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