Minor League Baseball

With the warm weather which comes with spring baseball used to be on the minds of all the young people when I was young. There were few sports that could gather a crowd as fast as the call to play ball.Mostly we just played with our own group and the most organization we encountered was when we used to decide on who got first choice when we picked teams.

Everyone seemed to agree in general to the rules and played to that account. Picking the teams was rather traumatic for some because someone had to be picked last. We fixed that problem by having the captains pick four for each team and we just divided the rest. Mostly we played with home made baseballs which were no more than a ball of string held together with black tape. Dad could tape that string ball so well that we could get a whole game out of it before it had to be re-taped.

Today the young players are treated like a professional club with uniforms, warm up jackets, the latest and safest equipment and at least four coaches. The kids practice on a professional field and there are bleachers for the fans. My grandson plays on a travelling team for Oakville in the 15 to 16 year old players. These kids are huge and highly skilled and the coaches are very much involved and want the players to have fun but on more than one occasion I saw personal feelings getting in the way and tempers flared.

For many of the kids on elite teams it is a way to be noticed and maybe get a scholarship in the future. It takes a very great commitment on the part of the players and coaches and considerable financial outlay as well. I love to see the young play ball and become a team player. Studies have shown that young boys and girls who make the team a commitment rarely get involved with the law.

Theresa and I have watched many of our grandchildren play various sports and besides the entertainment value we saw the individual development of our children through sports.Yesterday Troy played in a tournament and although it rained they played on. I was equipped with a cushion, a umbrella and a hot chocolate but rather than sit in the rain I went and got a haircut. I will go back but the weather has to be OK. So play ball and have fun.