Although
Vijay Narendran was born in Texas, his love for baseball began only while he
attended the University of Chicago, where he became a fan of the White Sox. That must have made the Astros really upset.
But Narendran, who is currently pursuing a joint MD/MBA degree at Texas Tech University, is not your average baseball fan. To prove it, he decided to take a trip to all the 30 major baseball stadiums around the United States in 61 days traveling approx. 12,000 miles.
Read his blog to know all about his trip and see pictures from his trip.
Narendran started his journey with a game in Colorado on May 8. Since then, he has been to every single baseball stadium you can think of. His trip will end on July 4 in Los Angeles.
See his trip and budget plan here. (I noticed he put $3.50 per gallon for gas. That was in May, not anymore.)
The official title for Narendran's trip is "30 ballparks, 61 days, 1 dream." I asked him three questions about this trip.
1. You talk about "one dream." What is this one dream you have?
First of all, there's a dream of completing the thing, just doing something that took so long to prepare and put together. The dream is really the actual process and execution of the whole thing, not really the end result. This usage encompasses the "surreality" of the stories and the interesting people i meet.
Second, if the "Dream" represents an end goal, it would be to see and re-establish connections with so much of my very supportive network of friends and family across the nation with whom, through medical school and otherwise, i have been remiss in my communications, having in some cases been unable to attend weddings and other major relationship-solidifying events. This is my way of honoring THEM, those people that are so important to me in my life. Without them i would not be able to do this, nor would i be where I am.
Do folks know of other South Asians who have been on such adventures? Other thoughts? Please post your comments below.
Lastly, "the dream" is something that is outside of myself. There are many who dream to see all the major league ballparks in their lifetime, and in that sense I am living that iconic dream. I believe its easier than ever nowadays to plan and execute such a feat. I'd like to tell the world how I did it and on what kind of budget.
2. Why the baseball fields? How did you decide you wanted to go to 30 ballparks?
First, I am a baseball fan and its really in my nature to take on a challenge when I see one. As I've said before, it is a "dream" that has taken on iconic status, and I wanted to do this on a budget I could afford. By no means am i doing this the fastest (see the book The Summer that Saved Baseball ) but I am doing the whole thing during the summer of the $4 gallon of gas, in 61 days for under $4000. On the other hand, with the help of friends and family, I have a contact to stay with in every city that i have to stay in for the trip. I think that is pretty rare, and is probably not generalizable to the general population, but i saw the opportunity and jumped on it.
Second, baseball is an integral part of this country's adolescent history. It has integrated itself in the political and cultural fabric of our nation. To go and take notice and respect the game for those who organize and provide support for baseball operations, or just to see the fans that pour their hearts out every game is an honor.
My parents are immigrants. I am an American, but an immigrant at the same time. Baseball to me represents an appreciation for the facets of American ethos represented in uniquely American sports such as baseball, and American football. At the same time I've used this trip to do in America what our family has been doing for years when we go back to India. My parents, brother, and I will pile into a car and drive to all the relatives in south India.
The trip will be sometimes a week long, driving along unreliable Indian highways, rickety bridges and amongst dangerous drivers. We make this trip, not too unlike the one i am on now, to make sure that we re-ignite the bonds of family and friendship. We do not limit who we see to close family either. My parents make sure to go see their cousins, second cousins, sometimes third cousins! This respect for the bonds of family really ingrained itself in me because of the trips we would take in India.
3. What has been the best experience for you since you started traveling to these ballparks nationwide?
The times when I am able to establish a camaraderie with strangers in the sections where I am sitting because of the nature of my trip. Older people, usually with their children are sometimes so excited for me, and have so many questions about how I'm doing it and tell me of their own quest to see all of the stadiums.
As baseball fans there's a part of all of us that want to see these magical places that somehow tangibly hold expectation. Expectation that you can see history at any moment. For example, I got to be at the game where Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th home run, putting him into the top 6 home run hitters of all time. I got to see Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees move from 4th to 3rd in all time career hits for the Yankees, displacing Mickey Mantle. I love seeing how we establish heroism and the values that we honor in these people that attain mythical status.
Probably the most magical night of the trip still has been the SEA @ DET game (read about it on the blog) just because I got to meet someone who has really experienced the history of the game and at the same time feel that friendship forged only in collective vision, rather than through familiarity or time knowing each other.
There are my answers to the questions, I hope they're enough, gimme a call and tell me what you think or email me back or something, I actually really appreciate you taking some time out of your own busy schedule to do this. While I think many of my reasons for doing this trip are personal, I am happy that someone takes notice.
Do folks know of other South Asians who have been on such adventures? Other thoughts? Please post your comments below.
