There is no more polarizing topic or question in sports right now than steroids in the Major Leagues. From my recent rant about Sutcliffe to the ever present fact that Barry Bonds will soon pass Hank Aaron for the greatest record in all of sports, Major League Baseball is the center of the sports world. But it is not baseball that has lost its mind here folks...it's just the professionals.
Growing up in an urban area with a backyard the size of a mini-cooper my brother and I had very little room in the backyard to practice sports. My father put up a basketball hoop which consisted of plywood attached to a 4x4 with a rim on it. That soon gave way to the old school metal beam and synthetic backboard. But the true prized possession of the yard was what gave us the best bonding experience kids can have...the game of baseball. With a rule book and a ruler in hand we measured out the yard to see how much space we had....45 ft...on the diagonal. Sensing our excitement, my father, once again putting himself to work for the betterment of us, built a little league pitchers mound and made a plywood plate (probably from the old backboard) and we were in heaven.
From that day forward, at the age of 7, I completely forgot that we were surrounded by condemned homes and daily drug deals. Instead, we were surrounded by baseball and the world was good. Everyday two things happened in my home after homework until the age of 14 when my brother went off to college...foul shots and pitching. Once we got older the old 41' head/torso game replaced pitching in the World Series for the Red Sox EVERYDAY (and we never lost). I learned more about baseball in that tiny backyard than I did anywhere else but I also learned so much more about morality, honesty, and dedication. What I certainly wasn't concerned about was bettering myself artificially.
Currently, I have the privilege of helping out with my soon to be step-sons farm league team (7-8 year olds). Every day that I see these little guys and gals eat up the game that I myself have loved to play for decades, I am inspired. I see the simple joy in catching a ball, joining a team, striking out swinging instead of getting called out on strikes OR just getting the ball to first base IF a play is made in the field regardless of if first was where I should have thrown the ball. Today I volunteered to umpire and the picture threw A strike and turned and smiled at his mother. In short, I get to see baseball.
There are times when I get wrapped up in the rivalry, sports talk shows or whatever else in the sporting world seems to be the hottest item. But I sleep better tonight because I can rest assured that baseball in its truest form exists all throughout America. The basics haven't changed in a century and chances are they never will. So while we watch Barry Bonds on television break the most hallowed record in sports, do not be saddened, depressed or even the slightest bit angered. Instead, rejoice...because all you have to do to see baseball at its best is take a quick drive to your local farm league park or take a look out of your back window and watch what baseball was, is, and always will be.
2 comments:
Well said BRO. I challenge you to a head/chest game when I get home. I currently play on a 0-11 softball team. Thats right I said it 0-11 and softball. A bunch of has beens who don't have it. Laughs, jokes, a rare flash of leather. That is what it is all about. I was playing on a hardball team and will probably start up again in a few weeks, why you ask? For the same reasons. I can still be a boy. Getting dirty, joking around, and just passing the time doing what I love catching, throwing, and hitting a baseball. The childhood memories that instantly come back when I step onto the freshly cut grass. And I am the grass cutting pro, just ask Joe. America's pastime. That says it all.
"So while we watch Barry Bonds on television break the most hallowed record in sports" -- actually, we don't have to watch that, we don't have to watch the "high"lights, we don't have to listen to the talk shows, we don't have to read about the play-by-play. I understand it will happen, but I won't give MLB the satisfaction.
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