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The Love For The Game

Baseball has been in my life since I was born. My Grandfather played in the MLB and

taught me everything he knew on and off the field. I started officially playing baseball when I

was four years old. I do not have many vivid memories of that time but I knew that when I

started playing I was going to be doing this for a long time. My teammates that I had then and

have now will always be a part of my life because they formed me to be a better and more caring

person. Baseball teaches you that the world we live in can not be a one person thing. Working as

a team can accomplish more and make yourself and others even stronger. There were many ups

and downs in my baseball career, but, everytime my teammates picked me up and kept me

moving forward. Many kids that do not have friends in school can go join a baseball team and

have people who support them and become close with them. The biggest thing it did for me was

keep me healthy and out of trouble. Being active is one of the most important things and it makes

you want to be more a part of your society and be happier. Early on I did not like many other

sports and if I had not stuck with baseball I truly believe I would be a totally different person

now. The characteristics I obtain now such as responsibility, unselfish, supportive, and

hardworking is from baseball because without those you would not do well in the sport what so

bit. What makes baseball an iconic part of American Culture and Society?

The color barrier changed everything. It brought African Americans and much more into

the great sport of baseball with tons of talent. Some of the greatest players to ever play baseball

are African American. Playing sports is not what changed our world. It was the courage they

took to do it. “​These are pioneering stars not only on the diamond, but also in the advancement
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of African-American culture in the country”(Whitener). Jackie Robinson was the first African

American man to step foot in a major league baseball game. “On April 15, 1947, Robinson broke

the decades-old “colour line” of ​Major League Baseball​ when he appeared on the field for the

National League​Brooklyn Dodgers​”(Britannica). Going into it he knew that he would face

probably one of the toughest situations a man has ever faced in sports such as racial interactions,

threats, abuse, and staying alive. But he knew that he would change the world forever. “Jackie

Robinson was not only a great baseball player, he was a great man who had enormous amounts

of courage and pride. He took verbal beatings whenever he traveled with the Dodgers.

Sometimes, the Dodgers were not able to stay at their usual hotels because they would not allow

black people to stay in them”(jackierobinsonchangessports.weebly.com). On April 15, 1997 the

MLB had retired the number forty-two for the rest of existence for his act of courage and

commitment to America’s pastime. April 15 is also the only day of the season where all players

wear number 42 to show their gratitude and respect. “Jackie Robinson made his country and you

and me and all of us a shade more free”(Kahn). We will never know how long it would have

taken an African American man to join the MLB if Jackie never did.

In 1939 to about 1945 World War Two had taken place. Back then it was men 18 years of

age and older that had to enter into the draft to fight in the war. Major League Baseball players

did not have an advantage to not enter the draft. “All told, over 500 major league and more than

2,000 minor league baseball players went into the armed forces”(Roberts). Many players did not

make it back because of such causes as death, trauma, injuries, and not having the ambition and

energy to play again. Red Sox outfielder from 1946-1960 was a man by the name of Ted

Williams.To this day he is still remembered for his actions in the major league and his skill.
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“There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived”(Leventhal). He also was a war victim, but not for

World War Two. “Williams was involved in active combat during the Korean War. Flying a total

of 39 missions, he lost part of his hearing and survived many extremely dangerous

situations”(Mayo). When he went to war he left his baseball career behind but after the war he

went right back. His courage and gratitude to the game of baseball and our country shows how

much of a great person he is. The game has some of the bravest athletes to ever walk this earth.

To this day we will always salute those who have fallen for our country and the ones who made

it back for taking part in some of the scariest moments in our country's time.

As a kid baseball was my everyday hobby. It started with Little League, then to travel

ball, and now highschool. The biggest thing it taught me was to appreciate life and have a

purpose in it. Today's world is full of technology and videogames. Being active and learning new

things out in the world is one of the greatest gifts humans have. Especially in the United States.

