MY SISTER WAS AN ONLY CHILD

The day I was born, the Brooklyn Dodgers were playing a game against the St. Louis Cardinals that the Bums lost. Although they lost, they managed to keep it close, losing 15-3. I was born right across the street from Ebbets Field, and my Mother could see the ballpark and the game from her room in the Swedish Hospital.

Being how I was the first and only son my father had, when he saw the score he kind of took his time coming around to visit me at the hospital. My much older sister Tessie was his good luck charm. Whenever he took her to the games, they won, I get born once and the Bums lose! Tessie could do no wrong, but I sure could. It took six years for my Mother to convince my Father not to put me up for adoption!

My Dad decided that he had to break the schnide, and decided to take me to a game. The game was a Friday night against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 18th, and it would be just him and me. I was hyper all week, going to my first game, seeing the team live for the first time. This was a great time, and marvelous moment in my young life! No black and white TV, no sir, pure live Dodgers!

We take the overhead El, change to and underground subway train and arrive, emerging from under the network of sewers, water mains, electrical and gas conduits. I immediately see the rotunda of Ebbets Field, as we enter and Dad gives his ticket, we climb the ramp and use the catwalk to our seats behind home plate. I’m immediately struck by the green expanse, magnified in color by the lights for the night game, the clean white chalk lines and bases, and most of all: my Dodgers, in their snow white uniforms, with the red numbers under the chest and the black shiny spiked shoes. Surrounding this magnificent edifice is a red clay substance to frame the field of play.

The game begins and before you know it, the Cardinals are pitching a shutout, Stan the Man Musial hits one over the right field wall onto Bedford Avenue, Jackie Robinson gets a hit, falls asleep at 2nd base and fails to score on a base hit!

We lose the game; it is a long and quiet ride back to the old homestead. Pop is not too happy, and I’m beginning to think maybe he’s trying to outrun me home, so I get lost and can’t find my way! But no, it was just that he was slightly perturbed and just wanted to get home.

Later that year, sometime in August he took me with some friends and found the solution to the schnide, bring Tessie! Yes, bring Tessie and my curse would be broken!

We play the Cincinnati Redlegs, with Big Ted Kluszuski tagging one into the left field stands where we were sitting.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout
But there is some joy in Mudville—mighty Tessie has won out.

And so the curse was broken!