Pitchers and those who catch them are starting to report their respective camps in Arizona and Florida about now for Spring Training. Why is that so important? Let me tell you! Every kid who knows baseball, including my eight year old grandson knows that baseball season is close at hand.As a child growing up in Boston it meant that winter was over, spring is almost here. The days are getting longer and they are going to get warmer soon. (If you are living in the eastern half of the country now, you really know what I mean). What a great feeling - spring is in the air even if the air is still below 40 degrees.
The back page of the Boston Record-American reported daily on the signings of the players - in those days even Ted William only got a one season contract. Who is on the trading block and who are we going to get. I remember a six way deal that spelled the end of the Red Sox. Until 1967 the Red Sox did little in terms of winning so who played on the team was important. They were important because they were our heroes. Ted, Carl, Mel, Walt, Johnny, Billy and Tony - all my heroes over the years. There were more. The voice of Curt Gowdy was like music to my ears as is Vinny is now to Los Angelenos!
Pitchers and catchers are like the first blue birds we see and hear. They proclaim that spring is here and things are getting better every day. The championship season is at hand and hope is coursing through our veins. Will this be their year? Your team is your hope. No matter where you live you wait patiently for the Sports Section to proclaim that pitchers and catchers are reporting. Each spring training game is the harbinger of the season to come. But each spring training game has players you never heard of or may never hear of again. So when our team loses we take comfort in knowing that the game doesn't really count. My team will be there opening day ready to play and to win! It all starts with pitchers and catchers reporting.
The Record-American is gone along with the one season contracts (and the fifty cent bleacher seats). Ted is no longer with us as with Curt, Tony and the others but the feeling never dies. Hope springs eternal, even for a kid of my age, especially when I hear that the pitchers and catchers are reporting!
The back page of the Boston Record-American reported daily on the signings of the players - in those days even Ted William only got a one season contract. Who is on the trading block and who are we going to get. I remember a six way deal that spelled the end of the Red Sox. Until 1967 the Red Sox did little in terms of winning so who played on the team was important. They were important because they were our heroes. Ted, Carl, Mel, Walt, Johnny, Billy and Tony - all my heroes over the years. There were more. The voice of Curt Gowdy was like music to my ears as is Vinny is now to Los Angelenos!
Pitchers and catchers are like the first blue birds we see and hear. They proclaim that spring is here and things are getting better every day. The championship season is at hand and hope is coursing through our veins. Will this be their year? Your team is your hope. No matter where you live you wait patiently for the Sports Section to proclaim that pitchers and catchers are reporting. Each spring training game is the harbinger of the season to come. But each spring training game has players you never heard of or may never hear of again. So when our team loses we take comfort in knowing that the game doesn't really count. My team will be there opening day ready to play and to win! It all starts with pitchers and catchers reporting.The Record-American is gone along with the one season contracts (and the fifty cent bleacher seats). Ted is no longer with us as with Curt, Tony and the others but the feeling never dies. Hope springs eternal, even for a kid of my age, especially when I hear that the pitchers and catchers are reporting!
No comments:
Post a Comment