On 8 April 2024, my city will experience a total eclipse for a couple exhilarating minutes. In times past, such days were venerated, gods worshipped, and animals and people sacrificed. I get the day off work, and the local professional baseball team – playing their opening game of the 2024 campaign – plays an hour later due to this astronomical rarity. The fear by the team brass isn’t angry baseball gods but snarled traffic being caused by rubberneckers. In a time of pitch clocks, even an occasional ballgame can be delayed.

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