That refers to baseball, of course. It is/was America's sport. When I was a boy there were kids playing baseball on most every vacant lot. We would spend hours and hours playing baseball. There was one big difference in the scene at vacant lots today. There were NO parents. There were NO coaches. There were no persons yelling at us and telling us to "slide"! or "keep your eye on the ball"! or a hundred other things kids have to listen to. We simply played baseball. There were arguments, and sometimes fights, but it was still fun. My team was the Saint Louis Cardinals. There were no Astros or Rangers. It was America's game. NO MORE!
Sunday the United States baseball team, loaded with professional talent, was ousted from the World Baseball Classic in double elimination by Japan. We gave them baseball and they have been giving it back to us for years through Little League World Series, and now on a different level. Most professional teams now have Japanese players, along with other foreign countries. Our National Pastime belongs to the world. The same is true of basketball, tennis, golf, and other sports. We are no longer the super power at the Olympics. What once was is no more.
That's okay by me. Honors and position and status in the sports world should be earned. It ought to be related to desire and motivation and dedication. So be it. This BLOG gives me an excuse to report to you my first and second round totals in the Final Four battle for the crown of college basketball. I have picked FORTY-ONE winners and missed seven! My bad picks have been: Ohio State, Wake Forest, Utah, Washington, Marquette, Florida State, and Clemson. My Final Four picks have been from the beginning: Kansas, Memphis, Xavier, and North Carolina. (Xavier????? Who are they???) No money has exchanged hands, nor will it. I have no sentimental attachments to any of the remaining teams. Memphis should win it all, but they need to pick up their game. We shall see.
