Take me out to the ball game!

My dad was considered a “ladies man”, but the man did not understand ladies! So growing up with a man who did not have sisters and barely knew much about women was…difficult. When my mom met my dad, she was a single mom to my sister who was ten at the time. My dad really did not know how to deal with women, especially girls. So when I came, it was a challenge for my dad. Of course he was happy to have a daughter and he even named me, however he did not know much about raising a daughter. While we had our ups and downs as a little girl, there was one way my father and I bonded: watching sports.

As far back as I was two, my father would “watch” me while watching the 49ers play. When my mom would have to work at the salon, my dad would have me sit next to him while watching either the niners or raiders playing, even though he is the niners fan. I remember that one of the first times he was watching the game, he would yell “Aww Shit!” and I picked up on that and said it at a dinner party when I dropped food. It was embarrassing and funny, but at the time that was what I picked up when I watched sports. As the years went by, I began to focus a little more on the ball game(s).

The first time I attended a game with my dad was when he, my uncles and cousins attended the SF Giants baseball game back in 2006. It was very hot…and very boring, but he enjoyed it and my father spoiled me rotten and would always do things for me that he probably did not want to do like when I did his hair. Even though it was a long game, watching my dad and his dad together made me want to understand and eventually have that bond that he had with his dad. So, I began to be more invested in sports.

I began watching football with my dad in high school. It was not boring, but I barely understood the game at the time. Surprisingly, he was very patient explaining the rules of the game. The more he explained the game, the more I loved watching football…just not the 49ers. I liked the Raiders better and the Saints. He was not mad nor did he care that I liked the two teams. I began to become more invested in watching football. It was then that I decided to surprise my dad and bought him tickets to the new 49ers stadium. We took pictures of the stadium and in front of the stadium, we toured the museum and we watched the preseason game against their rival Dallas Cowboys. While the game meant nothing, it meant everything to me to have that memory. Then the football season ended. Now what? Dad cared about watching basketball.

Basketball was fast paced and I really didn’t (and still don’t understand) basketball. However, he was really vested in this. Why? Well it was 2015 and being that we are in the Bay Area, we had the Golden State Warriors in the playoffs. Like football, I began to watch basketball. However, I barely understood the game and just watched it with my dad. When they won the NBA championship, we were ecstatic! We already had a championship with SF Giants in 2014, now Warriors in 2015 with a championship?! It was a great time in the Bay Area. Of course, we will skip 2016 since it was a devastating and traumatic experience. However, I did something that I was proud of: I bought my dad and me 2017 Western FInals tickets. He was very happy and enjoyed himself watching the game. I continued to buy him playoff tickets and we would go to the games together, not just to watch but to bond.

Whether basketball, baseball, or football, my dad and I will watch and enjoy the game(s). Whether on the couch or in the stands. What is ironic is that my dad and I will literally watch the games in absolute silence; whether it is for 10 hours watching Sunday football or a few hours watching basketball or baseball. Looking back, all I could think about is how as a little girl we would butt heads because we just never understood each other nor did we have anything in common. Now, we have a way better relationship and we have something that we both enjoy! I love my dad and he is someone that I will always value. As we watch and wait tooth and nail for the finals to end (Go Warriors!), all I can think of is how he is the definition of a good father.

To my dad: I love you, now take me out to the ball game(s)!