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For the next couple of days, thanks to a little thing known as the G-20, Pittsburgh is the center of the universe. I am lucky enough to live right here, in the City of Champions. I moved here for a job 12 years ago and ended up meeting my husband. While there are other places I love, my family is here for the long haul, raising a couple of little Yinzers along the way. I hope the protesters let the world see this great city in all its glory but I have a feeling the media would rather show you Greenpeace folks dangling from a bridge and the massive police presence.

One of my kids is a baseball fan. It’s in half of his genes. He enjoys all sports, both to watch and to play, but baseball is in his blood. This is lucky for us, since Penguins tickets are insanely expensive and Steeler tickets are just impossible unless you know someone (and as of very recently I do, a very cool guy with a really, really big ring…I’m so working on it).

Pirate tickets, on the other hand, are given away freely. At one game I spun a little wheel and they handed me two tickets for the game of my choice. I subscribed to the Symphony and they sent me four tickets. It helps that the ballpark is spectacular. Fenway is a cathedral, no doubt about it, but I will put PNC Park up against any of the newer parks. It’s fantastic and incredibly fan friendly. In a way, the whole experience is a little like AAA ball. (And some would argue, the team is AAA caliber too.) They go out of their way to get butts in the seats (not working) and be entertaining. The mascots launch hot dogs between innings (catch yourself some meat!). There’s the famous Pierogi Races. Every Sunday is Kid’s Day so kids get something like a glove or batting helmet when they come in the gate and they have the opportunity to run the bases after the game. What kid wouldn’t eat that up with a spoon?

So baseball is cheap AND easy, my little yinzer loves it and he’s learning some valuable life lessons. He doesn’t cry when they lose, which is often. He also doesn’t cry when his favorite player is traded, which is also often. I have stopped buying him t-shirts with any names or numbers on the back since the players come and go. And go. And go. And go.

After a record 17 consecutive losing seasons, I am starting to doubt that my kid will ever see a winning season for the Pirates, let alone a World Series contender. It’s a very good thing we also have our Red Sox.

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