On Memorial Day around the country, people flock to baseball parks to take in a bit of the national pastime. One of the things I love about America is that it is perfectly acceptable to honor those who fought and died protecting our country by firing up the grill, drinking a few beers and watching grown men throw a horsehide ball around a painted diamond. When it comes down to it, these are the types of things worth protecting. The reason I know is that I'm now living in a town without professional baseball.

The end of last season was the end of the Albuquerque Dukes, the AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The team was sold, and the new owners moved the affiliate to Portland where the city built a new stadium to lure a team. The owners of the Calgary Cannons have promised to move their AAA team to Albuquerque if they renovate the old Sports Stadium or build a new one. Now, our city is enduring a debate of how to get baseball back in town. A special election will occur this week on May 30 to decide what the city will do.

Two questions are on the ballot:

Do we want to spend public funds on baseball? Yes or No.

If yes, do we want to spend $15 million of public funds on a new stadium or $10 million to renovate the Sports Stadium? New Stadium or Renovate.

It took me about 30 seconds to figure how I wanted to vote, but that doesn't mean each side hasn't hounded everyone with their opinion. It shouldn't be a complicated election, but the mayor and a City Councilor are making it the battle ground for the upcoming mayor election next year. Someone should tell both of them that former mayor Martin Chavez is running again and going to win in a walk. All politics aside, this is how I'm voting.

Spend public funds on baseball? Yes, of course. I already explained the all-American aspects of having a baseball team, but more to the point, a town without baseball lacks character. I went to five to ten Dukes games each year, depending on money, my mood and how well the team was doing. There have already been two nights this spring when I stepped outside and said "This would be a perfect night to go to the ballpark." We haven't even gotten to summer yet. A town of half a million people should have baseball. We have minor league hockey, for goodness sake. There is a small constituency that is pushing the No vote on baseball, but they're a lot like the Green Party in this election. They will barely make a dent.

New Stadium or Renovate? I say renovate the Old Sports Stadium. My choice has nothing to do with saving $5 million. If a new stadium is built, it will no doubt be built downtown. While I'm for all the construction going on around there, it's simply a lousy place to put a baseball stadium. There is no room. Parking is already hit or miss without adding a few thousand more cars. If they tell us to go to parking structures, it would pretty much kill any pre-game tailgating. The Sports Stadium is part of three structures which include The Pit (the country's best college basketball arena) and the UNM football complex. Plenty of overflow parking. Plus the view of the Sandia Mountains from the Sports Stadium is stunning as the sun goes down. We already have an incredible stadium site. It just needs to be fixed up, so let's fix it up!

What do I think the result will be? Special elections bring out ten to twenty percent of the voters, so twenty thousand people will decide the outcome. In such cases, the folks who spend the most money usually win. This means the public will vote for Yes on baseball and choose to build a new stadium. The New Stadium folks received corporate sponsorship totaling over $120,000. Compare that to the Renovation group who received $1500 and the Vote No folks who have the grand total of $385. Do the math.

If there's a chance for more money to be spent on the city that's usually what happens, even when it's the wrong choice. Whatever the outcome is, I hope the result is that baseball is back in Albuquerque next year (although many reports are talking more like 2003). Right now, I have to travel at least six hours to see good professional baseball, and I'm finding myself in front of the tube saying "Brewers vs. Cubs. Beats nothing." I'll go to games whatever the election outcome is. When it comes down to it, I watch baseball for reasons poetic, not political.

Chris Jungle contends that baseball and bullfighting are intimately related, and he always wanted to be like Hemingway.