.com. However, I want to share some comments from a recent email concerning my previous baseball blog.

Hank writes: My mother spent some of her youth in Massachusetts and still had many relatives in the Boston area, so I became a die hard Red Sox fan. Growing up I had some friends who were Yankee fans and some who were Red Sox fans. I was a huge fan during their world series run in 1967 and I was in college, just outside of Boston for the 1975 World series. When Carlton Fisk hit the game winning home run in game six the school erupted -- everyone opened their windows and cheered.

But what I found is that following the Red Sox is like falling in love with a girl that breaks your heart -- every year.

Well Hank- with the Sox up one on the Yankees this season, we'll just have to see how it goes when the two teams pair up next week at Yankee stadium.

Here is a little more from Hank's response:

You are correct that "fandom" is passed down as my almost 17-year-old son likes the same teams I like and the same goes for his friends and their parents.
Ok - what was the Astrodome like? I always wanted to go there but never made it. I've been to Fenway, Yankee, Shea, Giants, U.S. Open tennis, Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, the new stadium in Baltimore and Harbor Yard. When my kids were younger we had their birthday parties at Bluefish games and they did a great job -- very fan friendly and kid friendly there. My son and I would like to see a game from every baseball and football stadium.
He continues:
I always wonder what would have happened if my mother did not have family in Boston -- I would be a Yankee fan and would have never suffered the grief, aggravation and frustration as I have over the years following the teams that I do.

To answer Hank's question about what the Astrodome was like, I just remember the world's first domed stadium as being big and loud and loving it. I saw games, concerts and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeos there. It's also where we get the term Astroturf. The roof was originally clear, but players couldn't see the balls, so they painted the roof to keep the sunlight out. This caused the grass to die, and the imitation grass became known as Astroturf .
Actually the very first baseball game played at the Astrodome was on April 9, 1965, an ehibition game between the Astros and the Yankees.

Speaking of the Bluefish - you might have seen the Living Fit segment that aired Tuesday to promote Wednesday's home opener. I was able to hang out on the field with players Hector Kuilan and Buzz Hannahan, as well as pitching coach Brian Warren. They demonstrated how they get their arms stretched and warmed up for the game. Also watch for upcoming segments featuring catcher Kuilan and short-stop Hannahan individually. Kuilan explains what it takes to be a catcher, and Hannahan teaches me exercises that improve reaction time for baseball players. You can catch Living Fit every Tuesday on News 12 Connecticut beginning at noon.