Meet Elizabeth Strom from DRays Bay

We have dozens of women covering pro and college sports for our team brands here at SB Nation. Meet one of those talented writers, Elizabeth Strom, who writes for our Tampa Bay Rays site, DRays Bay.

I’ve written two Fanposts on just these topics; I’ll answer this with an excerpt from each.

Papa Willy was an avid Brooklyn Dodgers fan who embraced the Mets when they were born in 1962, a love he passed along to me.

He never assumed that baseball was something he would only share with a grandson, for which I am grateful, because his passing baseball down to me was a wonderful gift.

I have vivid memories of attending my first game with him. It was 1968, the Mets vs. the Giants, Tom Seaver vs. Juan Marichal, and I clearly remember Juan Marichal’s leg kick. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I have been able to find the box score of that game. I was hooked, and started watching the Mets in earnest with him the following year, which you may have heard was a pretty exciting season of baseball for Mets fans.

On “converting” to a Tampa Bay Rays fan:

First, living in an area that is relatively transient, it’s important to cultivate a sense of place and of belonging, and shared support for the home team gives us that. Despite claims to the contrary, the Rays are beloved by many, and I have had many experiences of bonding with colleagues and strangers over the highs and lows of the team.

Secondly, I love the perpetual underdog struggle and how the Rays management tries to use creativity to overcome their lack of resources. Ideally I would prefer to have an MLB that did more to balance the differences, but in the meantime it is fun to watch smart people try to overcome the odds.

Finally, although I hail from New York and have lived in Boston, and have affection for both cities, the solipsism and sense of entitlement that emanate from Red Sox and Yankees fans, and from the northeast sports media, are immensely grating. Every Rays win sticks it to those folks. What could be more satisfying?

I have had a few opportunities to get press credentials and cover games from the press box, including pre- and postgame clubhouse interviews. It’s given me an even greater appreciation of the athleticism and the intelligence of the players. I also have gained respect for the work of the beat reporters. Covering a game is a 10-hour day, and beat reporters must find something engaging to say about each of 162 games.

My main challenge is fitting this work into a schedule that includes a full-time job and other commitments, but that is hardly unique!

I had been reading the site for a few years; the managing editor put out a notice inviting those interested in writing or editing to email him. I thought I could add some value with editing skills and came on board. Not only have I enjoyed writing and editing for the site; I have been fortunate to develop an entirely new community of fellow/sister fans from diverse backgrounds and with diverse interests and talents.

I know there are many women doing outstanding work now, but as someone nearing 60, I would like to give a shout out to Claire Smith, one of the first women to cover baseball for a general interest newspaper. It can be hard for women today to appreciate just how many doors were closed to her — quite literally, as there were teams unwilling to let a woman into the clubhouse. That there were some women who persevered in the 1980s and 1990s gives way to the opportunities for women in the 2000s.