First in war, first in peace, and last in the National League East

I woke up early yesterday to the bright sunshine of a glorious baseball day singing through my window. The usual slowness with which I drag myself out of bed each morning had dissipated with the sudden realization that it was a baseball day, and I would not have to suffer the drab confines of the cubicle cell in which I am incarcerated on a daily basis. It was early, but my excitement carried me to the ballpark two hours before game time. I sat on the steps of the Armory, drinking coffee and watching a steady flow of people adorned with Nats attire and appreciative smiles. Yes, it was a perfect day for baseball, not a cloud in the sky, not a chill in the air.

I finally entered the ballpark around 11:30, just in time to see David Wright, the second best third baseman in the majors, hitting bombs out of the cage as snipers looked on. The secret service dotted the crowd, but there were none of those invasive security procedures that plagued us last year and caused many people to miss the first pitch. Either the Nats learned from last year, or they just don't care about Dick. Judging from the hearty round of boos thundering throughout the stadium as he was announced, the latter seems to make more sense.

I bought my first beer at 11:30, and I felt like I was the first person in the ballpark to buy one. Beer in the morning? Hey, it's baseball!

To the person who cut in front of me at the souvenir stand, where I bought an Opening Day baseball, I say I hope beer was spilled on your head!

By the second inning, the concession stand near where I was sitting had run out of hotdogs. Seriously. I understand how they could run out last year, being the first season and all, but this year there is no excuse for not stocking enough hotdogs for a BASEBALL game!

By the fourth inning, the beer stands around my section had run out of cups. Not beer, just cups. I brought my cup for a couple refills. It seems like I was the first person who thought of it, because one guy was telling people he was closed since he had no cups. Soon after, the line was filled with people holding empty glasses with perplexed looks on their faces.

About the eighth inning, when even the irrational believers lost all hope, a group of fairly drunken guys started cheering, saying some rather funny things. However, some grinch of a woman turned around and told them to sit down. It's a BASEBALL game, for chrissakes. You are SUPPOSED to cheer, even if your team is losing. It looked as if she were a season ticket holder. If she's going to have an attitude like that, it's going to be an even longer season for her than the rest of us.

As far as the game went, Chris at Capitol Punishment has a good game recap. He and I share the belief that the best part about the game was Cheney's appearance.

An odd observation: The National Air Traffic Controllers Association had ads up in left and right field. Seems strange for a union to advertise at a ballpark, but hey, anything is possible in Washington, DC. Except a decent outing in the home opener.

Next up: Nats vs. Pedro. I will be at this game, too! I'm rooting for Pedro to get beaned.