8. Watching Sports
Take me out to the ball game...
When I was a kid in the early 90s, I wanted to be Kristi Yamaguchi. I was six-years-old when she competed in the 1992 Olympics on the same team as Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. She won the Gold for her long program. And while it was her only time in the Olympics, retiring from competition the same year, she captured the hearts of many later being inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
In an effort to become the professional figure skater I was clearly destined to be, I took lessons at the local mall. Yes, the Mall of Memphis had a skating rink in the middle! I was… fine. I could skate around but like most other activities of my youth, I didn’t stick with it long enough to become truly proficient. I’d like to think even as a child, I knew I would be far too tall and curvy for the world of professional figure skating. I was probably more annoyed that I wasn’t performing perfect triple axels by week two. I mean, come on. Doesn’t that seem like a basic skill?
I did go ice skating for the first time in a long time in 2022 and I didn’t fall once and was able to, you know, move forward without any issue once I got the hang of things again so maybe all hope is not lost.
But in general, I think it’s no surprise I don’t really care for sports. I wouldn’t say I actively dislike sports, though I do have opinions on the dangers of the NFL, the obscene salary given to grown men playing games while teachers, nurses and other essential workers are grossly underpaid, the horrific pressures put on kids to perform in hopes of becoming a professional and the disgusting inequity on all levels faced by women in athletics. While I can appreciate the high level of skill, dedication and talent shown by professional athletes, I’ve always been a bit apathetic both as a player and viewer.
Outside of gymnastics and figure skating when the Olympics come around, I don’t regularly watch any sporting events. I didn’t grow up in a family that cared for sports. The one exception being my Grandma Sue who was a huge University of Kentucky basketball fan. She lovingly referred to them as “her boys” and the only time I ever heard that southern Christian woman curse was during a game.
But my immediate family, well, we’ve always been more artsy and musical. Indoor kids if you will. We didn’t have preferred professional sports teams. There was no one team we supported passed down generation to generation. When the Super Bowl comes around, you can find me chilling with snacks and enjoying the Puppy Bowl. Because let’s be honest, one of the best parts of sports are the snacks.
However, Lizzy loves to watch sports! Baseball and tennis particularly, but she’s a fan of most games and going to sporting events. She even has a Substack, The Sportorialist, where she discusses the intersection of fashion and sports which you should definitely subscribe to.
We went to see the Mets play the Houston Astros at Citi Field. We went on Pride Night which led to an exciting game with dancers, DJ Kevin, a Chappell Roan Hot to Go cam, fireworks and the national anthem sung by Orville Peck. Oh, also, an exciting baseball game was played and the Mets won. But Orville Peck y’all! He reshared my Instagram story!
Name: Lizzy Furey
Hobby: Watching Sports (Baseball)
When did you start doing this hobby?
My dad is a gigantic Mets fan, so I definitely inherited it. My first live game, I was maybe five. My dad bought me a stuffed Mr. Met and I still have it. It was actually a crazy, exciting game. The Mets were down six runs, bottom of the 9th and managed to rally to come back and win. My parents had to be like “This was fun but not every game is like this.” Haha! I think they’ve broken the record since. So when did it start? Probably birth! My mom also enjoys watching but not as dedicated to one specific team. She loves college basketball.
How often do you do it?
Baseball season is spring/summer and a bit of fall and the problem is it’s every day, so it cuts into my movie watching and I have less time for other things. Tennis is more in spurts and I mostly watch when there are big tournaments. When I was a teen I was much more tuned in to tennis. It takes a lot of time to keep up! People keep up in much more detailed ways and I salute them. For going to Mets games, I try to go to a couple a season. It helps if they win when I go because it makes me want to go more.
Why do you think this hobby has stuck?
As I age, I find new and different things to appreciate about baseball and sports in general. I'm 33 which means I’m older than most players, which is depressing. You start to appreciate the players and the game in different ways. I just think it's a very beautiful sport. Also, I think the general atmosphere of our culture right now, because of Covid and politics and everything else isn’t great. So it is nice when people are focused and watching something together. That sense of community is very beautiful!
Have you made friends or new connections doing this hobby?
Definitely! I think sports is such a shortcut to meeting and understanding people. Even if you don’t root for the same team, when you commit to a sport, you take on a lot of history and memories. I’ve met people at games. When I went to Paris to watch the French Open, I was meeting Americans there.
Two weeks ago I was on the train wearing my Roland Garros shirt and there was an older gentleman across from me. He pointed and asked if I went there and we had a conversation. He would go to matches and get good seats cause his friend was a line judge. He was traveling to Paris actually and we never would have talked if I wasn't wearing the shirt.
It’s a built in and ready community and people are wearing it on their sleeve literally. Especially. Mets fans. We’ve been through the ringer and it’s a unique torture.
What about this hobby brings you joy?
Seeing the Mets win! Seeing anyone I’m rooting for specifically win. What really attracts me to sports is this individual who has worked their whole life to do this one specific thing and to do it on the largest stage. Seeing it in real time hits me in the feels. Straight to the heart! I was watching a commercial the other day with Pete Alonzo based on a real thing when he was in college. When he was in an English composition class, his assignment was write about the good life. What they thought the good life would be. And in his essay, he wrote about playing in the major leagues because “When I’m in the batter's box, I’m most myself.” So the good life for him was playing baseball in the big leagues. And he got a C because the professor told him to be more realistic. He basically said “Fuck that! I’m going to be one of the greatest home run hitters in the major league.” And I sobbed because it was so sweet and admirable.
Are there any hobbies you’ve wanted to try and never have?
I would love to play an instrument. I took piano as a kid and it didn’t stick. I’d love to play something else. Recently I thought about playing the fiddle. Guitar would also be cool. It’s harder to pick up an instrument in New York because of bothering your neighbor. It’s just good for your brain. Trying new stuff is good for your brain. I will try things and give up on them. Not because I don’t like this but it's hard to stick with it.
So, did I find my new hobby?!
Did I enjoy the hobby? I did! I’ve been to a handful of professional sporting events in my life and always had a good time. The community and atmosphere in the stadium makes everything more enjoyable and exciting especially as someone who doesn’t know much about or follow sports. I found myself paying attention and asking questions to better understand the plays and the game since my prior knowledge was, you know, hit the ball and run like hell. As I said before, I think since it was Pride Night, that also made things a bit more exciting because they had so much going on. And again, Orville Peck was there!
Would I do it again? While I don’t imagine my viewing habits at home changing, I would absolutely go to another live sporting event. I’d really like to go to a New York Liberty game, but I’d be lying if I said the main reason wasn’t to see Ellie the Elephant be an icon. But I did enjoy being at a game and would be interested in going to other types of sporting events. (With the exception of football. I really have no interest there.)
Who might like to try? While I think most people who like sports are already out there going to and watching games, I think going to a live sporting event would be a lot of fun for folks like me who maybe aren’t the most tuned into sports. I mean hell, Taylor Swift got a lot more folks watching football for the first time in their life so anything is possible! Also, while INSANELY expensive, sporting event have really awesome food so if nothing else, it’s a fun way to hang with friends and eat ice cream out of a mini baseball helmet.
You can follow Lizzy on Twitter and Instagram.
If you have a hobby you would like to share with me (and the world) email me at chelseadallasfalato@substack.com