Opening Day Memories And Traditions

by puckishcubsfan on Apr 5, 2009 5:31 PM CDT

First anyone have any opening day traditions?

I have a few.

Tonight I will pop in a CD which is a mix of songs I always play the night before

They are

Here Comes the Sun
A Summer Wind

Opening Day (by Terry Cashman)

What A Wonderful World

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Go Cubs Go

Fly Me to the Moon

For the home opener we always have a big family breakfast before heading down to the game. Ever since I was a little kid. We say a little prayer for a good season and good luck and head down.

Favorite Memories:

Opening Day 1998 the first one after Harry.

2003 the day after it was cancelled due to 7 inches of snow. (looks like the same fate awaits the evil southsiders tomorrow).

The return of Ryno in 1996

Tuffy Rhodes 3 homers in 1994.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

Tweet Comment 18 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Dome's homerun last year

They did end up losing that game, but that park went nuts. It was cool while it lasted.

"Check the magic of a winning season and there are always reasons beyond the talent." Ned Colleti

by wrigleyrocker12 on Apr 5, 2009 6:10 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

Best loss I've ever seen.

The bar I was at in DSM last year went absolutely nuts.

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Apr 5, 2009 8:03 PM CDT up reply actions

As did the ballpark.

If that’d have been a walkoff, the park might have fallen down.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Apr 6, 2009 12:22 AM CDT up reply actions

I can only imagine.

It was that day I promised myself to never miss opening day (in person) again.

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Apr 6, 2009 8:45 AM CDT up reply actions

i just got goosebumps thinking about that

dont know whether it was the moment or thinking of the cold rain for 4 hrs

by dahcar on Apr 6, 2009 7:53 AM CDT up reply actions

look at my picture!

that was my first bleacher game and that was by FAR the most exciting moment I experienced up until that point. By far because it felt like a miracle had happened and also because I was sitting right behind the Fukudome banner the fans made and helped me also get on ESPN. If that was a walk off HR I probably would have had a heart attack from too much excitement.
I felt a similar “miracle experience” later that year when I was at the game Soto hit the miracle homer in but that time, the Cubs won.

"Oh baby!" - Len Casper

by #1 iowan cubs fan on Apr 7, 2009 3:29 AM CDT up reply actions

Seeing

Walter Payton make his last public appearance, throwing out the opening pitch in 1999

Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.

by Cubbie-Tim on Apr 5, 2009 6:47 PM CDT reply actions

6 pack of Old Style.

I’m a sucker for the Cubs cans.

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Apr 5, 2009 8:04 PM CDT reply actions

A few of my favorites:

Fukudome’s home run last year is probably my all-time favorite. I was at Harry Caray’s Tavern and needless to say, the place went absolutely crazy. Before last year:

1989: Mitch Williams enters the game with a one-run lead, loads the bases with no outs, then strikes out the side to win the game.

1996: Ryne Sandberg’s first at bat gets a huge standing ovation, then he crushes a sure home run ball straight into the teeth of a vicious wind blowing straight in, and the ball barely makes it to the warning track. Harry Caray even went into his home run call….“There’s a drive, way back, it might be…..ahhhh, not today.” Most exciting routine fly ball I may have ever seen.

1998: Dutchie Caray sings the seventh-inning stretch, followed by Gary Pressey playing “Amazing Grace” on the organ.

"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004

by ctcoff99 on Apr 6, 2009 1:35 AM CDT reply actions

I watched Bull Durham and the Rookie this weekend.

The day we lose our will to fight - Is the day we lose our Freedom.

by sanantonecub on Apr 6, 2009 2:59 AM CDT reply actions

It's not wooly...women don't get wooly...

"Let it begin! Let it begin!" ~ Rhino

by daver on Apr 6, 2009 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions

Just a few

Make official beer switch from Guinness Draught & Stout to Old Style (in cans). This has to occur between the season opener (if on road) to home opener. If they open at home, it has to be from the time they leave AZ until the home (season) opener.

New one: Go see Greenie and Golic at Murphy’s for the home opener.

One I used to do but will wait at least a couple weeks this year: Change ring tone from “Here come the Hawks” to “Hey hey, holy mackeral”.

Most memorable (though not the best memories): 2003 snow out & 2004 Maddog return. 2003: Seeing Bobcat’s clear snow off the OF grass on TV’s in bars around the park, then going out up close to see the mountains of snow outside the friendly confines. 2004: Though a first pitch “wind chill” announcement really made it feel like I was at a Bears game there 35 years earlier. Then they got blown out by the Bucs 13-2.

Except for this year: Plan for my first trip of the new year to Wrigley. This year, it occurred on January 1st.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Apr 6, 2009 8:04 AM CDT reply actions

Tradition with me is to drink Old Style and watch the Cubs

along with all other teams and eat hotdogs. My Friend and I choose one hot dog each year from a different park and have that for lunch , snacks, and dinner. only 29 more years and we will have eatne every hot dog at every park, unless they add or delete teams in that timeframe.

by ThisOldCub18 on Apr 6, 2009 9:03 AM CDT reply actions

my first opening day was not even a cubs game

I was living in St Petersburg and The Rays were in their inagural season, I remember the energy being fantastic, unfortunately attendance dropped after that game, we went to the White Sox games a couple days later and attendance was dismal. My first Cubs home opener was last year, I bought my tickets 5 days before the game, paid 130 for 6 tickets in the upperdeck ( guess i was incredibly lucky that day). Loved the experience and will go to another opener someday

by truthaddict11 on Apr 6, 2009 9:28 AM CDT reply actions

early-mid 70's

hebner and stargell go deep in the first.

brickhouse, “oh, brother!”

by tim815 on Apr 6, 2009 9:53 AM CDT reply actions

I used to go to Opening Day every year...

…in whatever city I happened to be living in. Saw Tom Seaver throw a masterpiece at Shea in 1974, but the most entertaining was at Fenway in 1981, when Carlton Fisk made his first appearance after leaving the Red Sox and drilled a game-winning 2-run homer in the 8th. The crowd reaction was really funny – a lot of people honestly couldn’t decide whether to cheer for Pudge or boo. The boos eventually won out, but I seem to recall it took a while.

"[I]f we get a Jumbotron, I can't pull the instant replay thing on all the rookies. Every time there's a good play, we're like, 'Oh, look at the replay,' and you get the rookies to look at the scoreboard." - Ryan Dempster, 2 January 2009

by CaughtInTheVines on Apr 6, 2009 10:21 AM CDT reply actions

I wore my Cubs hat for the first time all year today.

Braved the mid-30s cold on the train platform this morning. Uh, have my DVR set, too. Otherwise, I’m stuck at work as usual. Just wishing everyone a Happy Opening Day.

"Let it begin! Let it begin!" ~ Rhino

by daver on Apr 6, 2009 11:15 AM CDT reply actions

Tradition Since 1998

Take the Cubs Flag out of the closet and fly it on the second floor landing overlooking the front door entry way until the last game, whenever that may be.

by JFCubFan on Apr 6, 2009 2:32 PM CDT reply actions