giamatti hinted parks without closer represents of paradise. a ballpark can be a place in an age when religious ceremonies are decreasing as central many lives and in the republican which civic rituals are purposely fuel and spare, sport can satisfy your need for ceremony. baltimore's jewel of a ballpark is worthy of such yearning, yet already is the scene of ones mall ceremony. late one afternoon in august before the song was down at the place where home plate now is, i proposed marriage to the oriole fan who is now mrs. will. [laughter] hey, call my romantic, but i wanted her to know that she ranks right up there near baseball. [laughter] [applause] we have time for a think one more. here is an example of where these of social culture come quite together. this is written april 13, 1987 on the 40th anniversary of the day that jackie robinson broke into baseball. second base is not for the fainthearted. on the double play, second baseman has his back to the base runner who was barely meant from first disruption on this line. jackie robinson was