Hometown

I like to check the box scores in the morning
With coffee and something toasted,
See how players
I don’t know
In games I didn’t see
In cities I’ve once visited long ago
Fared:
An offensive rebound here
An extra base hit…
Secretly rooting for a win streak
Or a playoff berth
Or at least a good showing.
I’m a fan of the hometown teams
From a hometown far away in time and place.
I cheer for the smaller players,
The ones with a sense of humor and a modicum
Of modesty,
No tattoos, no arrests, no handlers and entourage,
Just ones who like the sound of sneakers on gym floors
Or the smell of a leather mitt,
Players who quietly root for some other team
In a hometown or place
Where they once cheered too.