* Money Magazine recently calculated the cost of a day at the ballpark for a family of four. The most expensive: Boston Red Sox ($351), New York Yankees ($337) and Chicago Cubs ($301). The least expensive: Arizona Diamondbacks ($127), San Diego Padres ($153) and Tampa Bay Rays ($157).
* While a lot of Gator fans wished we were talking about football and basketball, this has been a banner, two-national-championship year for the University of Florida: gymnastics and softball.
* Speaking of (women’s) softball, I caught parts of several Gators’ wins in the recent College World Series. A quick take: Players look like they’re having more fun than their baseball counterparts. There are smiles and grins and high fives between outs and between innings–not just reserved for a post-game celebration. The pitchers don’t wear caps. Typically, they’re sporting a pony-tail and bow. There’s periodic choreography in the dugout. And no spitting.
* Congrats to Serena Williams, who recently won her third French Open and 20th Grand Slam with a three-set victory over Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic. Moreover, kudos on having learned enough French to speak it on a public stage. Nice touch. In the post-match ceremony at Roland Garros, Williams addressed the crowd in French after Safarova addressed them–with the aid of a public translator–in English.