| Baseball is a game that has many people and | | | | brother glove it changes with every hitter who |
| things all playing a part. Everything and everybody | | | | comes to the plate. Big boy standing about 6'3" |
| plays a part to make baseball a game referred to | | | | and a solid 240 lbs. come up there with a piece of |
| as our National Pastime.Would we have a game | | | | lumber that looks like the garden fence post. He |
| without our players? Do the fans make our game | | | | stands in there swings and whiffs swings and |
| stay popular with their support? Do beginning | | | | whiffs and drags himself and his power pole back |
| baseball players put up with a coaches constant, | | | | to the dugout. Little 5'8" cracker jack buzzsaw |
| do it this way, or do this, time and time again if | | | | comes to the plate with his tinker toy stick slaps |
| he did not want to be a player like his favorite | | | | the ball a good one and takes off like a scared |
| baseball hero? Probably not!We can readily see | | | | jack rabbit. So the bat plays his part.The catcher |
| that the player, the fan and the beginners all have | | | | wears a baseball mask because his girl friend |
| a part to play. But this is only the tip of the | | | | would not be caught in public with a snaggled |
| iceberg that we see. Hidden down in the real nitty | | | | tooth catcher after little baseball at ninety miles |
| gritty is all the other things which play a part in | | | | per hour comes calling. So old iron mask plays a |
| this great game of baseball.The glove the lowly | | | | part.It's so hot here in the bleachers with no |
| little laced up piece of leather padding comes in all | | | | breeze. Then sudden as a sneaky hold up robber |
| shapes and sizes. The baseball glove of a second | | | | the wind picks up. The next hitter lofts a well hit |
| baseman normally is significantly different from | | | | ball toward right center field but ole long striding |
| the outfielders. | | | | center fielder is outrun by the ball in the wind. |
| A second baseman's glove has shorter stubby | | | | Little ball rattles the fence now excitement is in |
| fingers for digging into the dirt and scooping up | | | | the wind. So too the wind plays his part.It's the |
| that little baseball. Then again to be adept at | | | | bottom of the eight inning two men are on base |
| turning the double play he needs a glove which will | | | | there are two outs and the pitcher is right handed |
| give up and let him have the ball without a | | | | and is throwing slower and slower. The next hitter |
| struggle.Now the long striding fast moving | | | | coming up is a left handed batter so the manager |
| outfielder has a glove with finger and webbing so | | | | makes his appearance. He calls for the ball and |
| long it looks like a dog catchers net when he runs | | | | waves in a left handed relief pitcher. Now the |
| down that high flying rocket shot. The outfielder | | | | team manager has let us know that he has a |
| may even hang onto the outfield fence send a | | | | part in this game.Now would you not agree there |
| wave a hand full of leather across the fence to | | | | are many known and unknown playing parts of |
| retrieve little baseball.Look at what the first | | | | our game of baseball? People and things all playing |
| baseman calls a first baseman's mitt. If I did not | | | | a part. There are so many more parts being a |
| know better I might think it was a size 16 leather | | | | part of the action it is impossible to get them all in |
| sack he uses. At any rate he sacks all throws | | | | one session. Keep tuned and keep going out to |
| coming his way and pretends there is nothing to | | | | the ball park and soon you will be a super |
| it.The catcher sits back there behind homeplate | | | | fan.Batter Up---Let's Play Ball...Major Wiley B. |
| holding an overstuffed mitt that looks like a | | | | Channell USMC (retired) staying with you at with |
| whoopie cushion. When ole knuckle ball thrower is | | | | some baseball for your enjoyment. Teach a |
| on the mound he gets a mitt the size of a stolen | | | | youngster the game of baseball and give him |
| stop sign.You see even the well oiled leather glove | | | | something they will cherish all their life. There are |
| in baseball has a part to play. We often overlook | | | | more parts to the game than readily meets the |
| these subtle little differences yet there part is | | | | eye. |
| critical in the game.Ole baseball bat is just like | | | | |