ckocher: (Default)
[personal profile] ckocher
 Have you ever really thought about baseball? Not the game itself, but just that single, small, white ball?

They’re such hard things on the outside. Throw one at someone hard enough and it will hurt them. Hit one with a bat and it will fly through the air. These little white orbs are chased around by grown men, who are cheered on by thousands and thousands of others. Fathers toss them to their sons and daughters in backyard rituals; boys cherish the ones that are signed by their heroes.

An entire culture has sprung up around those baseballs. Think of warm, sunny afternoons at the ballpark, cheerfully heckling the batter or throwing popcorn at the man four rows down who is cheering for the other team. Remember when you ducked and shrieked with laughter when a foul ball came flying your way? Or how you would cheer and yell when the baseball goes flying – going, going, gone – and the hitter makes his triumphant lap around the bases? Those aren’t just your memories. Those are all of our memories.

There are those glorious nighttime games too, especially in the big cities. There you are, you and ten thousand of your closest friends, all gathered to watch the tiny men on the tiny field all playing a game with an even tinier ball. And you love it. You love the beer, the peanuts, the hot dogs. You cheer and thrust your chest out and howl with primal satisfaction when your team wins, and you wail and pull your hair out and slump in your seat when they lose.

It’s a religion, plain and simple. A religion of love and nostalgia, of family and childhood, of fathers and sons and beer and pretzels. A religion all wrapped up in a sphere of cork and rubber, of tightly-wound yarn stitched up in cowhide.

People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring. ~ Rogers Hornsby


*****Voting is now open for this week's round - if you liked my entry, please vote for me. I'm in the first tribe!!*****

Date: 2011-02-13 02:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] basric.livejournal.com
Excellent. Very well done.

Date: 2011-02-13 02:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lawchicky.livejournal.com
Great visuals here- it reminded me of some of my own happy baseball memories.

Date: 2011-02-13 03:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] spydielives.livejournal.com
Oy, I have a story about being hit with one of those things!

Thanks for sharing.

Date: 2011-02-13 11:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mstrobel.livejournal.com
I can vouch for the fact that they really DO hurt, lol.

Date: 2011-02-13 10:43 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] vaguelyclear.livejournal.com
Loved this entry. Even as someone who lives in a country that doesn't play baseball, I still appreciated this. Great visuals and very well-written!

Date: 2011-02-13 10:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com
They hurt. OMG do they hurt.

I love the tone of this -- you've captured the nostalgia quite nicely.

So...when's spring training going to start???

Date: 2011-02-14 02:43 am (UTC)
shadowwolf13: (Default)
From: [personal profile] shadowwolf13
I think I'll always be outside this experience. I'll be one of those rare people that have never been to a game.

Date: 2011-02-14 04:19 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] black-aspect.livejournal.com
Oh, well done! I really liked this!

Date: 2011-02-14 10:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] locknkey.livejournal.com
very nice. :)

Date: 2011-02-15 03:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cheshire23.livejournal.com
America's Game and all that.

I liked this. :)

Date: 2011-02-15 03:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] pixiebelle.livejournal.com
Very nice visuals here. Nicely done!

Date: 2011-02-15 07:57 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] awriterswindow.livejournal.com
That last quote is JUST like my partner. That's him. :) This was a beautifully written piece. Thanks for sharing.

Date: 2011-02-15 10:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] snarkerdoodle.livejournal.com
Really, really enjoyed this -- especially that quote at the end. ;)

Date: 2011-02-16 12:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] walkertxkitty.livejournal.com
A nice mood piece. I like the vivid details and the excitement you put into teach word.

I will never get baseball, though. Like most organized sports, it bores me to tears.

Date: 2011-02-16 02:04 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] similiesslip.livejournal.com
I just wanted to let you know, I'm glad you are still in the game! I meant to comment sooner. I really like your perspective on this.

I like analyzing things. It really is amazing how one tiny ball can start so much!
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