My Baseball Obsession in a Nut Shell (Or is that Nut's Shell)

Where did it start? Probably in the crib. My brother and father were both big fans and played also. As early as I can remember, whiffle ball in the backyard was a regular thing with dirt spots as bases. My brother collected baseball cards and I was into it by the time I was five. In fact, nearly 40 years later I am still collecting. Of course, now values and conditions are big issues but as a kid I would have traded Mickey Mantle for Brooks Robinson any day of the week. Every summer my Mother enrolled me in the library's summer reading program and I read every baseball book I could find.

I can remember visiting relatives in Baltimore when I was a kid and seeing a number of games at Memorial Stadium featuring the great Orioles teams of Brooks and Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, and Jim Palmer. Our family vacations took us to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (the year Hank Aaron returned to Milwaukee) to see the Braves and the Big Red Machine and to Philadelphia to see the Phillies and Expos in the midst of a trip to Amish country. Later, I would return to Baltimore and Atlanta a number of times with friends and made a trip with a buddy to Cleveland to see Nolan Ryan pitch in his final season. In 1998, I took a week long trip with friends that took ys to Cincinnati, Detroit, Chicago, Dyersville, Iowa (yes, we played baseball ON the Field of Dreams), Milwaukee, back to Chicago, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Wow! I've made two pilgrimmages to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown--one with my parents when I was 14 and later with friends to see Joe Morgan and Jim Palmer inducted. Unfortunately, it rained and we didn't get to see the induction or the Hall of Fame game for which we had first row seats!

I'm sure my Dad enjoyed seeing my reaction when he took me to Memorial Stadium. He probably remembers when Chicago White Sox outfielder Rick Reichardt threw me a baseball before a game. He took me to a lot of Salem Pirates games in the mid-1970s. The Pirates (now the Avalanche) were in the High-A Carolina League. I'll always remember seeing Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller at the stadium signing autographs. I was 11 and wanted to ask him a question, but wasn't sure what to ask. My Dad suggested asking who the toughest hitter was that he had faced. Bingo! Feller's answer was Tommy Henrich.

Its been the same sort of thrill sharing baseball with my son. At the first Salem Avalanche game he went to a relief pitcher for the opposing team named Joey Dawley gave him a baseball. Later, we went to a number of Orioles games, though his memories are all of Camden Yards. A few years back he and I went on a three-day excursion that took us to games in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

My son has also picked up the love of fantasy baseball. Its a fun diversion and he plays in a few leagues including one with a group of guys I have played with for twelve years. Three years ago, my interest in simulated baseball soared to a new level. I ran across a league called the Legends of Baseball which plays a simulation that allows you to pick any player who has ever played in Major League Baseball (1871-present). It is an incredible simulation and its a lot of fun managing a team and communicating with the other very interesting and intelligent baseball junkies in the league.

Of course, I played a lot of baseball as a kid and have coached the game off and on since I was a teenager helping with the town tee-ball program. I've coached recreation league and junior varsity teams though I am not currently coaching.

As you can see, baseball has been a big part of my life which is why you will see it pop up a lot on this blog (even though I have a feeling politics will be the focus--especially until November).