As the earthquake, centered in Virginia, made its way across the country, sending people out of buildings and walking confusedly in the streets, the Indians were playing the Seattle Mariners in Cleveland. And at 1:51 PM, in the bottom of the third inning, the earthquake started shaking the stadium all the way in Ohio during Shin-Soo Choo's at bat.
I took a rough video of what was going on--you can see the center field camera start to shake after the 2-1 pitch. Then Choo hammers a foul into the third base seats, and it really starts shaking, and Tom Hamilton comments on it from the press box.
Presumably, as he showed in the ninth inning, Choo don't have time to mess around! He's got a one-day-old daughter at home and ignored the earthquake, raking a double to the wall in right center.
Later, in the ninth inning, his eagerness to visit his family had him hammer the first pitch he saw for a three-run home run into the bleachers, giving the Indians the win after blowing it in the top of the ninth.
Indians are now 1-0 with a little rumbling during their games. Hopefully the Angels and Giants line up as opponents should the Indians right their ship and end up in the playoffs. Because they will be right at home with a little swaying.
