As Major League Baseball ballparks host Opening Day events during the early days of April, America’s national pastime is set to embark on yet another year that begins with a crack of the bat, the pounding of a new leather glove, and a bit of change that’s all in the cards.
The 2022 season is marking the end of an era in Americana that stemmed from anticipation and excitement as the snow melted into spring, when fans would rush to corner stores and purchase cellophane packages filled with a pink slab of bubble gum and pictures of baseball heroes on cardboard rectangles.