RICHMOND, Va. -- It’s pretty much old hat now -- and if not, it certainly will be when all Major League Baseball teams begin playing every other team every season -- but interleague play was a big deal when it arrived in 1997, with never-before-seen matchups between teams that shared cities and states commanding huge media and fan attention. The effect for the Bucs was a good deal more subdued…I had never particularly pined for a Pittsburgh/KC matchup, but the return of Jeff King and Jay Bell, both traded to the Royals for Joe Randa and others in the offseason, certainly added a little spice.
At the time, I figured the new inter-league scheduling arrangement would mean I’d get to go with my long-suffering Cleveland sports fan dad to a Pirates/Indians game at some point in the future, but with me living in a different state, we just never managed to work out the timing. I often think about things like that on Fathers Day, and about how even though I did get to share a thousand cool and wonderful experiences with my dad, I wish I could do a thousand more. Hug you dad, hug your kids, heck, hug everybody, and have a great Father’s Day.
ROB ULLMAN / DKPS
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