Batman v. Superman

Sally had a hard time understanding why Batman would fight Superman. I have no answer, other than it sells tickets. (Although, apparently, not many.)  And I have an even harder time wrapping my head around this:

I didn't grow up cheering for the Kansas City Royals; I grew up living the Kansas City Royals. I dressed up as Steve Busby for Halloween, I trembled when George Brett strode to the plate, and when I shouted "Hit a homer, Mayberry!" I knew John (Sr.) could hear. I learned about grief in the bottom of the 9th, game five, 1976 American League Championship Series. Chris Chambliss hit a walk-off home-run against Royals closer Mark Littell, and as I sobbed in bed that night, useless tickets at hand for a Royals World Series game that would never be played, I discovered a new level of hate for the Yankees. Years later the bat and ball from that injustice came up for auction. I considered buying them and burning them in the fireplace to exorcise my demons, and I just might have done so if I had had any expectation that it would work.

Washington is now home. We saw the Nats struggle during the early days at RFK stadium and continue to struggle through the early years at Nats park. We watched their glorious rise in 2012, right up until the 9th inning of game five of the National League Division Series against the Cardinals, when, well, see grief, Chambliss et al. While the Nats have not brought a parade to Washington, they have more wins since 2011 than any team in baseball except those Cardinals. It would be churlish at this point to not support the Nats heart and soul.

We have in our household fantasized about a Nats-Royals World Series, about the party we would throw to celebrate wild, improbable success, although it's not as improbable as it used to be. Perhaps this is the year we will be able to put up a tent in the yard, invite everyone we know for Ben's chili dogs and Kansas City barbecue, and cheer every play as two recently awful teams compete at the highest level for the championship.

Meanwhile, however, we have a problem. The Nats are in Kansas City tonight for a routine series -- routine in that it's inter-league play early in the season, but even so, both teams will have to fight hard to stay in contention for the playoffs, both teams need these wins, and someone has to lose.

Batman and Superman cannot fight to a draw this time. And personally, I just can't watch. So I have declared a baseball moratorium in the household for the next three nights. We shall read, talk, or most likely, bury our heads in our phones, but we shall not watch baseball. Or at least I won't. Sally and the girls are also Nats and Royals fans, but I am apparently the only one who is neurotic about it, and my household declarations about this-or-that tend to be a little ephemeral anyway. I look forward to the resumption of summer on Thursday.