Major League Callup

In the midst of my sports-related adventures last week for my birthday, I got an unexpected phone call on March 3rd.  This was the day after my exhausting (but fun) birthday, and I was home and not subbing that day (normally I don't like not subbing, but that day I needed to sleep!).  It turned out to be a good thing I wasn't working, because if I had been, I wouldn't have answered the phone call.  Normally I don't answer calls from numbers I am not familiar with, but since this was a 216 number (Cleveland area code), I figured it might be a call from someone involved with This is Kirtland! since many people in that area have 216 numbers.  At first I wasn't sure what to think and thought maybe it was some ad or something.  Well, imagine my surprise when the caller identified himself as being from the Cleveland Indians!  As soon as he said that, I pretty much knew why he was calling.

Well, to make a long story short, I'll be singing the national anthem at the Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox game in Cleveland on April 5th.  It's a night game and it's the Tribe's second series of the season, so who knows what the weather will be like.  When I got off the phone I was SOOOOO excited.  I have been sending recordings to the Indians for YEARS and was always too late and have always wanted to sing the anthem at a Major League event.  Geez, I've been wanting to do that since I was in middle school!  This year I got recordings sent off in early February (instead of early March last year) and at least for the Indians, it paid off.  I also sent recordings to Cincinnati, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, New York (Mets), and Chicago (Cubs).  If I had to choose one, of course I'd choose the Indians since they're my favorite team and are the closest, but I'm a baseball fan (particularly baseball architecture!) and love singing, so I'd be happy and thrilled to sing at any of the places I mentioned too.

Picture I took from a game last year that shows where I'll
be singing from!

I also sent a recording to the Akron Aeros, and just like last year I was contacted the next day (no surprise since our mail has to go to Akron anyway).  I was soooo excited to sing for them last year, as it was my first time singing for a professional sporting event and I am excited to sing again this year on April 22nd, which is also Good Friday AND Earth Day.  That is a day game (3:00 PM) if you'd like to go!  My blog post from that game talked a little about sending recordings out to the Major League teams that I did last year.  I ended up sending recordings to the Cavs and Browns last year, but never heard back. This year, in addition to the Indians and Aeros, I haven't formally heard from any of the teams.  Baltimore sent me the standard reply (Baltimore was first to reply and that's because everything is done electronically, even the recordings) and I got an e-mail from the New York Mets inviting me to their "Mets Idol" competition at Citi Field.  As much as I'd love to, I sent the recording because I can't get to New York right now or even more than once this year.  Give me a specific day to sing and I'll be there :).  Hoping to hear from the other teams I sent recordings to as well.

Initially, I decided to take the April 26th game against the Royals (I was given 3 choices: April 5th, 7th, or 26th), but I talked to my dad right after that and he had something going on that he was going to get out of, but in looking at the schedule and seeing the Red Sox on the 5th, I figured it would not only probably work better for him (and possibly others) to take the 5th, but there would likely be a bigger crowd at Progressive Field for the game against the Red Sox than the Royals.  The 7th is a day game, so I will need to work and friends and family wouldn't be able to come either for the same reason.  Anyway, for me, the bigger the crowd, the better!  Whenever Kent State asks me which game I want to sing at, I always take the Akron game if it's available because I know it will have the biggest crowd.  Thankfully, the Indians were able to accommodate my request since I pretty much did so within 30 minutes of the initial call.

I'm definitely looking forward to this.  Hopefully the weather cooperates and we have a large crowd for the game and friends and family can come.  I also hope this can serve as a catalyst for more singing opportunities!