Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
There aren’t any days on the sports calender that bring the excitement that MLB Opening Day brings. For fans of all 30 baseball teams, Opening Day is the start of a new beginning and the end of the long offseason that seems to drag on forever. On Opening Day, fans have that comfort that for the next seven months, there will be baseball on just about every day until the last game of the World Series.
Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith seemingly shares that same love for Opening Day, as he is trying to get President Barack Obama to declare the start of the MLB season a national holiday. Some people probably think Smith is nuts and that a day on the sports calender has no right to be declared a national holiday, but I love this. I’ve said for years that three days should be declared holidays: Opening Day, the day after the Super Bowl (how many people really go to work after the long night that ensues on Super Bowl Sunday?) and the first day of March Madness.
First of all, it makes total sense to make these all holidays. Tons of people take off work and school for Opening Day, the start of March Madness, and the day following the “Big Game.” Let’s just make it so people can take off without having to use up a sick day or a vacation day. It makes it easier on all of us.
Opening Day signifies the beginning of the most American sport of all, baseball. If we’re going to call it “America’s Pastime,” let’s make it so America can pass time by watching their favorite baseball team on the day that the season begins. It makes too much sense for this not to become a thing that actually happens. Oh, and please folks, don’t take this too seriously. Let’s just have fun with something for a change.
If Smith is able to get at least 100,000 signatures within 30 days, the Obama administration would have to at least review the Hall of Fame shortstop’s request. Obviously, the chances of this actually happening don’t seem all that high, but it would certainly be cool if it does come to fruition.
So, what do you all think? Should Opening Day really be considered a national holiday? I vote yes.
Zach Morrison is a Pirates writer at www.Rantsports.com. You can follow him on Twitter, add him as a friend on Facebook, and add him to your circles on Google+.
Related:
Petition to Make MLB’s Opening Day a National Holiday is a Great Idea
