Take me out to the ball park!

Well folks, its that time of year again...time to dust off the cleats, break in a new glove, and play ball!  The moments of waning grief over the recently deceased football season give way to the freshness of a new season of America's past time.  Last Sunday, Michael took the boys out to a half day clinic put on by local sports ministries.  

On hand were local high school players and coaches, some LSU players, and a few local pros.  They had a great time and were eager to hit the field...passing up autographs to do so!  The players in the red jerseys are from my alma mater, Parkview, which has a longstanding tradition of baseball excellence.  

I'm thrilled to see my guys enjoy baseball and do well at it too!  So, in the anticipation of another great season of baseball and t-ball here are some pictures from the clinic and some words of inspiration too.  See you at the old ball game!

It ain't like football.  

You can't make up no trick plays.  ~Yogi Berra

~

The strongest thing that baseball has going for it 

today are its yesterdays.  ~Lawrence Ritter

 People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball.  I'll tell you what I do.  I stare out the window 
and wait for spring.  ~Rogers Hornsby

I'm convinced that every boy, in his heart, would rather steal second base than an automobile.  ~Tom Clark 

You gotta be a man to play baseball for a living, but you gotta have a lot of little boy in you, too.  ~Roy Campanella 

Baseball was made for kids, 

and grown-ups only screw it up.  ~Bob Lemon 

Baseball is a fun game.  

It beats working for a living.  ~Phil Linz

~

When they start the game, they don't yell, "Work ball."  

They say, "Play ball."  ~Willie Stargell, 1981

I don't love baseball.  I don't love most of today's players.  I don't love the owners.  I do love, however, the baseball that is in the heads of baseball fans.  I love the dreams of glory of 10-year-olds, the reminiscences of 70-year-olds.  The greatest baseball arena is in our heads.  ~Stan Isaacs

 

Hitting is timing.  

Pitching is upsetting timing.  ~Warren Spahn

~

Don't forget to swing hard, 

in case you hit the ball.  ~Woodie Held

Well, boys, it's a round ball and a round bat 

and you got to hit the ball square.  ~Joe Schultz

I think Little League is wonderful. 

It keeps the kids out of the house.

~

 Little League baseball is a very good thing 

because it keeps the parents off the streets.

Yogi Berra

You look forward to it like a birthday party when you're

a kid.  You think something wonderful is going to happen.

Joe Dimaggio on Opening Day

When you're ten, you know more about your team 

than you ever will know again. ~Dan Shaughnessy

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,
I don't care if I never get back,
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don't win it's a shame.
For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,
At the old ball game!

~Jack Norworth