While the smoke from the various fireworks shows celebrating America 250 has long since faded away, the sights and sounds of the holiday spectacular remain vividly entrenched in my memory, as does the reluctance and disdain emanating from those using the very freedoms provided by this country to bash the nation, even on the occasion of its 250th anniversary.
On July 4th, and every other day in this land, the populace has the freedom to spend the day as they choose. On that hot, sweltering day, I became a couch potato, with my right thumb about the only part of my body exerting any physical energy, giving the TV remote a workout as I tried to take in as much of the flavor of the day from so many venues around this land.
My day began making a choice. The Williamsport Crosscutters were on the cusp of winning the MLB League’s first half championship with a home game at 1 pm against the rival St. College Spikes. Seeing the local team clinch a championship was priority #1, until stepping outside to be greeted by 91-degree heat at 10:00 a.m. As famed sportscaster Keith Jackson was famous for saying, “Whoa Nellie” on that one.
Settling on Plan B, I retreated to the air conditioning as my Pirates were trotting out in the Nation’s Capital for an 11 a.m. encounter with the Washington Nationals, with the game time on field temperature of 101. But my thumb was cool as its flickering action moved me between the game and the spectacular sights in New York City’s harbor, with ships of all kinds and countries passing by the Statue of Liberty, and the thundering sound of a continuous wave of aircraft soaring overhead as spectators cheered and waved American flags.
But wait, it was nearing time for that July 4th staple, the Nathan’s hot dog devouring contest at Coney Island. The undisputed champion of the eating world, Joey Chestnut, was there to do his indigestion impersonation while swallowing away the competition. True to form, Chestnut devoured 66 of the linked treats in ten minutes to claim his 18th Fourth of July title. (Note – Chestnut will be appearing at Bowman Field on August 6, so stay clear of the hot dog concession stand).
Lunch time and the remaining innings of the Buccos win in DC were next in line. While Chestnut’s performance was a bit nauseating, it didn’t stop me from indulging in July 4th staples — hot dogs, baked beans, and ice cream. For the record, just two dogs were consumed, clearly no threat to the hot dog king’s record.
Continuing my thumb-led afternoon adventure, a trend was clearly developing. Channel after channel was filled with happy faces and cheering crowds celebrating the spirit of the day, in a variety of ways, except for one station. Each time I would give it a look, it was a downer, with doom and gloom presented by numerous talking heads offering their opinions on what is wrong with America.
But good news soon came. The Crosscutters crowned themselves the MLB Draft League first-half champions with a 20-9 win over State College. After beginning the season with a 1-4 record, they proceeded to go on a 19-3 tear, to finish 20-7 and assure themselves a spot in the overall league championship game to be played at Bowman Field on September 2.
Then the remote paused on happenings in Philadelphia as a time capsule was about to be lowered into the ground, not to be opened until 2276 and the Nation’s 500th anniversary. Sports were among the items placed in the capsule, including letters written by the NFL, MLB, and NHL commissioners explaining to future Americans what those sports were like in 2026.
As I watched, I couldn’t help thinking of the recent NBA trade and how it fittingly went along with the theme of the day. From Boston, the site of the Tea Party, to Philadelphia, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Celtics had traded All-Star guard Jaylen Brown to the 76ers.
One station was airing a ceremony as several immigrants were being sworn in as United States citizens after completing a five-year process that included learning about American history. They all expressed gratitude for becoming citizens and for how much America means to them. While later, a crowd interview from another city revealed another sad reality — many Americans don’t know much about American history.
Talking to a family of five, a reporter asked a fifth grader what happened 250 years ago. The youngster excitedly replied, “Freedom.” The reporter then said the next one will be easy, asking, “What does the phrase one if by land and two if by sea mean?” The youngster didn’t know, and one by one the reporter asked his two siblings, his mother, and his father the same question. They all stood in silence, none of them able to answer the question.
Simple question – if naturalized American citizens are required to learn American history, shouldn’t the citizens of our own country be expected to do the same?
While the holiday weekend ended on a sour note for U.S. soccer fans with a 4-1 loss to Belgium in FIFA Cup play, visiting fans from Scotland, Norway, and England flocked to MLB stadiums to enjoy baseball and Americana. Baseball may not have been on their itinerary, but it became a joyful experience even if half the crowd was trying to figure out what counts as a strike.
The long July 4th weekend seemed to have something for most everyone and a heartwarming celebration of 250 years, even if some choose not to join in.
