A Mariner's Daughter and Baseball

My father Antonio was a merchant marine seaman and trolled the waters of the world for over fifty years.  He sacrificed his time with us to support us and we hardly saw him.  He was always at sea.  My mother always kept his spirit alive by talking about him and he consistently wrote letters home to my mother, sister and me.

I missed him but, when he came home I also wondered when he would be leaving again.  Why?  Baseball.  My father usually took his vacation in the summertime and was home for about a month before he picked up another ship.  We only had one television.  A black and white; and guess who watched it?  My father.  He loved the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Forget about watching cartoons and other favorite shows.

My father's home was his castle.  When he came home, he came home to rest.  He worked very hard to take care of us and baseball was his one respite.  So we endured every summer knowing what was coming.  Baseball.  Love you pai!