(jrb, this one’s for you)

It’s a beautiful day for a ballgame,
For a ballgame to-day.
The fans are out to get a ticket or two
From Walla Walla Washington to Kalamazoo.

It’s a beautiful day for a home run,
But even a triple’s OK.
We’re going to cheer, and boo
And raise a hullabaloo
At the ballgame to-day.

“And a very pleasant afternoon to you wherever you may be.” That was the way Vin Scully joined us for Dodger baseball ever day over the radio of our youth, and hearing that song and that voice, you just knew everything was going to be OK. The promise was especially rich in spring, on a warm afternoon from Vero Beach to the suburbs east of L.A., where I grew up.

So I got my start time for Sunday’s Record Challenge Time Trial, 8:37 a.m., and I’m nervous as hell. I know to do well I have to cut the edge off of that first five minutes on the bike, to find a way to get my rhythm and keep my heart from exploding from nerves rather than genuine effort. I hit on that song. Riding is rhythm, and I almost always end up with a song stuck in my head. Let’s pick a song that’s crisp and up tempo in a happy way. What better than Vin Scully and a beatiful spring afternoon with the promise that it’s a beatiful day for a ballgame.

Let’s go.
Batter up.
We’re taking the afternoon off….