Whiz Wit

I attended my first live baseball game of the season today. It feels as though a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. In this day and age of high definition televisions and a dismal economy requiring many families to cut back on luxuries, going to the ballpark is no longer the top option for viewing a game. For me there is nothing that compares to attending the game live. There's so much more than just the balls and strikes on the field. The camaraderie of being in complete agreement with total strangers is a special feeling. The zany antics of the mascots and the promotions staffs to engage the fans truly makes the game an event that can transcend your attitude. The interactions between players and coaches often go unnoticed during televised broadcasts, but when you're up close and personal you get to see all that. It's what makes baseball the greatest sport in the world. If you're reading this then I need not convince you of the wonders of baseball, so instead I'll air a grievance that I encountered during my trip to the ballpark.

The game I attended was between the Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Everyone knows the staple of most Philly diets include the almighty cheese steak sandwich. Some may call it a hoagie but true Philadelphians know better. When ordering a steak sandwich you must specify what type of cheese you would like and whether or not you would like onions on your sandwich. It's a thing of beauty as the cooks chop up the meat and build this masterpiece. I always like to compare a good cheese steak to cotton candy. You don't even have to chew it, just melts in your mouth. The cheese steak sandwich pictured to the right is from Pat's King of Steaks, my cheese steak provider of choice. Unfortunately, what the cheese steak delivers in total awesomeness, it lacks in general healthiness. I devoured a steak sandwich that was just over a foot long, tossed in a few french fries and washed it down with several ice cold beers. Recently I've completely revamped my diet, personally preparing and cooking everything I eat as well as eating organic foods almost exclusively. As much as it pains me, I haven't had my beloved Taco Bell in months. I took one bite of my sandwich and realized I had completely abandoned my new healthy diet.

I was so wrapped up in the allure of the ballpark that I failed to keep my priorities in order. The game was a snoozer, with runs coming few and far between so on my way back from the facilities I decided to investigate what my healthier options could have been had I been thinking clearly. Turns out there are several healthy options including veggie and vegan substitutes for burgers and hot dogs as well as garden salads and veggie-packed sandwiches and hoagies. I asked one of the workers how well these healthy foods sell and the response was dismal. While I commend the Phillies organization for providing these options, I condemn the fans, myself included, for failing to take advantage of them. While I recognize this is America, a country that guarantees freedom to choose disgusting food, I would like to see Major League Baseball step up and mandate health reform in the concession stands. Smoking is no longer permitted in the stadium, so why should food that can contribute to your death just as easily as a cigarette be allowed?

Business will dictate that the greasier foods sell better but my contention is that people will not starve. If they are hungry they will eat and if the only options are healthy options then they will eat the healthy foods. We watch athletes who are in supreme physical condition, yet we view them from a stagnant position indulging in foods that will only further ensure we never become the players we adore. Time and time again, Americans have proved that given the ability to make a decision, we will inevitably make the wrong one. Let's remove the decision making and make our health a top priority. It sounds radical but people are able to adapt and adjust at incredible speed. Sooner or later it will just become the norm. The amount of children that attend these games is tremendous and the example we are setting is disastrous. Teach them the right way to treat your body and those little fans will one day become the teachers. My next tickets are for the May 2nd game against the Mets and I will be eating a veggie wrap at that game. Change starts one person at a time. Will you be next?