| It happens to the best of us. One day we realizes | | | | remembrance.Memories like the first time you |
| a piece of us is missing. With the things we love it | | | | took the mound and feared beaning that shaking |
| is not as simple as patting your back pocket to | | | | kid in batters box or the feeling of numbness in |
| make sure you didn't leave the house with out | | | | your fingers as you connected with your very |
| your wallet. Such is the case with me and the | | | | first fastball. My baseball memories will never be |
| game of baseball. | | | | forgotten. I have written them on a canvas with |
| I don't think I really fell out of love with baseball, | | | | colors that would make Picasso cry. I always |
| life just sort of happened and I grew up. What I | | | | dreamed I could play with Don Mattingly one day. |
| did not know was that the time I spent away | | | | Back then I was naive enough to think that if I |
| from the game, the game of baseball was | | | | kept on just playing baseball, time would march |
| actually still in my heart just waiting for the day I | | | | me right to third base in Yankee stadium so I |
| would yell out "play ball !" again. I remember when | | | | could dive to my left and snag that hot grounder |
| it all came back to me. It was after the strike of | | | | then from my knees sling the ball across the |
| 94' before all the money hungry major leaguers I | | | | diamond right into Donny's baseball's out stretched |
| called my hero's agreed to play OUR game again. | | | | glove. All that was left for him to do was point |
| Something clicked inside me that year. I don't | | | | and tip his hat. That dream never happened of |
| know if it was the silence of all those empty ball | | | | course but I will never let go of the memory. |
| parks or the fact that the only ballplayers playing | | | | While Donny baseball is still in pinstripes he has |
| that year were guys just like me. Guys who just | | | | been replaced at 1st base, by a new superstar. |
| loved the game and were paid with checks they | | | | He is not quite as big but I would never even |
| could not cash. You know the kind paid to the | | | | think of trading him. You see my new 1st |
| order of "reality".I could feel it coming back every | | | | baseman is my son and the only time I sling the |
| time I would pass an empty ball park. My senses | | | | ball from my knees at third base is when I trip |
| would bring me closer to my most precious | | | | while showing his teammates team how to field |
| memories. The unique aroma of freshly cut grass | | | | the routine grounder at little league practice. |
| mixing with clouds of infield dust were calling me | | | | Together he and I are making new baseball |
| back into time. Memories flooded my mind.The | | | | memories and thanks to him I finally got play little |
| chatter of little leaguers in the heat of a sizzling | | | | league again. Thank you son, your are my |
| summer game rose up from the silence of | | | | treasure. |
| adulthood. I was way too old to play little league | | | | As faithful as Lou Gerhig himself time has kept its |
| and too young to give up on the game I loved. | | | | promise. It has brought me from childhood to |
| This is a tough time in a man's life. The time when | | | | fatherhood where for the love of the game I |
| we have to choose how we will continue loving | | | | have accepted my duty in passing on my baseball |
| the game. Some choose to softball, some choose | | | | memories to my children. Though they are still |
| to coach little league and some accept that their | | | | too young to understand why,they know that I |
| lot in life is being no more than an avid fan. You | | | | am passing on a piece of our American heritage. |
| see time marches on and youth slips away. It | | | | Many have made mention of baseball and apple |
| leaves behind only the memories that we have | | | | pie but I say baseball is America so never let it |
| held tight. These are the memories that we | | | | die! Relive all those wonderful memories and you |
| refuse to forget.These kind of memories are | | | | will see why... |
| seeds of hope that are proof that God has | | | | By: Jason A. |
| blessed us with something worthy of | | | | |