Since the age of 5 or 6 I have played baseball continuously through my second year in college. A majority of my baseball knowledge and playing skills are credited to my coach and dad during those years. Not only one of the greatest dads a kid could ever have but also one of the finest coaches as well. Growing up, he played ball with the Niekro Brothers/pitchers Joe and Phil. So from the get-go I guess I was destined to play baseball and live baseball like my dad did when he was growing up. After blowing out his arm as a pitcher in the Rookie Leagues my dad turned to raising a family. Out of that whole deal I came into the picture. Anyways, I played ball through the park district and high school mainly with all the same guys I know and love today. We all became great friends and learned baseball through each other�s strengths and weaknesses and even helped each other out of huge slumps. The one thing I learned from my dad (coach) and those guys in high school/park district that I played with is that being part of a team is one of the best experiences anyone could ever have. We were there with each other through the glories of victory and the darkness of defeat. Through it all, victory or defeat, baseball was "our" sport. Baseball drove us to improve ourselves both on and off the field as players, people and friends.
I think back to those days and then look at the present situation in the game today at the major league level. I think about what the venue would be if it were possible to put the teams I played on and the players I played with in a brand new, million "+ " dollar stadium. You know the ones that are going up like an impotent man overdosing on Viagra? The stadiums that house the money hungry professionals that have absolutely no appreciation for where they are in life? The same stadiums that these particular players strut around in and stare through the presence of the 9 year old kid that only wants a simple autograph from his favorite player? I know exactly how this vision would live itself out...We'd pay more attention to the titanic structure surrounding us and marvel at it�s baseball beauty. With dropped-jaw, we�d notice and absorb the ear piercing roars of the 40-60 thousand fans surrounding us every game, everyday. Just to be lucky enough to play at the highest level ever would set the tone for us to play our butts off and have appreciation for playing the game. We would always remember how blessed we were to be in the situation we were in. I can guarantee that all the guys I played with during these years (had we all made it to �The Show�) would not have turned down one single autograph from any fan. It would have been flattering enough that anyone would look up to us so much as to ask for the same signature that we would otherwise (as a laymen person) be placing on a check when struggling to pay the bills month in and month out. It's just too bad that things can't be this way, in real life, with the players that play the game today.
Mark Zaboroski is a senior writer for fantasy fix...send emails to [email protected] |
