Say there was no COVID-19.
Heath Curry would be in the stands at Riverside Park watching his son Ryker on the diamond for Iola High, and I’d be there snapping pictures and carrying out the rest of my game day routine that I miss so dearly.
Unfortunately, that is not the case. Following the postponement of the NBA’s season on March 11, sporting events around the world followed suit in an orderly manner, leaving fans searching for ways to fill the void.
“This week Ryker would have probably played Tuesday and Thursday, and I don’t think the little guy had anything scheduled this weekend,” Curry said. “So this weekend, I would have been in Wichita watching the Shockers and Cincinnati play a baseball game. If one of my kids isn’t playing and the Shockers are in Wichita, then I go to a Shockers game. If the Royals are in town, I ride up to Kansas City to catch a game. But now… I’ve got nothing.”
When the news first came in early March that sports would be canceled due to the pandemic, Curry and his wife, Heather, were enjoying an anniversary getaway in Phoenix for MLB’s spring training. Curry attended a handful of games, giving him a good taste of the upcoming baseball season. An avid baseball fan, Curry has been to eight of the 10 sites for spring training.
“The good thing about Arizona, which is why they had talked about playing there versus Florida, is that everything is within 40 or 50 miles,” Curry said. “I’m standing there watching the Royals players get on on the bus, and I hear a guy yell the game was canceled. So, we just hopped in the car and zoomed over to Surprise,” to catch the remaining innings of a Giants and Rangers game before watching the Cubs take on San Diego later in the day. The next day, March 12, Curry was returning to Iola when MLB announced it would postpone Opening Day.
“I was a little freaked out,” Curry said.
Living without MLB baseball was challenging enough, but carrying on without his alma mater Wichita State basketball or baseball was definitely the biggest blow for Curry. To say he’s a die-hard fan is an understatement. In fact, his entire office at the Bank of Gas is decorated in Shocker decor.
Curry had already made multiple trips to witness Shocker baseball, singing songs of high praise for their 12-game winning streak before the season was canceled. More importantly, Curry couldn’t wait for another chance to watch his Shockers dance. Had Wichita State qualified for the NCAA tournament, and landed in either Omaha or St. Louis, Curry would have made the trip.
Now, Curry has neither.
“It sucks so bad. It is terrible,” Curry said. I would do anything for them to figure out a way to play, even if the fans can’t go. Atleast to have it on TV, something to watch.”
Curry’s hopes for play returning have happened in some form. Most recently, 16 NBA players competed in an online NBA2K20 video game tournament, won by Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker.
In need of some form of sports entertainment, Curry has been keeping an open eye to even Esports.
“I’ve been paying attention to it, just because I need something to watch,” Curry said.”
Curry is also filling the gap by watching reruns of Wichita State’s Final Four run in 2013, along with when the Shockers won the College World Series in 1989. But prerecorded tapes can only last for so long, and Curry is running low.
“I mean, I’m running out of things to watch,” Curry said. “I’ve got to watch Netflix, and I even watched Tiger King. I even watched WWE for a little while last night because there’s nothing on!”
