When the Texas Rangers play host to my Toronto Blue Jays (I don’t own them, but I cheer for them as if I do) at 3:05 p.m. Central today, the eyes of the sports world will be paying close attention. The eyes of the non-sports world will also be tuned in.
Why?
Because Globe Life Field in Arlington, Tex., is expected to be filled to its capacity of 40,300 humans.
COVID-19 cases have plummeted since Governor Greg Abbott last month announced the end of the mask mandate and full opening of businesses in the Lone Star State.[1]
The Rangers have the green light to fill the stadium, and so they will today. President Joe Biden is calling it a “mistake.” Others are calling it an opportunity to show that people can start getting back to their normal lives … at least in Texas.
Some will be cheering for the game to turn into a failed experiment and an explosion of COVID-19 cases because of political affiliation or fear that publicly proclaimed pandemic positions will be discredited.
I will be cheering for my Blue Jays, but more so for a sign that our society is on a path toward our former lifestyles; lifestyles that included gathering freely with friends as well as with strangers at restaurants, concerts, and sporting events.
[1] https://txdshs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/ed483ecd702b4298ab01e8b9cafc8b83
