An American Tradition

....Baseball in general and Little League in particular. This is a photo of a photo of Will pitching in a Rincon Valley Little League game when he was about 12. Not long after this picture was taken, he chipped a piece of bone out of his elbow which effectively ended his pitching career although he went on to play baseball into high school. 

We spent quite a few Saturdays at the Little League Park. It became quite a family affair as Peter played also, Jim helped out with coaching and Dana often worked the snack bar. 

I am useless with any game involving a ball, especially ones that involve throwing or hitting it with a bat. I remember when Will had just started in Little League and I was looking after him while Dana took Peter to the hospital for some minor surgery. We walked up to the local school yard to play some catch where I found out I can't do that either. After the ball hit me in the shin for about the third time, Will stopped, came over to me and earnestly explained the correct use of a baseball glove. "It works like a crocodile...", he said patiently.

John played baseball all through high school and college. His baseball career was cut short when he was hit in the head, "beaned", by a pitched ball. He still loved the game and played recreationally for several years after we were married and he started working. He always said the only baseball game I ever attended with him was a Los Angeles Dodger game before we were married, although that isn't quite true. 

For John's 60th birthday I rented a box at an A's game and the entire family, including three grandkids under the age of two were there. The box came supplied with traditional baseball food...hotdogs, beer and chips, and we could summon an attendant at the press of a button who would obtain any other food we wanted. The people in the next box were also celebrating a birthday, and when they noticed Will with his face up against the glass partition watching their festivities, they showed up at our door with extra birthday cake. 

I remember nothing about the game other than the fact that it was a no hitter and one of the shortest games in A's history. It is probably also the only baseball game I wish had lasted a bit longer because we were all having a good time.

The NBA (National Baseball League) has recently instituted new rules designed to make the game go faster. They have been met with a mixed response and much controversy from fans and players alike. Although I'm not really a fan, I respect the tradition. I think television and money have conspired to make the game longer and more boring, and that changing the rules of a time honored national pastime is probably a bad idea.