It is baseball season, America’s favorite sport. Well we still say that but it is reported that football has the largest spectator following. Baseball had not changed for too long, the games had extended well over 3 hours with some extra inning games being interminable.
This year we see a pitch clock, the batter must be in the box in 8 seconds, and the bases are l8 inches square. No infield shifting, two infielders must be on each side of second base. Ghost runners will continue to be a part of all regular season extra inning games, yes each team at bat places a runner on second base in each inning until one team wins. The rules were intended to speed up the game, encourage base stealing, increase the action on the field and it has worked well. No Artificial intelligence behind the plate to all balls and strikes-yet. Well done baseball.
Hank is playing baseball and his Dad is a team coach. Brian grew up playing the game and kudos to him for making the commitment to teach the kids the game. Some things never change, the parents are very involved in the game prep and management. Someone from both teams keeps the sacred box scores, someone counts the pitches, and each team must provide their own umpire and field judge. I included the picture of our favorite Umpire, Hank’s mother-Megan. Yes, after 8 hours of training, she is a certified umpire. There is more to umpiring than just balls and strikes, with the most challenging part likely the parents who are expert second guessers.
The seventh inning stretch in a standard game finds everyone singing the song written in 1908, that includes the request for the snack food of that era and the refrain, “its one, two, three strikes your out-at the old ball game.” As memorable as that song has become, I felt it misses the energy, joy, and emotion of the game I grew up playing. I think John Fogerty lyrics and old baseball footage of “Centerfield” that is attached will give you the experience of those who have played the game.
For the good of the country please call, write, send a howler to our Idaho Republican US Senators and Representatives, do not sink the country over the debt limit. The money is already spent by both parties in the past, we honor our obligations. The full faith and credit of our system is the defining financial quality of our country.
Enjoy a marvelous spring week end in Idaho. Mike