Written by Naina Murthy

My dad and I have never had the best relationship. I never felt like we had much in common. It seems like my sister and he share a deeper bond. We constantly fight whether its about school or extending curfews. But we are both on the same side when we fight for The San Francisco Giants.

Throughout spring season and Orange October the Giants have been an uplighting tradition in the Murthy household for the past few years. While many people look forward to Christmas my dad and I look forward to April: the start of the baseball season. Spending family dinners around the television and Sunday afternoons lounging in the living room have brought my dad and I closer than ever. From texting him at school when Madison Bumgarner, a pitcher, hit his grand slam to stressful nights where we worried about the outcome of the Giants season, we have always connected during the Giants season.

One of the most common problems between my dad and I, like many teen-parent relationships, is when he tries give me advice about something. My reaction always the same: a classic roll of the eye and a groan. I mean why would I want to listen to my dad drone on and on about how I’m not trying hard enough school or how my grades aren’t up to his standards? Baseball has actually helped with the tension that comes from our periodic talks. He started to impart a lot of the advice he gives me with baseball.

Watching baseball with my dad has embedded this idea of persistence in me. Baseball is a game of failure. If a player can’t deal with errors, striking out or letting men on base then they can never truly succeed in the game. Persistence is the most important asset a person can gain. It can reinforce positive ideologies and the idea of not giving up even when things get tough. Whenever I do badly on a test and think there is absolutely no way I can do well in the class, I always remember this: how could I do well if I don’t even have a good attitude about the situation? Persistence is my biggest drive in school right now and I’m so glad I was able to pick this up through baseball.

Baseball isn’t just a sport for my dad and I. It’s like being part of another family. Through injuries and losses we always stick by them. During this past season many people thought we wouldn’t make it to the World Series. Well, look at what we accomplished. The season had many ups and downs. Losing three great players due to injuries should have brought us down, but it didn’t. Just like when problems occur in my own families, they powered through. An act which makes me even prouder to call myself a Giants fan.

Even years from now, when I have my own house and work in another city or even another-state, the Giants will always be something my dad and I can talk about. From arguments about the Giants bullpen to running bets. To this day I’ve even made a promise to my dad to take him to the World Series right behind home plate. Sometimes, it might feel as if my dad and I aren’t related but when it comes to the Giants we definitely bleed orange and black.