The Magic Of Baseball and What it Means To You.

[hardcor2]

Baseball is a wondrous sport. I played ball from 6 to about 13, when I hurt my shoulder. I don't watch much baseball now but I still have fond memories of it. I played football and wrestled after baseball, but baseball was the only sport my parents came and watched me play. I remember hitting my first HR and seeing them in the crowd as I rounded the bases and the look of pride in their faces.



My own son played T-ball a few years ago and while it didn't stick he had fun but decided it just wasn't for him. I loved watching him play and it kind of resparked my interest in baseball again. I've been watching more games these last couple years. The Indians making it to the World series definitely helped my renewed interest lol.



While I haven't had the lifelong love as many others here have I do have a love of the game that has always been there lying dormant. I recently picked up The Show 18 after getting my son a PS4 for Christmas and am loving it so far. Whether I win a copy or not I will for sure be getting a copy of 19 in the future.

[Scooter3]

My love for baseball started when I was very young. I was very fortunate to have lived in Hawaii because it's a good place to hone your skills it's baseball season all year round. I have fond memories of my baseball years. My coach lived down the block and he told me if you show up after school I'll work with you I want to start you at shortstop this year.
I was nine at that time.
I used to sleep with my glove under my pillow baseball was all I ever dreamt about. I took my lumps practicing with my coach but I really started to be a vacuum cleaner.
I was 9 and started at shortstop in a league that was Superior.
Our league was called the Armed Forces pineapple Little League. And that year we went number 4 in the Little League World Series.
My coach in High School varsity called me in his office the first time he saw me play he was a great coach he played AAA a catcher and would have made The Bigs but he blew his knee out.
I'll never forget what he said. You looked pretty good out there have you been playing winter ball?
I said no coach me and my buddy Mike practiced all winter rain or shine and then he said something that I'll never forget he said you have the heart guts and talent to go all the way.
I guess that's my only regret I got sidetracked I'm also an artist.
But such is life.
My two favorite positions were shortstop and third base I love the Hot Corner had great reflexes and strong arm.
I pitched a one-hit game in Little League it would have been a perfect game but this kid was put in right field and I don't think he ever played baseball before it was hit right to him I only needed one more out for perfect game he backed up and let it bounce caught it on the first hop.
I had a sixth sense where the ball was going to be and I would turn my back to the plate and run full speed head down and then look up dive and catch the ball off the grass and roll over twice.
Growing up was tough for me I didn't have a good relationship with my father he hated my guts. Later in my life I found my biological father and found out that he played for Pawtucket AAA.
Baseball was like a refuge for me I put everything I had into every play.
I made all stars when I was 10 years old my batting average that year was 667 nobody ever made all stars in that League but 12 year olds. The league was 25 years old. I'm so thankful for this game I can still play baseball It's a wonderful game.
One more thing 1961 the year Rodger Maris hit his 61st home run I was in California I had the 61 home run flu that week stayed home from school all week just to see Maris hit his 61st home run as it turns out I think he hit it on the weekend but I'll never forget when he laid wood on it I knew it was gone I jumped up and down you couldn't even tell I was sick I think my mom knew. One other highlight I have to squeeze in 1955 we were stationed in Hawaii as a family and the Brooklyn Dodgers went on world tour my dad got me a ball and the Brooklyn Dodgers played the Hawaiian All-Stars I think they beat them 13 to 3 during the game I went up to the Dugout and I asked a player if he could sign my ball and he said we can't sign balls during the game you'll have to come back later as I was turning around to walk back to my seat I heard somebody yell Hey kid give me that ball son and I'll see that everybody signs it for you it turned out it was Pee Wee Reese he said come back after the game and get your ball I came back after the game and he handed me the ball it was signed by Pee Wee Reese Roy Campanella Duke Snider Junior Gilliam Gil Hodges Carl Erskine Don Newcombe I still have the cherished ball. I guess I'm as old as dirt now but I still have that little boy in me the guy that would get up early go get his friends play Sandlot all day until it got dark yes we drank out of hoses never got sick. Baseball the greatest game ever invented

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[mrsaito]

A bit off topic here but I have recently been watching the Ken Burns documentary about baseball on Amazon Prime and I must say that it is outstanding...

