5 things I love: MLB All-Star Game

1. The crazy awesome beard of St. Louis closer Ryan Franklin. Oh, and his pitching was pretty good, too.
2. The return of Josh Hamilton and his continued joy, amazement and gratitude at being where he is in his life.
3. President Obama’s visit to the players’ locker rooms and the sheer reverence given him by the players themselves (especially Ichiro’s wide smile while asking for an autograph and Derek Jeter’s quiet responses to the President’s questions). It was also very cool to see Mr. Obama enjoying the night as a pure fan.
4. The continued domination by the American League in this Mid-Summer Classic, in which they once again secure home field advantage.
5. Discovering new players that I’ve never known before. This year it’s Joe Mauer, power-hitting catcher of the Minnesota Twins. Since when does a catcher hit like this? And just how tall is this guy anyway? He towered over Jeter, even! But he played a good game and he seemed to enjoy every minute.

It’s the MLB All-Star Game that reminds me, year after year, why I love this game so much. And how well it can be played. Mid-summer classic, indeed.