As we celebrate the start of a new baseball season with Opening Day, a Morgan Township couple will also be celebrating the start of their love story.Rob and Gwen Kohlman’s very first date was to the Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day Game in 1986. This year, the pair is marking 40 years of this cherished tradition together. Rob recalls the day he asked his bride to the game. “I said, ‘Hey, I got two tickets to the Reds game, Opening Day, you want to go?’ She said ‘no’,” said Rob, laughing. Gwen chiming in saying, “I wasn’t sure I liked him yet.”Before walking away, Rob gave it one more shot. “I don’t know what possessed me to turn around, I said I’m not asking you to marry me, I’m asking you to a baseball game,” he said. Gwen laughing next to him saying, “I finally said yes.”Not even two years later, the pair tied the knot. This year, on Opening Day, they’re celebrating not only their team, but also their love, a love that made them parents and now grandparents.That year, as they watched players round the third, the two found home in one another.The Reds beat the Phillies 7-4 that year.Rob will tell you, win or lose, it wouldn’t have mattered. That day, he walked away with the best prize of all: her.WLWT asked Gwen when she knew Rob was the one.”Probably pretty close to right away,” she said, smiling.Each passing year, their Opening Day crew gets a little bigger.”The other gifts came later. We adopted my daughter and my son,” said Rob.Last year’s game was a special first.”First grandson, his first opening day,” said Gwen. The family returning again and again, for the love and for the game.”Every year we try to make it to Opening Day,” said Gwen. “It’s the annual date,” responded Rob.The Kohlman’s are now getting ready to welcome a new team member; their daughter is expecting her second child.These grandparents couldn’t be more excited to introduce the next generation of their family to this special tradition.

CINCINNATI —

As we celebrate the start of a new baseball season with Opening Day, a Morgan Township couple will also be celebrating the start of their love story.

Rob and Gwen Kohlman’s very first date was to the Cincinnati Reds’ Opening Day Game in 1986.

This year, the pair is marking 40 years of this cherished tradition together.

Rob recalls the day he asked his bride to the game.

“I said, ‘Hey, I got two tickets to the Reds game, Opening Day, you want to go?’ She said ‘no’,” said Rob, laughing. Gwen chiming in saying, “I wasn’t sure I liked him yet.”

Before walking away, Rob gave it one more shot.

“I don’t know what possessed me to turn around, I said I’m not asking you to marry me, I’m asking you to a baseball game,” he said. Gwen laughing next to him saying, “I finally said yes.”

Not even two years later, the pair tied the knot.

This year, on Opening Day, they’re celebrating not only their team, but also their love, a love that made them parents and now grandparents.

That year, as they watched players round the third, the two found home in one another.

The Reds beat the Phillies 7-4 that year.

Rob will tell you, win or lose, it wouldn’t have mattered. That day, he walked away with the best prize of all: her.

WLWT asked Gwen when she knew Rob was the one.

“Probably pretty close to right away,” she said, smiling.

Each passing year, their Opening Day crew gets a little bigger.

“The other gifts came later. We adopted my daughter and my son,” said Rob.

Last year’s game was a special first.

“First grandson, his first opening day,” said Gwen.

The family returning again and again, for the love and for the game.

“Every year we try to make it to Opening Day,” said Gwen. “It’s the annual date,” responded Rob.

The Kohlman’s are now getting ready to welcome a new team member; their daughter is expecting her second child.

These grandparents couldn’t be more excited to introduce the next generation of their family to this special tradition.