My addiction has been a lifelong struggle.
As most who spend any considerable amount of time near or around me know, the pin drop where my heart should be located was, very early in life, consumed by a cowhide-covered baseball.
And akin to the Grinch, if you put me in a position where my day-to-day activities are encompassed by something I hold an unwavering passion for (in this case, the round ball), my heart, much like the infamous Suessian character's ticker, tends to grow three sizes too big.
Give me the opportunity to dissect the game, analyze a play, debate a trending topic or simply weasel my way into a conversation about America’s pastime, and you’ll usually have a trying time shutting me up.
So when the powerful media publisher I work for laid out the blueprints for a uniquely-scoped editorial program centered on the game I love, I, of course, sprinted toward the opportunity faster than Craig Counsell rounding third in game seven of the 1997 World Series.
In a nutshell and to better explain the program, one of our many publications, Motorcyclist Magazine, is taking part in a vast editorial campaign where our staff and a number of its readers will ride 2017 model year Harley-Davidson motorcycles to and from several of the most definitive Major League Baseball stadiums in the Northeast and Midwest.
The two-week long trek begins Aug. 26 in Boston's Fenway Park, and will subsequently stop at some of baseball's most beloved stadiums, including: Yankee Stadium, Citizens Bank Park, Camden Yards, PNC Park, Wrigley Field, U.S. Cellular Field and Miller Park.
Joining us is former Major League slugger Ron Kittle, who baseball enthusiasts may remember as the prolific power hitter who captured the 1983 American League Rookie of the Year award. Kittle, a habitual Harley connoisseur, was also a member of the ’83 AL All-Star squad, who helped the White Sox nab the AL West Championship with a 99-63 regular season record. Kittle hammered a-then White Sox rookie record 35 home runs that season (later surpassed by Jose Abreu) and also drove in 100 runs. He followed up his ROY campaign with 32 homers in 1984 and went on to play 10 full seasons in the big leagues.
While the focus of our expedition is, of course, on our magazine’s editorial outlines, I thought I’d put my personal website to good use by specifically focusing on the journey from a diamond to diamond perspective. I’ll share stories of the stadiums we visit, the retired player(s) we meet, and attempt to capture the true essence of this once-in-a-lifetime baseball experience.
Check back for updates throughout the trip, as I will also share the sites, sounds and surroundings of the iconic cities we visit.
-- John
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