Baseball

     The Great American Pastime --- Baseball!  Some people can take it or leave it.  Others are almost fanatical about it.  They will watch the game, then the replays, and follow that up with ALL the commentaries!

     But let’s really take a look at the game and its place within American history.  The first mention of baseball in the United States was in 1792 in a Pittsfield, Massachusetts law banning the playing of the game within 80 yards of the town meeting house.  The first team to play under modern rules was the New York Knickerbockers in New York City.  The club was formed on September 23, 1845 as a social club for the upper middle classes.  I doubt that those individuals could have conceived what the sport was to become in our day and age.

     When you consider what has happened during the past 200+ years.  Consider the wars that have been fought by this country.  Even when it reached a point in the early 1940s when there really weren’t enough men available to continue a sustained league of players for the American public, they turned to the ladies to carry on the tradition.  I’m not sure HOW much “poetic license” was taken, but the movie “A League of Their Own” released in 1992 made a very nice portrayal of the events, in my opinion, even though it was a fictional account of the Rockford Peaches.

     Look too at the economy.  It has been a roller coaster over the decades.  The ups and the downs have been, in some cases, unbelievable.  Again throughout all these “bull” or “bear” markets there was the game of baseball.  Regardless of the financial status people found themselves in, there was always those opportunities to have their minds distracted for a few hours while watching a baseball game and rooting for their favorite team.

     Think about this game.  Taking a stick and trying your best to hit a ball as far as you can.  Or perhaps placing a strategic hit that is illusive to the players on the opposite team and you are able to make it to first base --- perhaps even farther!  Of course the opposing team is trying to do its best to prevent you and your team mates from making those base advancements and finally crossing “home” plate and scoring a run.

     The beginning confrontation starts with the batter facing the pitcher who will make every ball thrown one that the batter is unable to hit.  These may be “strikes” and there may be “balls” but every attempt is to prevent the batter from screaming the ball into the outfield, perhaps going over the fence for a home run!  And with each pitch that is made the complexity of what events MAY occur is truly mind-boggling!  Will he hit the ball?  Will it be a “fair” ball or a “fowl” one?  If it is hit “fair” where will it go?  There are SO MANY possible outcomes and THAT is what makes the game so interesting to millions of people each week.

     So regardless of the inspiring things that may be going on in the world, or even the terrible things that are happening --- there is ALWAYS baseball!  Yes there are other sports activities that many people enjoy watching or participating in, but for me it’s the Great American Pastime --- BASEBALL!

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Remember:  There's no I in TEAM,

but there is in ice cream!"