[GrayGhost]

What got you guys/gals into being baseball fans? Do you have any special memories, etc? I recently wrote to a magazine, hoping they put my letter in there, but this is what I wrote, if anyone whos a big fan can share memories of fav players, teams, why you love baseball, when you started as a fan, etc.

Baseball to me is the "perfect storm" of sports. It doesn't have a "time limit" and is the most unpredictable game of all, where every inning of every game is a one act play, with multiple scenes, where you never see the same show twice. Plus, to me, baseball's lush history is simply amazing. From the beginnings of the Knickerbockers, Candy Cummings, Jim Creighton and the like all the way thru Ty, and Shoeless, Babe and Matty, Lou, and Walter, Joe D, Mickey, Teddy ballgame, Seaver, Schmidt, Yaz, etc up to the present day, there is no sport with such amazing history. And baseball is a game for everyone, be it a youngster playing tee ball, or Babe ruth league, right up to adult leagues of amateur ball where the love of the game is still so pervasive. It is also a strong game, enduring the 1919 world series, Steroids, and the like and still remains everlasting and strong.

Born, and still a CT resident, I was one who was a Red Sox fan as a kid, until my eyes were opened. 1975, I was 12 turning 13, and my dad basically went nuts when the Reds ended the Sox chance at the first brass ring in 57 years. My mom and I became Yankees fans, and I have loved them ever since, but still have a smile when I think that my dad has seen two Red Sox titles now in his life. My mom has been gone 15 years, but I remember leaping and scraping my knuckle on the ceiling of our old house, when Bucky's homer settled in the the Fenway Screen. The blood stain is probably still there, and the smile from my mom was only eclipsed by my joy for her when they won in 1996, their first title after she passed.

Baseball will never leave me, I have a very small inexpensive collection of trinkets, and go to all the amateur and y outh games I can, and do volunteer work too for an adult league that has been in existence for 80 years. Thanks to MLB Insider for this special way to keep the memories alive, and to baseball for helping me throught a lot of dark times too. As far as two words for baseball, I only can echo the late legends, Harry Caray and the Scooter "HOLY COW"

[chrisfromct]

I remeber watching the games with my dad in the late 80's early 90's.
Don Mattingly was my dad's fav player and thus became mine. I remeber collecting baseball cards when they were like 25 cents a pack, they had that stale nasty bubble gum. I also remember the baseball cards that came in the wonder bread and cereal boxes.
I played little league and as I understood more of the game I became obsessed. Much like WWE Yankee baseball is a passion.

[bluedevil25]

I remember taking the baseball cards and taping them to the spokes of you bike wheel good times.

[Tauron Nox]

I'm boycotting baseball until the HOF crew pull their collective heads out of their asses. Basically, until Ron Santo & Jim Rice are in.

[GrayGhost]

Tauron Nox wrote:

I'm boycotting baseball until the HOF crew pull their collective heads out of their asses. Basically, until Ron Santo & Jim Rice are in.

I don't think you'll see Santo, tho he was a very very good player. Maybe on the veterans committee, which he may even be eligible for now.

Rice, I agree w ya. Total dominance for a ten plus year stretch. For those who say that isnt enuff, I call bullshit. Other greats are in w the same dominance timeframe. Yeah, he wasnt "cuddly cuddly " w the press, but neither were Murray, Carlton and others. Jim Ed BELONGS IN.

[Tauron Nox]

GrayGhost wrote:

Tauron Nox wrote: I'm boycotting baseball until the HOF crew pull their collective heads out of their asses. Basically, until Ron Santo & Jim Rice are in. I don't think you'll see Santo, tho he was a very very good player. Maybe on the veterans committee, which he may even be eligible for now. Rice, I agree w ya. Total dominance for a ten plus year stretch. For those who say that isnt enuff, I call bullshit. Other greats are in w the same dominance timeframe. Yeah, he wasnt "cuddly cuddly " w the press, but neither were Murray, Carlton and others. Jim Ed BELONGS IN.

It just pissed me off to see Gossage as the only player to go in. Those who get to vote are so full of themselves, it disgusting. How can they NOT see how dominant Rice was amongst his peers during that stretch?

And I know Santo can only go in on the vetereans vote, and it will probably happen on his first try there. I'm not sure when he will be eligible for a vet vote in, though.

[GrayGhost]

Ron has been on the Veterans committe for a few years now. He and Gil Hodges looking in from the outside, w the old timers is a shame.

[chrisfromct]

Yeah Jim Rice should be in the Hall.
I wish "Donnie Baseball" would get the nod being as Kirby Puckett is in but I wont hold my breath.

[GrayGhost]

chrisfromct wrote:

Yeah Jim Rice should be in the Hall. I wish "Donnie Baseball" would get the nod being as Kirby Puckett is in but I wont hold my breath.

Yeah, don't hold it.

And the goose looks at home in the gallery

[Tauron Nox]

chrisfromct wrote:

Yeah Jim Rice should be in the Hall. I wish "Donnie Baseball" would get the nod being as Kirby Puckett is in but I wont hold my breath.

Mattingly should totally get in. He was the only consistently good player they had throughout his run with the Yankees.

[GrayGhost]

He's not a HOFer in my opinion, and I loved him as a player. I don't think Puckett really is either tho, but you get the "if this guy got in, this one should" argument, which doesn't always hold water.