By DAVID EPPS
Pastor

On Oct. 2, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked a question in a front-page article. The question posed in the article's headline was, "Does Atlanta Care About the Braves?"

Although I am a lone, solitary voice amidst the millions, I will give my own, personal answer: "NO!" My disaffection with the Atlanta Braves and with major league baseball in general began several years ago and has finally blossomed into full-blown apathy.

It wasn't always this way. My wife and I were in the stands way up in the nosebleed section when Atlanta, who just the season before was one of the very worst teams in all baseball, clinched the division title at home. The stands rocked with the tomahawk cheer long after the ninth inning was over. There was a magic in the air as one began to believe in the impossible. People who didn't know each other hugged and cried in disbelief and wonder. The hapless, incompetent Braves were on their way to baseball greatness. Who woudda thunk it?

Of course, shortly thereafter, ticket prices began to rise and ball players stopped signing autographs. Then came the awful strike and the shameful spectacle of young millionaires demanding more money and, by refusing to play, punishing the very fans who enabled their livelihood. The truth was out there for all to see baseball was just a business and the games were mere products. Somehow, the mystery, the glory, the honor the downright fun left the game.

I stopped going to the ballpark. I stopped buying major league baseball products. I even stopped watching the games on television, except during the playoffs. Even then, I really didn't care about the games or who won or lost. Suddenly, the Braves against the Dodgers seemed too much like Pepsi against Coca-Cola. I simply didn't care. All of the talk about another strike during this current season finished off what little interest there was.

Did you know that in 2001, Mo Vaughn of the Anaheim Angels earned $13,166,667 even though he was on the disabled list? Derek Jeter of the Yankees made $12,600,000 and he was on the disabled list too. Wilson Alvarez of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays earned a cool $9,000,000 and, yep, he was on the disabled list. Rangers player Alex Rodriguez was paid $22,000,000 and, believe it or not, he was not on the disabled list.

But there were lots of guys who made over $10,000,000 to play baseball and, as far as I can tell, the lowest paid players still made $200,000 a year, more than most physicians. Compare that with what the real heroes the police officers, firefighters, and military personnel make defending society. Did you know that a private in the military will make $13,272 a year? Or that new firefighters in Atlanta earn about $26,500? Or that Atlanta police recruits make a whopping $27,031 to face death every day? And these people actually do something that matters!

Now I'm not opposed to people making lots of money. Hey, it's America. Knock yourself out. But I do want to go off in a corner and retch when I hear about people who have very little education much less, generally, than professional football or basketball players who, year after year, moan and whine about how unfairly they are treated when they make gadzillions of dollars playing a game they love. Grow up.

I haven't watched a single inning on television this year. I don't know and don't care who is what in which division. I'll watch the History Channel, or Fox News, or even the Weather Channel before I invest hours in watching ungrateful millionaires, who have forgotten the lowly fans, play a game that has become cheapened by the unbridled greed of its participants.

Last season, I happened by one of the local high schools as a baseball game was commencing. I pulled into the parking lot, paid the couple of bucks admission, and watched these 16- to 18-year olds give it their all. I bought a hot dog and soft drink, leaned back on the hard benches and had one whale of a time watching a contest that still seemed innocent and pure.

I love baseball. At one time, I loved major league baseball. But not now, not today. Does Atlanta care about the Braves? I can only speak for myself. And, no, I couldn't care less.

David Epps is rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church in the Coweta/Fayette County area of south metro Atlanta. He may be contacted at FatherDavidEpps@aol.com or at www.ctkcec.org.

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