[Therebelyell626]

Quote: Originally Posted by mrsaito

A bit off topic here but I have recently been watching the Ken Burns documentary about baseball on Amazon Prime and I must say that it is outstanding...

I just started watching this again for the 3rd time a few weeks ago. It's such a good documentary. A little slow in parts so you really have to like baseball to get through it. After watching this for the first time I couldn't help but me more impressed by babe ruth. He really was a man of the people and an awesome humanitarian despite his flaws.

[georgiapackees]

My Grandpa got me hooked on this crazy game. He grew up in Detroit, a poor kid. He used to talk about the Sunday doubleheader for a dollar, at old Tiger Stadium, and getting picked up by Ted Williams hitchiking home one night. I grew up in Georgia, one day on a whim, we drove from Atlanta to Royston, Ty Cobbs birthplace just because. My favorite memories though were the really young days, in the back yard with my plastic bat and ball learning how to swing and make contact. The Summer days spent watching the Cubs on WGN with him. The day he gave me his old wooden Slugger he got when he was 9, and using it exclusively until I finally splintered it. Lastly, the two Ty Cobb cards I was left when he passed, they are worth about 250k a piece today. Unfortunately they were stolen from me by a family member with addiction issues. After he passed I couldn't bear to watch it for a very long time. The Cubs 2016 World Serie brought me back, and the resurrection of the Braves, have kept me back. Chop on!

"Baseball is just a game you say..."

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[georgiapackees]

Quote: Originally Posted by mrsaito

A bit off topic here but I have recently been watching the Ken Burns documentary about baseball on Amazon Prime and I must say that it is outstanding...

One of the most wonderful things I've ever heard about baseball was early in the series Costas is talking about how symetrically perfect the game is and how the bases being moved one foot in either direction changes the game into almost unplayable.

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[shogunofharlem3]

Oh the Magic of baseball. Grew up playing baseball, I am 40 now, both organized an unorganized where the neighborhood boys would meet at the field. Played in high school and was fortunate to play 4 years of D2 college baseball.

I currently teach and coach. Funny, I hated school, my parents knew I hated school. Baseball kept me in school, finished 4 years of baseball and I got a diploma in Business Management and somehow became a teacher (so I could coach). Baseball got me a diploma. It gave me opportunity to do what I love, which I didn't know at the time.

My parents never missed a game. They never approached any of my coaches and they supported me every day. I still have my dad's makeshift scorecards from my high school and college games. My dad passed in 2012, while he was sick my mother drove him to every home game. He'd call me and second guess every move, sportively and jokingly.

Well wouldn't you know, my boys won the State Title in 13. My dad wasn't there but my oldest brother and mother were there to watch my team celebrate. Mom passed in 16, and one of my players in that tournament said, "This one is for you mom Coach", we came just short of the title but damn those kids, still make me have something in my eye.

Now, I try so hard to keep kids in baseball (or any athletics or activities) to keep them involved. Not everyone is a school kid, dont tell my students, but everyone has the ability to positively impact themselves and those around them.

So, ya, in a long post, sorry, just got back from hanging with my college teammates from 19 years ago and it was like time never passed. So to me, baseball has given me opportunities I never thought I would have. It also has left me with a bond to my late parents that I wouldn't trade for anything. Every opening day of the high school season I leave a ball with them at the cemetery and they still second guess me, I know it. That keeps me motivated

(finally, I don't have a ps4 so I am not entering. Just saw an opportunity with some great people to share what baseball means to me).

EVERYTHING

[Armor and Sword]

Hey everyone, just an FYI I am moving up the deadline to 2/28 at 10pm EST.


A lot of great stories this year. So many I will be announcing two winners this cycle. One copy of the MLB 19 The Show MVP version and one Standard Copy of the game.


I look forward to hopefully reading a few more and will announce the winners this weekend.