What has happened to Baseball in the US?

[gedred69]

Am I the only one who laments the fact that American Kids are not the bally-hooed talent for the future of Baseball? Are our children all sucked into Video games, eating God knows what that isn't good for them, growing too fat and slothful to be of any significance on a ball field?

[tbball10]

Am I the only one who laments the fact that American Kids are not the bally-hooed talent for the future of Baseball? Are our children all sucked into Video games, eating God knows what that isn't good for them, growing too fat and slothful to be of any significance on a ball field?

I think the talent level is decreasing because there are so many other activities (most being non-productive) that interest kids. But, I also think the top-tier players have the opportunity to be better, because they have better resources to use today.

[David Cubbedge]

We have all heard the story start out like this; “A long time ago, someone hits a ball with a stick to pass the time, pastime becomes game, game becomes competition, baseball is born.” That slogan could be noted as America’s historic expression of the festivity that is baseball. It takes you back to the days prior to the existence of a remarkable competitive outlet.

I spoke with my grandfather, Raymond Stammers, today about the joy that baseball has bestowed upon him. “As a child, I used to play ball with all the neighborhood kids and we would be out at the park all day long.” My grandfather explained. “Baseball was a way to entertain ourselves even during those times when nobody else was around. I still remember throwing a tennis ball against the garage and simulating a pitching match-up against the ’27 Yankees. If you spend a few hours every day pitching to your garage, you take in a lot of practice with your throwing and fielding. Sure enough, in my own mind, I became the greatest pitcher that ever lived. You know what I used to call myself? I was Raymond ‘Ace’ Stammers, the greatest pitcher there ever was.”

It amuses me that baseball literally was used to pass the time and entertain yourself all at once. I thought about when I used to go to the park and play home run derby and over the line with my friends and how much fun it was competing for a victory that will not be recorded anywhere but within our memories. It would seem like I gained fundamentals for the game in the same manner as my grandfather. Yet I am positive that his activities within the game were much more defined.

With the new generation of vidiots (video game idiots) and coach potatoes, many of our youth today have lost interest in any form of competition that does not put all their effort in their thumbs. It is as if they would rather gain entertainment by playing a video game instead of running out the door with their glove in hand and telling their mother that their homework is done and they will be home by dinner. It is a vast difference between my grandfather's generation and what we see as our future today. I find this alarming, but more than that, I find it hard to believe that professional baseball players are still making those milestone records that steroids do not have an effect on. Records such as the 56 game hit streak or young pitchers coming up trying to beat Nolan Ryan's strikeout record. With these records having the possibility of being broken and competition being extremely high, how then can we feel like baseball has lost its swagger?

I just took a poll of everyone in my work center, out of five people; each one of them said they enjoy baseball. But only one of my coworkers could tell me who won the 2007 World Series. If my grandfather were to take that same poll when he was my age, I would bet those five people would know who baseball’s current champion was. Baseball has suffered an outpouring of disinterest. Without putting a finger on an exact reasoning for this polluted way of thinking, I am going to attempt on putting an optimistic spin on the situation.

With the talent likely to decrease as many young kids are in the pursuit of becoming the greatest Final Fantasy player on the planet, the competition to become the next Albert Pujols will decrease as well. If there are children out there who take on the Raymond “Ace” Stammers attitude and practice fundamentals every day with their friends and family and a lot of the time with their garage door, it is likely that they will have an edge toward having the ability to be as good as anyone else striving to achieve the same dream.

Right now, a professional baseball player is what a child dreams of becoming. So how can he mold that dream into chasing a reality? He has to work hard at perfecting his craft, right? Of course this is right; anyone trying to be a professional in any career has to be gifted in that area. But how talented do they have to be? Of course there will be extremely gifted athletes that stand out above all the rest. There will always be the next great prep All-American stud that destroys competition at every level. But what about those guys who had to take what little talent they had and turn it into something? There are hundreds of professional baseball players who fell under this category when growing up. It is my belief that these hundred or so ballplayers would find the road to the show a lot easier if growing up in this new era.

The only question that follows is this; a game that was invented by Alexander Cartwright or Abner Doubleday (choose your inventor) may be tampered by those who do not find competition on a playground as enchanting as we did when we were their age. With the lack of affection toward the game we have grown to love, how then can we expect it to be as great as it is today? Is the future of baseball finding its way to a dark place? “A long time ago, someone hits a ball with a stick to pass the time, pastime becomes game, game becomes competition, baseball is born.” Does this well known slogan end with this; "But then someone invented the playstation."

