Feb

13

Taking the game out of the sport…

Filed Under Babbling, The history of me 

I don’t talk about it much, but a long long time ago, I used to play baseball. Course, I think everyone did when they were still single digits old.

Even still, I loved the sport growing up. I played YMCA league for three different years–Indians, State Farm, Mets–and I didn’t continue afterwards. But I always loved throwing around a baseball and taking a few swings. I played softball one year in intramurals here at UCF, but not much other than that.

I was very much a utility player. I started out in the outfield and was alright, but I really sparkled when they brought me into the infield. Usually rotated between second and short stop, my favorite spot was when they stuck me behind the plate as the catcher. I used to trade spots there with a friend of mine growing up, Matt Watsky if I recall his name right. Needless to say, I wasn’t amazing, but I was pretty good. I batted either third or either fifth or sixth in the order. Never was phenomenal. I kept about a .250 average at the least.

I loved the game, I really did. Then 1994 hit.

For those who don’t remember 1994 was a dark year for baseball with the baseball strike. I was just 11 years old then: I didn’t care about money in the game and what the players were making, I just wanted to watch the game. I lived and loved the game, and to see folks who were playing where I could only hope to be one of these years complaining about money? It completely took the fun out of the game for me.

And today, with the Clemens/McNamee committee hearing on Capitol Hill, I feel just as sickened about the sport. Whether it really happened or not, which I don’t know what to believe from testimony going back and forth, I can tell you that sports in general make me extremely sad. To have something like this so widespread throughout the game with the Mitchell Report? To have players making millions in a season to the point that if they swing a bat and strike out, they’re essentially getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for it?

The same goes for my feeling of all sports. I understand that its an industry, but there’s so much money involved with this that it just really makes me sad.

The kids who are the inner city youth, struggling to survive and playing the games to stay off of drugs. The kids who found a stick and a rock and play because its something other than sitting at home with video games. The kids who are kicking around a beat up old soccer ball and using trees for goals… The sport lies with these youth and the game is still there.

But somewhere along the way when it grew up, so many folks focused on the business that the fun isn’t there. Or at least not for me. I don’t see it anymore.

Maybe some year I’ll be lucky enough to work for a company that has a softball team or bowling team. I’d honestly like that more than anything. I may not be the best, but I’ll always bring my heart to it. And if Sarah and I ever have kids? They’ll learn that lesson and hopefully they’ll love the game… and the sport.

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    About The Site


    Thanks for stopping by, folks! My name is Adam J. Cohen, and I'm a guitarist/songwriter in Champaign, IL, recently relocated from Orlando, FL where I'm a UCF grad. Here, you'll find vignettes on my life, setlists from open mics and reviews, and whatever else crosses my mind. Enjoy!