Those magical words of spring are about to echo across the country

We’ve all heard the magic words that seem to get our adrenalin flowing a bit faster. Some examples: “THEY’RE OFF”; or, how about “GENTLEMEN. START YOUR ENGINES” (my apologies to Ms. Patrick); or the famous call to action on the food cook-off,  “CONTESTANTS, GRAB YOUR POTS;” and who could forget the announcement that the curling competition is about to start with a resounding; “GET OFF THE ICE, STUPID” – or something to that effect. Anyway, the most famous and recognizable announcement of all would have to be, “PLAY BALL.”
Well, here we are ready to enter another April, and all enjoy America’s pastime. Even if your not an avid baseball fan, I’ll bet you have played the game at some time in your life. It’s the only game that almost every American has played. And it is one that can be played, at least to some level at almost any age. Be sure, Lady M was a darn good baseball player a short while ago.
And, aren’t we lucky to have the world champions as our team. What? Well, of course the Giants are our team! To be able to claim any team as your team, all that’s required is that you watched at least one inning of one game, sometime. Then you can legally claim them as your team.
Did you ever think what an amazing game baseball is? It is well over 150 years old in this country. A similar game was played in England centuries earlier. And I hate to be the one to tell you but Abner Doubleday did not invent the game. Sorry. But we’ll pretend he did, OK?
The rules of the game have changed very little in the last 100-plus years. The game still involves four bases, 90 feet apart, a pitching mound 60 feet, six inches from home plate; three strikes for an out, four balls for a walk, three outs per half inning and, imagine this, the defense controls the ball most of the game. In most games, the offense controls the ball, puck, stone, etc. But not baseball.
I can’t imagine anything you could wish for that would be better than baseball – anything that isn’t prohibited by federal, state or local laws – or the Ten Commandments.
I spent my early years in Cleveland, Ohio. That is where baseball entered my life and, lucky for me, I lived there during the season that the Cleveland Indians won the World Series. I saw Bob Feller pitch. I saw Satchel page pitch. (If you don’t know who Satchel Page is and are interested, Google him. He was amazing. And the author of the book: “Don’t Look Back, Something Might be Gaining on You.”) I met Bill Veeck, the first of the off-the-wall team owners. He even hired and inserted in a game small person – once referred to as a midget – as a pinch hitter when he really needed a base runner in a close game. I saw Larry Doby play, day after day. I know not many of these names mean much to most of you, but it gives me a great feeling, even chills, just to remember them.
Well, what do you think is the rarest play in baseball? I think the triple play is certainly up there in the top 10. And an unassisted triple play? Incredible. hat would be like Joe Montana centering the ball to himself, throwing a pass, and catching it in the end zone. Now, imagine if he did that in the Super Bowl. Well, a second baseman named Joe Wambsganss made an unassisted triple play in the 1920 World Series! Of course, he played for the Cleveland Indians! Can you believe it? It even beats Willie’s catch. Buster’s grand slam. And something I remember more than any other single event in my baseball memory.
It was September 8th, 1976. I was listening to Vin Scully describe Sandy Kofax’s perfect game. I was in a Safeway parking lot on an errand to get dinner for my family. I listened spellbound to the last three innings. Dinner was late that night and I caught holy heck. But it was worth it. Sandy and Vin. Folks, that’s baseball.
Morgan Hill has produced some remarkable baseball teams and players. Quite a few Live Oakers have been drafted by professional teams. In fact one, Rey Francisco, aka Rey Sanchez, was drafted in 1986 and played for the San Francisco Giants in 1998. My inside sources tell me we have several other candidates that we may see rounding the bases of major league clubs in the future.
So, next week another season gets underway. Lady M and I will be going up to see the Giants one day soon. That means ballpark hot dogs, a soft pretzel, a cold beer or two and hearing the ump holler, ‘PLAY BALL.’
What could possibly be better?