By Mike Bowen
Times West Virginian
July 19, 2008 12:07 am
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Not everyone gets the chance to step out on the diamond and play baseball at some level.
Some don’t like it; others don’t play for whatever reasons.
But since the West Virginia state Little League tournament starts tomorrow in Clarksburg I was reminded of picking up a bat and a ball as a kid with MLB dreams.
I loved baseball as a kid, still do in fact.
Everyone played back then. And I mean everyone.
My friends and I probably spent more hours at Mary Lou Retton Park than we did in school.
It was all about fun, but there was no doubt we took it very seriously.
Fairmont Little League was a way of life. So much so when my family moved outside of the city limits, we went to great lengths to keep eligible to play.
When time rolled around for the all-star teams to be announced, it was a big deal.
The anxiousness of scanning the posted list on the wall near the concession stand, luckily in my case, gave way to the thrill of finding your name written in ink.
We never made it very far, but man did we have fun.
So I know exactly what the current Fairmont Little League all-stars are going through.
Though participation in the sport has dipped significantly, the seriousness has gone up exponentially.
These all-stars are fighting for the state title, but that’s just a small step to the greater prize of the Little League World Series.
To be honest, I never really thought about the Little League World Series when I was in Little League.
Sure, we’d watch it every year on ESPN, but never did I give a passing though of actually playing in it.
Since I’ve been here at the TWV, I’ve had the pleasure of covering a few teams that have come close.
We, as in Fairmont or Marion County, haven’t been to Williamsport, Pa., in decades, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen.
This team has as good a shot as any.
It won’t be easy, and I’m sure they know that.
We didn’t, or at least I didn’t. I just wanted to play baseball.
Baseball, like all sports, has evolved into something more than a game. Year-round focus is needed to get anywhere, or so we’re told.
But I like to think that it’s still fun for the players. Its not a job, at least not yet.
And that’s the beauty of baseball. No matter how serious life may be, the crack of the bat still brings a smile to many faces, mine included.
E-mail Mike Bowen at mbowen@timeswv.com.
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