Pilar
9th March 2007, 06:31
I was at a little league baseball game last Saturday afternoon. It was the first game of my nephew's team's season in the medium sized city La Mesa, California, immediately east of San Diego. It was a beautiful day.
The field is privately owned, and used by several different teams and other leagues, such as girls' softball.
For those of you who don't know how this works, everyone is encouraged to participate, the main objective is fun, and participation is not that costly. About $200. Most everything is made possible by volunteer workers, and the money goes to pay the insurance and league dues, and part of the player's uniform. I suppose you either buy or borrow the other stuff such as a bat and glove. There is a fund for those who can't afford the $200. In short, if you want to participate, you can. There's really no one who would be shut out. (No baseball pun intended.)
Some teams have a coaching philosophy that makes winning a premium, and others are more interested in the aspect of participation (as opposed to the former, who would, let's say, continue the same pitcher as much as possible, though even here there is a cap of about 60 pitches. This encourages pitchers being rotated.)
There is in the United States a conservative commentator, George Will, and a documentary film maker, Ken Burns, both who have written books with the thesis that baseball, more than any other force, has mirrored the history and phyche of America. There is a good argument for this.
I believe that Revolution will come to America first, in San Diego and Los Angeles. I believe this because these areas have large populations of poor who enjoy no real housing benefits, healthcare, future through a genuine education, and are in constant fear of police action. Doubtless there will be forces who will counter our efforts, from local constabulary to federal authorities, to the army.
But those I really want on our side are the men and women, the parents, of those I was surrounded by on Saturday. I think that Will and Burns have it right. I believe that if those who enjoy baseball in the United States are on our side, we cannot fail. No matter how great other forces are leveled against us.
The last few years, for the first time in my understanding of US History, a real national reflection on how America works is being offered to people more and more. I think our job is to continue to offer it, and to the families I was with last weekend.
The people I know who are over 60 tell me Nixon was never like G. W. Bush. That he may have "gone wrong", but that he was viewed by most everyone as smart, and as a hard working American. No one says the same about Bush. No one believes him.
Can this newly created national cynicism be exploited in some way toward the groups of parents I've mentioned?
The field is privately owned, and used by several different teams and other leagues, such as girls' softball.
For those of you who don't know how this works, everyone is encouraged to participate, the main objective is fun, and participation is not that costly. About $200. Most everything is made possible by volunteer workers, and the money goes to pay the insurance and league dues, and part of the player's uniform. I suppose you either buy or borrow the other stuff such as a bat and glove. There is a fund for those who can't afford the $200. In short, if you want to participate, you can. There's really no one who would be shut out. (No baseball pun intended.)
Some teams have a coaching philosophy that makes winning a premium, and others are more interested in the aspect of participation (as opposed to the former, who would, let's say, continue the same pitcher as much as possible, though even here there is a cap of about 60 pitches. This encourages pitchers being rotated.)
There is in the United States a conservative commentator, George Will, and a documentary film maker, Ken Burns, both who have written books with the thesis that baseball, more than any other force, has mirrored the history and phyche of America. There is a good argument for this.
I believe that Revolution will come to America first, in San Diego and Los Angeles. I believe this because these areas have large populations of poor who enjoy no real housing benefits, healthcare, future through a genuine education, and are in constant fear of police action. Doubtless there will be forces who will counter our efforts, from local constabulary to federal authorities, to the army.
But those I really want on our side are the men and women, the parents, of those I was surrounded by on Saturday. I think that Will and Burns have it right. I believe that if those who enjoy baseball in the United States are on our side, we cannot fail. No matter how great other forces are leveled against us.
The last few years, for the first time in my understanding of US History, a real national reflection on how America works is being offered to people more and more. I think our job is to continue to offer it, and to the families I was with last weekend.
The people I know who are over 60 tell me Nixon was never like G. W. Bush. That he may have "gone wrong", but that he was viewed by most everyone as smart, and as a hard working American. No one says the same about Bush. No one believes him.
Can this newly created national cynicism be exploited in some way toward the groups of parents I've mentioned?