I truly hope we do not find our future of this great sport at a loss. Many people may already fear it is nothing it once was, and they are already sour on the game and have made a turn for the worst. But for the still reigning fans of the game, what does our future look like? It may be a lot easier for the dads out there to provide their child the necessary tools to become a great competitor considering the talent level will be decreased. But you still have to be concerned about how less often we will see a record broken because the next Nolan Ryan never knew the talent he had on the baseball diamond. His interest has been invaded by a different form of entertainment.

This is not a challenge to turn the playstation off, because I will admit that I play mine from time to time. But even still, unless we change our children's activities a bit, we may see the death of the greatest sport that was ever invented. The challenge is for all the fathers out there who have not taken the time to teach their child about baseball. Going out and having a catch with my father will be one of the greatest memories that will be cherished for the rest of my lifetime. That is your challenge as a father. Go out there and teach your kid this game that has united so many fathers and sons for so many generations before. I challenge every child that does not have a father to find that garage door and have it beat up by a tennis ball. Or go out there and get the kids in the neighborhood involved in a game. These practiced forms of entertainment will become some of the greatest times in your life. Do not let it waste away sheltered from the sun. Baseball was born in the 1800s; do not let it die in the 2000s.

[gedred69]

We have all heard the story start out like this; “A long time ago, someone hits a ball with a stick to pass the time, pastime becomes game, game becomes competition, baseball is born.” That slogan could be noted as America’s historic expression of the festivity that is baseball. It takes you back to the days prior to the existence of a remarkable competitive outlet.

I spoke with my grandfather, Raymond Stammers, today about the joy that baseball has bestowed upon him. “As a child, I used to play ball with all the neighborhood kids and we would be out at the park all day long.” My grandfather explained. “Baseball was a way to entertain ourselves even during those times when nobody else was around. I still remember throwing a tennis ball against the garage and simulating a pitching match-up against the ’27 Yankees. If you spend a few hours every day pitching to your garage, you take in a lot of practice with your throwing and fielding. Sure enough, in my own mind, I became the greatest pitcher that ever lived. You know what I used to call myself? I was Raymond ‘Ace’ Stammers, the greatest pitcher there ever was.”

It amuses me that baseball literally was used to pass the time and entertain yourself all at once. I thought about when I used to go to the park and play home run derby and over the line with my friends and how much fun it was competing for a victory that will not be recorded anywhere but within our memories. It would seem like I gained fundamentals for the game in the same manner as my grandfather. Yet I am positive that his activities within the game were much more defined.

With the new generation of vidiots (video game idiots) and coach potatoes, many of our youth today have lost interest in any form of competition that does not put all their effort in their thumbs. It is as if they would rather gain entertainment by playing a video game instead of running out the door with their glove in hand and telling their mother that their homework is done and they will be home by dinner. It is a vast difference between my grandfather's generation and what we see as our future today. I find this alarming, but more than that, I find it hard to believe that professional baseball players are still making those milestone records that steroids do not have an effect on. Records such as the 56 game hit streak or young pitchers coming up trying to beat Nolan Ryan's strikeout record. With these records having the possibility of being broken and competition being extremely high, how then can we feel like baseball has lost its swagger?

I just took a poll of everyone in my work center, out of five people; each one of them said they enjoy baseball. But only one of my coworkers could tell me who won the 2006 World Series. If my grandfather were to take that same poll when he was my age, I would bet those five people would know who baseball’s current champion was. Baseball has suffered an outpouring of disinterest. Without putting a finger on an exact reasoning for this polluted way of thinking, I am going to attempt on putting an optimistic spin on the situation.

With the talent likely to decrease as many young kids are in the pursuit of becoming the greatest Final Fantasy player on the planet, the competition to become the next Albert Pujols will decrease as well. If there are children out there who take on the Raymond “Ace” Stammers attitude and practice fundamentals every day with their friends and family and a lot of the time with their garage door, it is likely that they will have an edge toward having the ability to be as good as anyone else striving to achieve the same dream.

Right now, a professional baseball player is what a child dreams of becoming. So how can he mold that dream into chasing a reality? He has to work hard at perfecting his craft, right? Of course this is right; anyone trying to be a professional in any career has to be gifted in that area. But how talented do they have to be? Of course there will be extremely gifted athletes that stand out above all the rest. There will always be the next great prep All-American stud that destroys competition at every level. But what about those guys who had to take what little talent they had and turn it into something. There are hundreds of professional baseball players who fell under this category when growing up. It is my belief that these hundred or so ballplayers would find the road to the show a lot easier if growing up in this new era.

The only question that follows is this; a game that was invented by Alexander Cartwright or Abner Doubleday (choose your inventor) may be tampered by those who do not find competition on a playground as enchanting as we did when we were their age. With the lack of affection toward the game we have grown to love, how then can we expect it to be as great as it is today? Is the future of baseball finding its way to a dark place? “A long time ago, someone hits a ball with a stick to pass the time, pastime becomes game, game becomes competition, baseball is born.” Does this well known slogan end with this; "But then someone invented the playstation."

