Man lives out lifelong baseball dream
A Wisconsin man dropped everything six months ago and set off on a journey centered around baseball.
John Reimer, or Baseball Buddha, as some call him, has attended 186 games since February. Whether it be Major League, Minor League, college etc., Reimer hasn’t missed a game on a single day since February. Monday night he attended an Idaho Falls Chukars game.
“It’s very busy because I’m in a different city almost every single day,” said Reimer.
Reimer’s journey will end at the World Series this fall, having visited 48 states and 30 MLB stadiums. So far, Reimer has put 35,000 miles on his car; the same car he sleeps in almost every night.
“I sleep very comfortably,” said Reimer. “You get used to the noises.”
Reimer made the decision to live life on his own terms after his father had a serious, life-threatening surgery. He quit his job, put his belongings in storage and pursued a lifelong dream.
“The mortality was just sort of staring him in the face, staring me in the face,” said Reimer. “It hit me, like, if not now, when? I’m not getting any younger.”
Every day is a little different. Parking and sleeping in rest areas, showering and shaving at Planet Fitness’ and finding healthy eating options. Despite the challenges, Reimer said he’s finally truly happy.
“I don’t know what the days of the week are like, because every day feels like a Friday or Saturday,” said Reimer.
Some have called his campaign crazy, but many find it inspirational. Some even donated money on his website that features an up-to-date blog and game details.
“A lot of them live vicariously through me,” said Reimer. “The emails, the texts and things I get from people are amazing.”
While baseball is the purpose of the tour, the people and experiences along the way have made the journey what it is.
“There’s something special about that,” said Reimer. “It’s the community coming together, everybody’s rooting for their team, that’s what I really love.”
If you’d like to follow Reimer’s journey, visit his website here.
