Ideas for America's pastime...

"It is time to reclaim our nation joy. We can do that by starting with our national pastime. Time to Play ball!"  

Yesterday, as the Texas decision to fully open up was being considered by many in our country, I had an interesting thought. Unlike Slo Joe, who thought opening up (now that the curve was basically flat), was "Neanderthal thinking". However, I had a different take on it.

Texas has two major league baseball clubs. I am assuming if Texas is wide open on everything, that would include the ball games to be played by those two clubs. Gasp! You mean "super spreader" events??? Maybe not.

This part is going to tie in with what I just wrote - trust me. The other recent big news, is that Johnson and Johnson is going to get an assist by a competitor - Merck. Together, they are going to accelerate the distribution of the third vaccine. So? Here is the "so" - by summer, this country is going to be awash in vaccines. Hundreds of millions of doses. Anyone who chooses to have one, will be able to. Now, back to my main point.

I think Major League Baseball should take the lead in getting our sports lives back to normal. I know the spring training events are allowing a certain number of spectators to watch. When the regular season kicks off next month, here is my proposal. In April, every stadium allows for 50% capacity in every game. In May, when herd immunity should be setting in, 75%. Then from June until the end of the season, 100%. 

This would be the start to the return of some kind of normalcy. Having the state fair in August would be another. People could wear masks if they wanted to, but hopefully by that time, masks would not be necessary. Even our own Dr. Osterholm said when two people are fully vaccinated, they could be together, mask-less, and close. 

Someone recently asked the question, "When can we return to normal"? My answer - whenever we allow ourselves. We can listen to Taxing Timmy and Slo Joe and continue to play duck and cover - or, we can return to normal this spring and summer. Normal work, normal school, normal recreation.

It is time to reclaim our nation joy. We can do that by starting with our national pastime. Time to Play ball!