Robert Warner: Baseball: A game for the ages

Tag : gloves and hats

Two Boys' Smurf American League teams are playing something thatsort of looks like baseball on Diamond No. 3.
There are nine boys in matching t-shirts and hats on the dirt partof the tiny ballfield, in varying states of disregard for what'shappening between the pitcher and the batter.
The pitcher's an adult, and there's no catcher, but otherwise it'skids baseball.
The batter swings and knocks one up the middle, just to the rightof second base.
A pack of four fielders chase the ball; one picks it up and turnsaround to see what he should do with it.
Two others are struck by the fact that they have nothing to do atthis moment. In unison, they slide feet-first on the grass, andloll around on the ground for a moment.
A few Smurf League throws away, Diamond No. 7 is occupied by squadsfrom the Boys Slow Pitch American League.
Dads are still pitching, but these older boys are playing regularbaseball positions.
They're also staring at a lady with a baby, throwing their glovesin the air, turning their hats sideways or backwards, and doing allthe other fiddling little things boys their age do.
The chatter from the coaches is full of encouragement.
"You've got to run on that play!"
"Go! Go! Go!"
"Remember to touch all the bases as you go by. It's reallyimportant."
"Run! You gotta wheel!"
And then, from down the right field line where many of the parentsare lounging in lawn chairs:
"C'mon, stupid! Touch the base!"
This faux pas is met with withering stares from the three womensitting to the shouter's right. He tries to explain it away, butthey're having none of it. The cold stares bore deeper.
The kids play on, oblivious.
On the other side of town, the grass is greener and the diamondsmore manicured, but there isn't a dramatic difference in the levelof play on the slow-pitch softball fields at Bailey Park.
The first sign you're not in Wattles Park anymore is when onefemale player says to another after their game, "You goin' outtonight?"
These are adults, but for some, the illusions of grandeur theymight have in their matching shirts and caps evaporates when ahard-hit ball comes their way.
Plenty of easy put-outs are botched by players who know what to doand how to do it.
And there's a profanity or two to go with many of theseinexplicable errors.
These guys have longer attention spans than their youthfulcounterparts at Wattles Park, but that doesn't stop astoundingthings from happening.
One recent night, a catcher who should have been preparing to makea tag at home was nonchalantly dusting off the plate with his footas the throw came in to him.
The guy played on, oblivious.
Robert Warner can be reached at 966-0674 or rwarner@battlecr.gannett.com .