Places all over the world most likely are playing baseball with torn up gloves or maybe even a

stick for a bat. Baseball has been such an important thing in our country's history and has made

so many people who they are today. “Baseball is unique, however, not just as ‘America’s

Pastime,’ but in the many critical lessons it teaches kids – lessons that will help them long after

they set aside the bat and glove”(Jacoby). Baseball can always be in someone's life. It will

always be on television to watch, at a local park or stadium near you, and you can play in any

kind of organization that fits you. All sports in our time have a regulated time of how long the

game is. In baseball it ends if the team has more runs then the other team by the end of the 6th

(Little League), 7th (High School), or 9th inning (MLB). If the game is tied then it can go on and

on. Just like our everyday lives. If you keep doing the same thing day after day then you will
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make no progress. Treat everyday like a blank canvas and to make it full of ideas and

accomplishments that you want to do. “​Baseball​, like ​life​, has no clock. No time limit or “sudden

death” overtime. You know there is an end to the game, but never exactly when… just like

life​”(Egelhoff). Baseball has done so much for me by becoming a more respectful human being

and treating everyday like it is my last and people around me.

During World War Two most men had left to go to war , especially players in the Major

League so women in the United States started a women's baseball league to keep their

communities entertained. The founders were Philip K. Wrigley, Branch Rickey, and Paul V.

Harper. “​ ​The new league's first tryouts were scheduled for Chicago in the spring of 1943 and

drew almost 300 women from across the United States and Canada”(Francis). The great thing

about it is that the women were very dedicated to the sport and wanted to give the people

entertainment. “The women who made up the teams of the All-American Girls Professional

Baseball League (AAGPBL) were pioneers in sports–yet played for the love of the

game”(Historymuseumsb.org). Most people were very interested in watching it because it was

something new and was very interesting to see how well they were at the sport. They shocked

many people. Especially Dottie Collins who was a shortstop for the peaches. “​The Cubs manager

in the mid-1940s, Charley Grimm, said of Kenosha shortstop Dottie Schroeder, “I’d pay $50,000

for her if she were a boy”(Francis). Dottie was an amazing player and showed us that women

could truly play baseball and is a huge inspiration to women of all ages all across the world.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Matt Jarvis has been doing pitching lessons to

kids all over the west coast for the past 7 years. “As a professional I played 14 years and from

the beginning, 10 years.” Matt and I had discussed my questions I had for him at a local baseball
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facility he trains me at. My questions overall asked how baseball truly changed his life and what

it means to him. “Well...in many ways…first it helped me meet my wife. If I hadn't played

baseball I never would have had the life I have today. Hard to say if baseball changed my life as

much as it gave me a life. Not sure what I’d do for my career if I hadn’t played baseball. It

pushed me to make me better, tested my abilities in so many environments and situations,” Matt

explained. Baseball had truly changed Matt’s life. After talking about how baseball changed his

life we led into how it has made him smarter and appreciate life. “It's made me smarter in so

many ways...taught me how to deal with conflict both from cultural and verbal communication

issues. It's taught me how to manage, save, make, and invest money. You only get so long to

play this game...it comes and goes so fast, if you don’t appreciate this time you have you can

never go back and do it again. One chance at life and somewhat in baseball as well,” Matt

explained. That question made me think more and more about this project and how this sport and

just life is so important and it has been put in my life for a reason. We started getting into how it

has helped him today. “It's helped me build a life outside baseball while still being a part of the

game. It gave me another purpose and a sense of belonging to something greater than

playing...helping the next generation of young baseball players chase their dreams of becoming a

professional baseball player! It’s helped and allows me to connect to players, mentor players that

are going through tough issues both on and off the field,” Matt said. Baseball has helped us so

much and will always be with us. Towards the end we went back into the beginning of how he

caught onto baseball and how it had challenged him. “ Was baseball hard to learn...yes early in

my playing days but as I got help/training it became much easier. It’s more challenging then

hard, learning the way baseball is played, how you respect the game, the expectations of you to
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play the game. It’s only hard when you don’t show up wanting to learn and play.” Baseball in my

opinion is one of the hardest to learn and play at a competitive and fast pace. Going into

highschool with no baseball experience is very risky because it is a sport you can not adapt to so

fast.

Former minor league pitcher Greg Paxton has had a huge experience with the sport of

baseball from his young days and to after college. “I started when I was about 6 years old at

continental little league and ended my career after playing for the Silver Sox minor league team.”

Then we started leaning into why baseball. “Baseball was there for me ever since I was born. My

dad also played in the major leagues and taught me much knowledge at the appropriate pace so I

would not get burnt out. Once I started playing I never wanted to stop. I was in love with the

game.” That question really interested me because I would have answered it the same way. I

always loved playing the game even if it was in my backyard, at school, or even in my house.

