Tonight, Pete and I went to a Mat-Su Mariners game; me, because after last weekend, I felt a connection to this team. College age players are brought up here from the Lower 48 – they stay in host homes and all summer, play ball. All have aspirations, which involve someday playing major league ball. For these players, spending the summer in Palmer, Alaska is step sideways.

I’d only once been to a ball game; this was in Milwaukee – I saw the Milwaukee Brewers play. They were so behind that we all left early. I recall that it was a very boring game.

Baseball is a slow and easy game, which is why it is not as popular as it used to be. I was reminded of this tonight. My vision isn’t all that great, which is why I couldn’t read the scoreboard. Plus, the announcer didn’t provide any game details, just the names of the hometown players.

I was immediately impressed with the high degree of athleticism of the players. When I mentioned this to Pete, he said that this was because they’d been playing ball, most likely with Little League teams, since they were five years old. I then made an analogy to Olympic skiers, whose parents get them out on the slopes at age three.

I asked Pete a lot of questions during the nine-inning game, again because, while I’m a visionary, I have poor vision. I’d focus on one thing and miss another. Pete, he takes it all in. And he knows all the rules.

The Mat-Su Miners lost to the Glacier pilots, 4-1. One guy hit the ball over the adjacent fence and made a home run. This was very impressive.

When you have two teams pitted against one another, it is easy to see the other team as being substandard. I was this way until this evening.

We had brought several of baseball boxes with us, which we figured we’d distribute at the game’s end. And so, at the game’s end, Pete asked me if we should attempt to pass them out. I said no that I didn’t think that those in attendance would be interested in these books. I added that if Pete wanted to distribute them, that I’d go along with the program. In the back of my mind, I also thought that one of the Rasmuson grant provisions was that we would use the vehicle exclusively for book distribution. Up until this point in time we’ve been true to our word. Tonight turned out to be no exception.

We got in the car and reparked it near the gate. Pete got out in the road and began telling those walking and driving that we had free books. At first, there were no takers. Then two things happened. I ran out and gave him some books. And I set the books in the rear hatch in such a way that people could see and sort through them.

Build it and they will come. All the sudden, there were a handful of people, checking out the books. They were primarily Glacier Pilot team and aficionados. These individuals, like those at the pancake breakfast, were glad to get the books. And they were blown away by the fact they were free.

Lesson learned: When rooting for one team, keep in mind that the other team has its attributes, which may be similar to those of the original team.

Next: 213. 8/5/23: The Final Day of Good Weather