PEANUTS AND CRACKER JACKS
THE BEST OPENING DAYS IN BASEBALL HISTORY
Baseball’s opening day has been an American holiday of sorts since the Cincinnati Red Stockings threw out the first major league pitch in 1869. To celebrate the start of the 150th season of professional baseball, here are three of the best opening days in baseball history. On April 15, 1947, an opening-day game changed the course of Major League Baseball. On this day, Jackie Robinson started for the Brooklyn Dodgers, becoming the first African- American player to start for a major league baseball team. Robinson’s historic showing was lackluster, going 0-for-3 at the plate and making a solid showing on the infield at first base, but his mere presence in a Dodgers A NEW BEGINNING
uniform had already broken history. Despite his nationally-recognized skills — Robinson was named MVP of the MLB farm team league in 1946 — the backlash that followed his rise to the pros, both from fans and teammates, was palpable. Still, as well-known sportscaster Howard Cosell said, “Suddenly, it was a new beginning.” Considered one of the best teams in baseball history, the 1927 New York Yankees started their historic run and 25th season by dismantling the Philadelphia Athletics with a score of 8–3. The slugfest was true to form for the 1927 Yankees, whose players would go on to make up baseball’s famous “Murderers’ Row.” With sluggers like Lou Gehrig, Earle Combs, LOU, COMBS, AND BABE — OH MY!
Babe Ruth, Mark Koenig, Bob Meusel, and Tony Lazzeri, it’s no wonder this team went on to win its fifth championship that year.
THE HAMMER TIES BAMBINO
For decades, no one could match George Herman Ruth. The Great Bambino’s all-time home run record seemed like an impossible feat of strength — that is, until Henry “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron came along. On opening day, April 4, 1974, Aaron smashed his 714th homer, tying Babe Ruth for the most home runs ever hit and extending the Atlanta Braves’ shutout lead over the Cincinnati Reds. A few weeks later, Aaron surpassed Ruth’s record, prompting a standing ovation from the crowd.
ENJOY THE WATER WITHOUT FEAR SWIMMING POOL SAFETY
We probably don’t need to tell you that this is the time of year when pools begin opening en masse. What you may not know, however, is just how dangerous they can be. According to the CDC, drowning is the No. 2 cause of death for children ages 1–4; only birth defects exceed it. In an average year, there are about 10 drownings per day. These are pretty scary stats, which is why it’s so important to be safe when you head to the pool with the family. The most important step in preventing pool injuries is to get your children swimming lessons before letting them splash into the water. You may think floaties and other devices are enough, but they aren’t. Even a child tied with 1,000 buoys (don’t do this!) should be monitored by a parent if they can’t swim yet. Young children — even those adept in the water — should always be under parental supervision. Another important risk-mitigation tactic is teaching proper pool behavior. Children should never fully submerge another swimmer, even if it’s done playfully. The same goes for running
around the outside the pool. If a child falls on the pavement, suffers a concussion, and falls into the water, it’s not going to matter if they’re a mini-Michael Phelps. Sorry to paint a grisly picture, but that’s just how high the stakes are. Parents need to act with vigilance. Even if there is a lifeguard on duty, they can’t watch everyone at once. If something happens to your child, you want to be able to jump into the water immediately. You can hang out poolside if you’re confident in your child’s swimming abilities, but don’t drink or be otherwise distracted. It’s also important to never leave the pool area without your child — and to check the water first in the event you can’t find them. When it comes to drowning accidents and their impact, reaction time is everything. Sadly, not all injuries are preventable. If you or a loved one have been injured in a pool accident through no fault of your own and want to learn about how you can get justice, call our office today. We’d love to dive into your case.
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