I watched the last few innings of the Nationals-Cubs game last night after we got home from a concert. Our boys lost, 10-9, after leading Chicago 8-0 for much of the game. They have been playing so well lately. It's heartening to see.
Besides the frustrating turn of events near the end of the game, I noticed the large number of people wearing Cubs colors in the stands. When Philadelphia comes to town, it's a sea of Phillies supporters. Now, you can suppose that Philadelphia fans can drive down to watch their team play on the road, but Chicago is a little far to come for a game. I suppose there are baseball fanatics who follow their team literally, but I think it's more likely that this area has a lot of fans of other teams because there are a lot people from other places. (I know, I am a sociological genius.) The players are not easily distracted, but they say having a number of people cheering for the other team while they're in their home park does make a difference.
It used to be said that in this area everybody was from some place else, largely because of the military and government presence. I don't think that is as true as it used to be because we have a large number of natives, but it's true enough to make a difference in the makeup of the crowd at home sports events. Some say it also accounts for our massive traffic jams when it snows. I think the number of hills and the frequent wetness of the snow also contribute to traffic snarls, but a lot of people don't know how to drive in the snow because they're from places that don't have snow.
Nonetheless, diversity is a reflection of the world we live in, whether it's someone from another culture or another American city. We can learn so much from each other. I just wish "outlanders" didn't make as much of a difference for the home team.
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