Di: Hi Angel sister!

Angel: Hi Di, we have to rush to put in a new blog for Father’s Day.

Di: As usual, we’re on Greek time without a second to lose. But how I long to get on a big ladder and pick the cherries I see from my window and collect the fragrant linden tree flowers from my neighbor’s yard.

Angel: All from the Lord’s bounteous earth. Yet we don’t have time to do all that and write a blog too.

Di: True, however we can enjoy the essences of many plant fragrances all year round, as captured for us in Young Living bottles of therapeutic grade essential oils through the marvels of steam distillation.

Angel: Like the Valor essential oil blend (of spruce, blue tansy, rosewood and frankincense) that helps balance the body and promote feelings of…

Di: Strength, courage and protection, qualities that fathers strive to exemplify.

Angel: Our dad was a gentleman, but courageous too…

Di: Like when he stood between two friends about to have a shooting duel, and told them he wouldn’t move…

Angel: Which stopped them in their tracks.

Di: And he was so humorous, telling a new joke every day, but he had a serious side too…

Angel: Praying and crossing himself before every meal at home and at restaurants. May his memory be eternal in the book of life.

Di: He had such self-control, never ordering an entrée when we went out to eat…

Angel: But finishing up the food on our plates and calling himself a member of the “clean plate club”…

Di: And reciting, “Angel is a Pelican, Her Eyes Eat More Than Her Belly Can”

Angel: So let’s get started. Here’s my story.

Baseball with a Greek-American Accent

For as long as I can remember, I have loved baseball. It is the only sport I have ever followed on a regular basis.

As a little girl, I was upset when Jim Bunning, a pitcher for our Detroit Tigers, was traded. It was even worse when he pitched a no-hitter for his new team right after that! (Pittsburgh Pirates, I think).

My dad was never into sports, but he enjoyed going for walks, riding in the country, and of course, washing and polishing our cars. He accompanied my mom bowling, as he loved being with her and keeping score, but he never bowled.

My mom was very into sports, particularly tennis, bowling and baseball. She was small but mighty. In fact, one of her childhood Greek-American friends, George George (really, that’s his name) told me that as teens, he and my mom surprisingly beat their very skeptical opponents in a game of doubles on the tennis court.

We, like many families in Detroit, would spend summer evenings on our screened-in back porch listening to Tigers baseball on the radio with Ernie Harwell. I can still remember my transistor radio’s shape, size, dials and black leather case with its perforations for the sound to come out.

Whether I played softball in elementary school or later as a childcare worker, I was the pitcher or designated hitter. Being a terrible outfielder, that made sense!

One incident around baseball particularly stands out in my mind. When I was around 9, Hygrade's Ball Park Hot Dogs offered “free” Tigers tickets in exchange for several cardboard backs from hot dog packages! Every time we went to the store, I would tell my parents we really needed more hot dogs!

We did get four tickets to a night game! I remember going with my parents Alexander and Ellen and our good friend and neighbor, Nick Fountoukis. Nick was a huge baseball fan and knew a lot about the game. I can still hear him pronouncing "double-header" as "doobla-headie!".

My mom and I went to a few Tigers games when I was grown and working. She kept me updated, and before she passed away, she was excited that the Tigers were going to get Pudge (Rodriguez.)

My dad greeted his friends with "Yiassou, Megaliou”, that means, roughly translated from the Greek, "Here's to you, the greatest!”. He was always loving, encouraging and positive, hoping to make everyone feel better.

I think Magglio (Ordonez) sounds an awful lot like "megaliou!" So whenever Maggs comes up to bat, I say "Yiassou Megaliou" and give a little nod to my dad, mom and Nick.

In the end, to me, baseball will always have a slight Greek-American accent!

Di: Megaliou, Angel, your story is the greatest! And now let’s get it off to Glen Chancy and wish him and all father’s everywhere…

Angel: Happy Father’s Day and Many Blessings!

We’d love to hear stories about your fathers too!

Angel Brock

www.youngliving.org/angelbrock

Di Tzouras

www.youngliving.org/eleos

ELEOS: Enhanced Living with Essential OilS

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 [ELEOS BLOG (18): Father's Day Memories]

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