Rights of The Passages of Seasons.

Every season has its rights of passage.  Lets start with spring the season of new birth.  Growing up in New England we had several rights of spring.  Now maybe spring technically begins on March 21st.  In my opinion the first right of spring is opening day at Fenway Park.  The  ball park is full and the mentality of this could be the year permeates through out the park.

      The next sign of spring to me is The Masters.  I can only play golf sporadically now due to back injuries I sustained in The Army.  If I ever had the opportunity to drive down Magnolia Drive, which has an honor guard of Magnolia trees I would probably break down in tears.  Just to get to pull my old set of Pings out of my 94 Volvo and hit the course I would be willing to pay what ever my net worth is now, just to try to avoid the Eisenhower Pine and safely get through Amen Corner.

     My next Right of spring is Patriots Day. Patriots Day is a huge sports day in Boston.  You have The Red Sox game which starts at 11:05 am.  The reason why they do this is because this way the fans can empty out of the park in time to see The Boston Marathon Runners go by.  You do not line the route to watch The Elite Kenyan and Ethiopian Runners go by who complete the the course in 2:06.  The reason Why you go out is to watch the local guys go by who for  just  finishing the race make them  winners.  The guys I am talking about are The Mail Man, the school teacher or some one who is just a regular member of the community  who runs 7 milers 5 times a week and a 13 miler on the weekends to prepare.  Watching your coworkers, family and friends make that final turn on to Boylston Street having survived heart break hill and now the finish line is in site.  These people put in painstaking hours of training that brought no monetary gain yet they achieved a greater glory then a 7 figure score at The WSOP could bring.  Also on this day The Bruins and The Celtics are in the playoffs.
     Another right of spring in The Boston area is when the seafood stands open.  Usually this is based on when Easter occurs.  Their is nothing like that first trip to Revere Dairy or that first trip to The Clam Box in Ipswich.

     Maybe my favorite right of passage is the skiing of Tuckermans ravine.  Now Tuckermans ravine has no lifts you must carry your gear up their and once your up their you can not walk down.  You are committed much like surfing in Oahu once you paddle out their is no option but to get back to shore.  I hope to be in Oahu within 3 weeks and in New England within 26 to 99 weeks.

      I firmly believe that the one event that bridges these two seasons is the first Saturday in May.  Kentucky Derby Day.  When you look around the crowd you see the ladies have the hats and mint julips are flowing heavy as they sing My Old Kentucky Home.  If this does not bring a tear to your eye then you are not human.

     Now lets talk about the rights of Summer.  We all know that summer begins on June 21st or June 22nd, but in my opinion summer begins with Memorial Day.  It is the weekend where maybe you open your cottage in New Hampshire or you have your first cook out of the year. This is the weekend where you watch The Indy 500 for the tradition and spectacle of it.  Just the invocation, the reference to memorial day, the Purdue band playing the national anthem and Mr Jim Neighbors singing Back Home Again In Indiana.

    The next right of summer is The US Open.  Just the thought of two golfers dueling it out on Monday in an 18 round playoff and the gallery charging up the fairway and surrounding the green at places as hallowed as The Brookline Country Club, Shinicock Hills, The Olympia, or Oakland Hills.

     The next event which bridges the gap between summer and autumn is The British Open.  In my opinion this the greatest sporting event in the world.  I believe golf is now flawed.  The technology of equipment is more important then shot making ability.  This game was not designed to be played on a par 5 as driver and 8 iron into the green.  Generally speaking British open courses reward accuracy over distance.  On most British Open courses the course is swept with salt soaked breezes.  This means their is more then one way to skin the cat.  For example on a 90 yard shot to the green you  can either hit a 64 degree wedge or choke down on a 4 iron and bump and run it.  The greatest golf stories were told on these courses.  Constantino Rocca's miracle putt,  The Duel In The Sun, Jacks final walk over the bridge and Tom Watson's 71 hole of magic.

     I mark the end of summer as not September 21st, but as rather labor day.  The gas grilles get put, pools get closed and the school buses roll.  This the time of year where families go apple picking.  In October if The Red Sox

Sox truck roll off for Fort Myers.  Then a few days later pitchers and catchers report.

    Then its back into spring.  That's the rights of passage of the seasons in a year.