Baseball has helped me so much. But I wanted to know how it helped him. “The biggest thing it

gave me was the chance to get a scholarship from Cal Poly to play. I always wanted to play at

the college level because you got to go on the road with the whole team and get to experience the

world.” I also had the same dream but I had made the decision to stop after high school. I still

love the game but I got a little “burnt” out from years and years of playing. I started asking him

what he accomplished at college with his team. “ At college I got awarded the CCAA Pitcher of

the Year, earned All American Honors, and my team and I made it to the national championship

and accomplished every team's dream by becoming national champs!” After high school I was

curious what the process was like for his future in baseball. “After college I got drafted by the

Cleveland Indians. Unfortunately after about a year of playing I tore my UCL in my right arm.
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Tearing your UCL is also called Tommy John. I made the hard decision to stop playing after

surgery because I wanted to focus on making a future family and not relying on my arm issues.”

When I was sophomore I hurt my arm as well. I had tendonitis in my right elbow. When I first

got it I truly thought I had got Tommy John as well. Fortunately I did not get it but had to sit out

the whole season. It was hard to sit out but it made me want to come back even stronger to finish

highschool and help out my team. After talking about his baseball career I wanted to know how

much he is still involved with the game. “Once I had my son Drew I knew that he was going to

love and breathe baseball like I did.I have coached every team he has been on. Even his soccer

team. I do not pressure him or treat him differently than the other kids. I want him to have the

best experience he can with baseball and learn and play it the right way.” I totally understood

what he was coming from because my Grandfather also wanted me to never get down about

playing bad or making mistakes. He wanted me to learn from them and to just be yourself on the

field and have fun. Greg wanted to leave me with one last piece of advice, “Baseball will always

be that sport that will never leave somebody's memory. Even if they say they hate it, they love it.

If they are too tired to go to practice and want to quit because it is so much work. THey will

regret it right away. Because once they see someone having fun and laughing on the field. It will

bring back the good memories they had with it and make them want to play again. That is why I

have never stopped loving this sport.”

Baseball will never leave this earth. It will always be America's pastime. After high

school I will not be playing the game competitively. I will still watch, teach, play with family

and friends, and always love it. It has always been there for me and I will always need to be there

also. Seeing back on all the memories i had while playing...it is pretty crazy how fast time flies.
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All my old teammates are moving on with their lives and I am doing mine. But baseball gives

you that connection with people that can never be lost. There were many kids I never thought in

a million years I would be friends with. There were also many kids who thought the same thing.

Our country and whole world has learned so much from this sport. Equality, sportsmanship,

respect, and the ambition to keep routing for your team year after year even if they lose the

World Series back to back. We have people like Jackie Robinson that we can always look up to

and give us a purpose on why to never give up in life and if you truly want to do something then

go out and do it. We cannot predict the future of baseball and our world, but things will keep

going and people will bring more and more talent and knowledge to this game that will entertain

and inspire us to want to love, watch, and play.

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Work Cited

“9 Quotes About Jackie Robinson.” ​Jackie Robinson Foundation,​

www.jackierobinson.org/blog/9-quotes-about-jackie-robinson/​.“Effect on Society.”

Jackie Robinson: A Man Who Changed Sports Forever​,

jackierobinsonchangedsports.weebly.com/effect-on-society.html.

Francis, Bill. “League of Women Ballplayers.” ​Baseball Hall of Fame,​

baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/baseball-history/league-of-women-ballplayers.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Jackie Robinson.” ​Encyclopædia Britannica​,

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 27 Jan. 2020,

www.britannica.com/biography/Jackie-Robinson​.

“The Greatest African-American Baseball Players of All Time.” ​Yardbarker,​ 20 Feb. 2019,

www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/the_greatest_african_american_baseball_players_of_al

l_time/s1__28469222#slide_1​.

“AAGPBL.” ​The History Museum,​ historymuseumsb.org/research-history/aagpbl/.

Leventhal, Josh. ​Baseball, the Perfect Game: an All-Star Anthology Celebrating the Game's

Greatest Players, Teams, and Moments.​ Voyageur Press, 2005.

“The Official Site of Major League Baseball.” ​MLB.com,​ ​www.mlb.com/​.

Tomegelhoff. “Baseball: The Only Sport That Reflects Real Life.” ​AM 1450 KMMS​, 9 Apr.

2012, kmmsam.com/baseball-the-only-sport-that-reflects-real-life/.

“A Tribute to Ted Williams.” ​Major League Baseball,​

mlb.mlb.com/mlb/news/tributes/mlb_obit_ted_williams.jsp?content=military.
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