Baseball

It's time to take a break from writing about politics or society in favor of something that truly makes a difference in our lives. I mean baseball,  of course.

I started following baseball in the spring of 1955 when my older brother Larry asked me what team I hoped would win the pennant. I really didn't have any idea what he was talking about, but he explained that we should be for  the Red Sox since we came from Boston. That seemed sensible to me - I was five years old - so I said we should be for them. Larry immediately told me the Sox had finished fourth the previous year, and I said I wished more people had voted for them. That required another explanation, that baseball is an athletic contest, not an election.

Later that spring, my father took Larry and me to Miami Stadium to see the hometown Marlins play the Montreal Royals. Pitching for the Marlins was Satchel Paige. I hardly remember the game, but I mark it as a great experience, seeing a legend of the game my very first time in a ballpark.

Lately I've been thinking about the changes in the game  since I first became a fan. Major league players are paid much much more now than they were when I was a boy. Back then, a retiring ballplayer knew he'd have to start a new career. Nowadays, even a couple of years in the big leagues should leave a careful man set for life.

The inflation in salaries and the huge increase in the sales prices of teams has meant a great increase in ticket prices. My first major league game at Fenway Park in 1964 cost $2.50 for a reserved seat. Fifty years later the same seat costs about twenty times as much.

What really has changed is sports medicine. Even in the 1960's, baseball players, especially pitchers, were described vaguely as having "sore" arms. Writing in 1969, Jim Bouton talked about the conflicting advice given to pitchers  - rest, or throw more, or run - strengthen your legs to strengthen your arm. Bouton told the story of another pitcher on the Houston Astros - I think Don Wilson - who always seemed to do well for about four innings, then fell apart and was hit hard. Bouton explained that Wilson was in pain. He could stand the pain for about four innings, but then he would alter his delivery as the pain became unbearable, lose velocity and the touch on his off-speed pitches, and suffer the consequences.

Nowadays, we hear about "Tommy John" surgery almost to the point of nausea. Even very young players - think Stephen Strasburg - have the operation, lose a year but come back with brand new fully warranted arms. In addition, players now are afflicted with other maladies we didn't hear about half a century ago. Strained obliques and concussion now remove players from lineups for extended periods of time. Back when, men played through such things, and the quality of play was not as high.

The other thing I see as a significant difference is the quality of playing field maintenance. I was surprised recently when looking at a highlight film of the 1964 All-Star game in St. Louis to note bare spots in the infield grass. You would never see that on a major league diamond now, and on very few minor league fields for that matter.

Baseball history has many stories of games decided by bad hops, players tripping over uneven places on the field. Mickey Mantle's career, for example, was nearly ended before it could really begin when he fell over a sprinkler head in right field at Yankee Stadium and damaged his knee. The Mick still had a mighty career, but was running on one good leg for the rest of his playing days.

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. I just hope the Bosox can restock their team by next spring.