Kids returning the ballfields great for them — and adults
Can anything be more glorious than watching one’s child, or grandchild, play baseball on a beautiful, sunlit day in the spring, especially now that we’re finally escaping the icy grip of a frigid winter.
The enthusiasm of the kids is worth the price of admission, even if attendance is free. If nothing else, it recalls so many fond memories of our own youth.
After all, baseball games always meant we were out of school and no longer bound by a rigid bed curfew, obligatory homework assignments or even the primal fear of handing over a disappointing report card.
How many times have we heard that organized games keep children off the streets and out of harm’s way? Today, it’s even applicable to the suburbs, of all things.
Yessir, there’s no substitute for watching little Timmy (or Missy) sliding head-first into third with a triple. And while nobody wins all the time, the fact that the players are trying their hardest is so gratifying in an age when trophies are often handed out for simply showing up every week.
The kids are playing for the love of the sport. Heaven knows there’s no endorsement money to be had or multiyear contracts at stake. The smiles on all their faces, even after going hitless and making multiple errors in the field, is priceless.
As for the parents and grandparents, it’s a good excuse for acquiring a first-rate suntan while practicing self-control when an umpire’s poor decision robs “your” team of a victory. Though no one said watching these contests from the sidelines would always be easy, most everyone leaves the field of play with a renewed sense of well-being, win or lose.
And unlike so many other meaningless distractions that too often consume our lives, game day has a singular importance that’s unmistakable — even to the adults. What is the flavor of the Gatorade and what snacks are being distributed to the players today?
Bob Ory, Elgin
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