When you walk down the hall, you can hear the echo of the Phillies & Yankees game playing on TV. It’s always great to see people interested in the sport games. I’m a Phillies fan, so it was very exciting to see the Phillies clinch the division.
Watching them play the Dodgers probably confirmed people’s thoughts that our baseball team is really good. We sat comfortably knowing that they made it to the World Series again this year. People were looking for the team to “rePeat” what they did last year.
I’m also a Yankees fan. For me, it was the best World Series, next to last year’s of course. When the Yanks clinched the division, against the Boston Red Sox no less, I was thrilled. It was nerve wracking to watch the Yanks play the Angels to advance onto the World Series.
I didn’t think I’d be so spilt between who I wanted to win the World Series. I’ve always liked the Phillies and being in West Chester, people here are mostly Phillies fans if anything. I felt at home with other fans talking baseball.
Of course being a Yankees fan provided a different angle of conversation. It depended on if they were a fan of the Yankees or not. The serious comments that are not in favor of the Yankees were expected with the territory of liking the opposing team. My friends gave me a hard time just because they could. It was all in good fun and friendly. I can’t give them a hard time about the Phillies, obliviously because I’m a fan too.
I’m glad that this year, the school made the effort to get people to come together to watch the baseball game. I realize that not everyone watches baseball or likes it. I’ve heard people say that they wouldn’t have known that the Phillies were in the World Series if they didn’t hear people talking about it. During last year’s celebration of the Phillies winning the World Series, my friend told me he didn’t know about the games because he doesn’t watch football. I told him I wasn’t watching football either.
In the dorms and in Sykes, the TVs were tuned in to the World Series games. Students sat together watching the game. This was such a simple way to get students together. The school was able to use the sporting event to create a social event for students.
After the consent threats that students would get expelled from school if they participated in riots, I wondered what it would be like on the night that one team took the title of the World Series. At first, I thought it could be possible that there could be a riot if the Phillies lose.
The event held in Lawrence Parking Lot D on the final game of the World Series was an event that should have been held last year as well. Sometimes people are looking for a place to go and for something to do.
West Chester wants to hold events that people will have a good time at and this can keep people out of trouble. This event was supervised by Public Safety, so there were no problems. People thought that West Chester as a campus and Borough were unprepared for the World Series last year. I’d have to agree.
Although the event was brief, it consisted of free hot-dogs, pretzels, snacks, and drinks. This beats the five dollar pretzels and, at best, dollar-dog night. A limited amount of t-shirts were thrown into the crowd as well.
When the World Series was over, students headed over to the parking lot for food and it was an opportunity to run into some friends. It almost felt like a MasterCard commercial. Seeing your friends, Phillies and Yankees fans, gather together after the game: priceless.
Ginger Rae Dunbar is a third-year student majoring in English with a minor in journalism. She can be reached at RD655287@wcupa.edu.