The Twi-Night Doubleheader

(Kudos to MSBC's Chris Matthews for coining Tuesday's big primaries as "the twi-night doubleheader".)

It was not that long ago that baseball fans could get a two for one deal. Two games for the price of one!! Almost every other Sunday and holiday was set up as a doubleheader. This usually meant that the first game would start at 1 pm (instead of the normal 2 pm matinee time). When games were played quickly, as they were in the fifties and sixties, the second contest would start around 4.

Growing up in New York, this is how the Mets were able to capitalize on the bedsheets and other materials fans would bring to games to cheer on their lowly but popular club. The most exciting of these doubleheaders, was the yearly "Banner Day", when literally thousands of participants would carry their homemade signs in a parade around the field. Prizes would be awarded in numerous categories.

A variance on the Sunday afternoon twofer, would be the aforementioned twi-night affair. In an era when many ball games began at 8 pm, the first game of this mid-week endurance contest would start at 5. If all played out according to normal situations, game two would literally start at the same time as a single game (8 pm!).

So how exciting it will be, that all of us will be treated to the modern equivalent of the long lost twi-nighter. Tuesday night, many political junkies and those who are just curious, will turn in to their cablecasts, and settle down for pennant chasing matches in two key states: Indiana and North Carolina. Whereas we just witnessed the important single game played in Pennsylvania, we will have the excitement of two close contests between the eternal Democratic candidates - Obama and Clinton.

The scenarios are pretty much out there:
Obama sweeps both games and goes home with the championship.
Clinton takes both and inches closer to a miracle comeback.
The two split and ....
This is where things get difficult.
If Obama wins big in North Carolina and Clinton in Indiana nothing much changes except that Obama is that much closer to mathematically clinching things.
If Obama wins a narrow vote in NC (with little white support) and Clinton romps in Indy; well that is why we will be switching from CNN to MSNBC to FOX to get the commentary that best suits our own position.

So, break out some cold brews, barbecue some dogs, snap open the peanuts, and enjoy a once in the twenty-first century happening: a real old fashioned twi-nighter!