Baseball

Baseball- the all American sport.  Why?  The hotdogs, Cracker Jack snack, beer, soda or (Costner)“…watching the baseball men” as the daughter on “Field of Dreams”, starring Kevin Costner, said.  I agree there is something magical about seeing the players on the baseball diamond giving signals to each other, focusing on the pitch, clutching the bat, chewing gum, and swinging the bat so hard we can hear the crackle of a hit that sends the baseball flying over all the players heads, to where they are running and sprinting to catch it on the first catch attempt, while the batter is running the bases and so are any other men on the bases running for home base.  And the crowd goes wild!!

In fact, the crowd goes wild no matter where baseball is played or what era is represented.  The Living Heritage Museum in Mumford New York State, represents and displays life in the 1800’s including baseball, such as depicted in “Field of Dreams” complete with a corn field next to the diamond.  Spectators sit on wooden benches all on the ground, 3 or 4 benches deep, with a special sitting area to one side, for what was at the time, the reserved area for the wealthy.  The announcer sits in an elevated tower dressed in tails and a top hat.  The baseball players wear the uniform design of the period-no helmets. 

Both teams are introduced, and the game begins.  The pitcher throws the ball, the batter hits the ball, running the bases begins and the players chatter among themselves.  During one chatter moment, a player turned toward the spectators, and apologized to us for saying a foul word. Wow, I thought, did it matter more back then?  It was fun that he tipped his baseball cap to us.   I had stepped back to an era of baseball that I quickly understood and became immediately addicted to attending.  I tried to get my girlfriend and her toddler son to join me, but she said the museum was more for elementary field trips.  Oh well, more time for me to enjoy the game, and enjoy I did.  I planned my Saturday visiting activities completely around game time.

As I write this, I am listening to the Angels game on the radio.  The irony being I do not have a TV digital capable or cable hookup in my rented room.  So, I am listening to the game retro style, getting used to mentally picturing what the announcers are saying.  However, I clearly understand when they announce a homerun and the score, and so do the fans; I am glad to be among them.

Long live and forever live baseball !!

Costner, Kevin. (April 21, 1989) Field of Dreams . http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/  .  Retrieved June 23, 2009.