Baseball -- Baseball More Civilized Than Pro Football

I am a big baseball fan and I'd hate to see the Mariners leave Seattle. I won't be able to vote on the proposed tax increase, but I wouldn't blame King County voters if they were fed up enough to vote no. Still, I would like to share a story that might make voters think twice.

With a father who was in the Air Force, my husband moved around quite a bit as a kid. And even though he supports the Seattle teams, he still feels a certain loyalty to the teams he grew up with. He is a Minnesota Twins fan and we have gone to a number of Mariners-Twins games. Every time we go, other fans inevitably notice my husband cheering for the Twins and a dialogue develops. During the course of the game, we have a lot of fun good-naturedly razzing each other, the element of friendly competition truly adding to the enjoyment of the game.

My husband is also a Denver Bronco fan, and on two occasions we were lucky enough to get tickets to a Denver/Seattle game. The first game was a nightmare. When other fans noticed him applauding a Bronco play, they were relentless in their abuse. This was no good-natured give-and-take, but a deliberate attempt to ruin the game for him. We went a second time, thinking that we'd have better luck. And although the other fans were not quite as abusive, they were derisive and mean-spirited, to say the least.

The point is: There is an important difference between baseball fans and football fans. I have been to dozens of baseball games all over the country and it's always the same. Everyone is there to have a good time together.

If it were me, I'd vote to keep baseball and get rid of pro football. When my 16-month-old daughter grows up, I know I'll be able to take her out to the ballpark and we'll enjoy the game and the fans. On the other hand, I hope she never has to meet the kind of people we met at the Seattle Seahawk games.

Victoria McCown, Anacortes