I truly hope we do not find our future of this great sport at a loss. Many people may already fear it is nothing it once was, and they are already sour on the game and have made a turn for the worst. But for the still reigning fans of the game, what does our future look like? It may be a lot easier for the dads out there to provide their child the necessary tools to become a great competitor considering the talent level will be decreased. But you still have to be concerned about how less often we will see a record broken because the next Nolan Ryan never knew the talent he had on the baseball diamond. His interest has been invaded by a different form of entertainment.

This is not a challenge to turn the playstation off, because I will admit that I play mine from time to time. But even still, unless we change our children's activities a bit, we may see the death of the greatest sport that was ever invented. The challenge is for all the fathers out there who have not taken the time to teach their child about baseball. Going out and having a catch with my father will be one of the greatest memories that will be cherished for the rest of my lifetime. That is your challenge as a father. Go out there and teach your kid this game that has united so many fathers and sons for so many generations before. I challenge every child that does not have a father to find that garage door and have it beat up by a tennis ball. Or go out there and get the kids in the neighborhood involved in a game. These practiced forms of entertainment will become some of the greatest times in your life. Do not let it waste away sheltered from the sun. Baseball was born in the 1800s; do not let it die in the 2000s.

[gedred69]

I can not thank you for this dissertation enough. It is exactly what I hoped for. I do not have any Grandsons----yet. But you can bet if I do, I will do everything my old bones can do to encourage him to play baseball. My daughter was/is a good player, and you can bet if she pops out a son, he will play baseball. I have an adopted daughter who's son plays at the ground level whom we are all encouraging in his endeavors to be a baseball player!

[David Cubbedge]

Thanks man, it is an article I wrote for my site a while ago. I figured it fit in here real nicely. Keep them playing!

[NJReds]

There is also more competition from other sports. When I was a kid (late 70s, early 80s) it was little league in the spring, baskeball in the winter, and soccer (which was fairly new and unorganized) in the fall. Now there is football and lacrosse that is stealing kids away.

There are travel soccer teams that play all year around. Summer basketball leagues. Coaches don't want their kids playing two different sports.

Now there are the "x game" type sports that are extremely popular.

Video games have been around for 25 years. They are a problem, but not the only reason that kids stopped playing baseball.

[David Cubbedge]

I would be cool if I saw any kids out playing ball like we used to. No matter the sport. Maybe it is because I am in Wyoming now, but even in the summer time where it averages 85 degrees out here, I see nobody playing ball outside of us beer league softball guys. Seriously, kids are inside far too much these days.

[gedred69]

Thanks man, it is an article I wrote for my site a while ago. I figured it fit in here real nicely. Keep them playing!

P.S. I have only visited your state once. (Shame on me, but I didn't know until I was there, how cool Wy. is). I am extremely jealous......I know now what "Open Range" really means.

[David Cubbedge]

haha, it's not necessarily "my state," I am just stationed here at the Air Force Base. But, yeah it isn't as bad as many think. I guess you can get used to it.

[redsmetz]

There is also more competition from other sports. When I was a kid (late 70s, early 80s) it was little league in the spring, baskeball in the winter, and soccer (which was fairly new and unorganized) in the fall. Now there is football and lacrosse that is stealing kids away.

There are travel soccer teams that play all year around. Summer basketball leagues. Coaches don't want their kids playing two different sports.

Now there are the "x game" type sports that are extremely popular.

Video games have been around for 25 years. They are a problem, but not the only reason that kids stopped playing baseball.

You're right; from a sports standpoint, basketball and soccer are so much easier for kids to take part in and baseball has been losing out on that for some time. Likewise, from an organizational standpoint, once you reach a certain age, there are fewer leagues for your average kid. If you're playing ball in high school, it's on a high school team and then on select teams. If you don't play select, you are pretty much out of luck finding knothole teams for high school kids (although my son played through his sophomore year, maybe his junior year). But we couldn't afford, nor did all the travel, etc, appeal to us for him to play select. He's pining for baseball this summer and he and his buddy are going to try to find a college age team just for fun next summer.

Lonnie Wheeler did a piece a few years ago about traveling around the greater Cincinnati area and looking for kids playing pick up games of baseball during the day. As I recall, he found just one group of kids playing out of a whole day of traveling around. When I was a kid, even if we only had about five kids, we could play ball with one kid batting and filling out the field as we could. We'd play for a long time that way.

Now with either a basketball or a soccer ball, even just two kids can play one on one. And you don't need a bat, a glove and a ball. It's simple logistics, sadly.