The poet tells us that in spring, “a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.”
I know that to be true because it’s happened to me twice — and both times when it did, I was a young man.
The first was when I convinced Better Half to become my better half. I know when that happened; it was in1970.
The other was before that, but I don’t really remember the year or many of the details. But I know I did fall in love — with baseball.
I wasn’t very good at it: some Little League games in the wayback of growing up in Pittsboro; many a backyard game after school or on Sunday afternoons. I didn’t play in high school; not very athletic and as soon as I turned 14 and got a worker’s permit, I went to work for Dave Roberts at his jewelry store/soda shop.
I appreciated his confidence in me, but now I wish I had played more sports and worked less, since you work all your life and today, thanks to repeated shoulder surgeries, I couldn’t throw a baseball from here to there if my life depended on it.
But I still love it. Love high school and college games. And as far as I’m concerned Major League Baseball should leave major league baseball alone. The new rules this year on pitch clock, bigger bases and such aren’t helping the game.
But as I watch more ball, notably right now summer rec league softball with my five little princesses who are playing on four different teams, I have already, in the infancy of the season, seen something that definitely isn’t helping those games.
Parents.
I can’t quote it exactly but there’s a sign on one of the dugouts at a field at Siler City’s Bray Park. Basically, it tells parents to cool it with the negative vibes and foul language because, as the sign says, “No college scholarships are going to be awarded tonight.”
Several days ago, at a game between two teams, which shall remain nameless, at a local park, which shall also remain nameless to keep from further embarrassing an individual, a classic display of poor sportsmanship was shown for child and adult alike to see. That event should have been embarrassing enough on its own.
Not going to describe any details, again so as not to publicly call out anyone, but suffice it to say the tone and level of volume was notable enough to be heard at other fields in the complex.
So, here’s my question: what benefit did that serve? To show the youngsters how some adults behave? To present a model to the little folks? Hopefully, maybe “yes” to the first and “no” to the second and by the way, youngster, don’t be thinking you need to adopt that behavior.
Here’s a thought for these games: pull for your team but encourage all the youngsters. Speak kindly. Cheer loudly. Have a hot dog... or two.
No college scholarships are going to be awarded this summer.
Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and retired long-time managing editor of the Chatham News/Chatham Record, having written a weekly column for more than 30 years. During most of his time with the newspapers, he was also a bi-vocational pastor and today serves Bear Creek Baptist Church for the second time as pastor.