Beisbol

In a rare fit of creative blogging impulse... and because we just missed the superbowl... I´m going to tell you all about the fantastic sports event that I´m sure you all missed out on in the States: the Venezuelan World Series!!

First of all, there are eight teams here in Venezuela: the Tiburones (Sharks)from La Guaira, the Leones (Lions) from Caracas, Tigres (Tigers) from Aragua, Cardenales (Cardinals) from Lara, the Navegantes (Navigators) from Magallanes, Águilas (Eagles)from Zulia, Caribes (Caribs... a tribe from the Caribbean) from Anzoátegui, and Bravos (Braves) from Margarita. I only know of two people who aren´t Magallaneros (fans of the Magallanes) or Caraquistas (fans of Caracas). Pastor Ceferino is a Tiburones fan and Chino or Johnny who proposed to Gladys in front of the congregation is a Cardinales fan.

Second of all, they don´t call it the World Series because whoever wins the series goes on to play the winning-est teams from Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. It´s just called the national baseball finals essentially. This year, the two final teams were the Leones (Lions) from Caracas and the Navegantes (Navigators) from Magallanes. These two teams are bitter rivals. It would be as if the Red Sox played the Yankees in the World Series except that practically no one supports any other teams here.

Third, It was all anyone would talk about for the first two weeks we were here, and whichever team won, the next day, fans of that team would dress up in their team´s jerseys, t-shirts, or ball caps. I´m talking everywhere, on the street, to school, to work, to church, everywhere. Hoo boy, and the night they won! Good grief. Gun fire, spontaneous parades of cars laying on their horns, stereo systems BLARING the theme songs (yes, there are various especially for Caracas)of whoever won. Keep in mind that these are all night games. It´s a party.

Fourth, the baseball vocab is fun... and easy. Homerun: homron. Inning: ining. Lots of words just spoken with a slightly tilted accent.

all for now. I¨m out of time.