Coronavirus or not, here in Maine each year as the snow slowly melts, many hundreds of kids get excited about the coming green grass, firm earth, warm fresh air — and the smell of leather and rawhide they associate with the game of baseball. They oil up their gloves, start practicing their swings, find snow-free areas to play catch with their friends, and beg their parents for new equipment. The upcoming season is so promising.

The passion some have for baseball is obvious to everyone. But there are so many high-quality activities out there for our kids to participate in. With youth baseball finally getting going after an outbreak-induced delay, it is reasonable to ask, what makes this game so special that kids fall in love with it?

For starters, youth baseball, like other sports, puts children in touch with coaches who teach them the skills, knowledge, and discipline they want, but, being the lovable and rebellious kids that they are, don’t want to get from their parents.

For example, one time when I was a kid, Pete Hickey, the father of my teacher and baseball coach at Saint Mary’s School in Augusta (now Saint Michael’s), said to me after a game, “Good game, Garrett.” I didn’t reply, “Thank you.” Coach Hickey, one of the kindest men a person could know, read me the riot act for not expressing thanks for the compliment. His father, a former Augusta city councilman, had taken the time to come to the game and cheer us on, and I treated him with disrespect. I learned my lesson, and since that moment on Morton Field on the Piggery Road in Augusta, I have always expressed gratitude for compliments and instructed the ballplayers I have coached to say “thank you.”

I would not have had the same reaction if my parents had tried to teach me the same lesson. Maybe I had the fear of God in me that I wouldn’t get to keep playing the game I loved if I didn’t improve my behavior! More likely, though, I had a coach and teacher I respected, and I wanted his approval.

Coaches in all sports are so important. Baseball, however, is also special because it is a team sport that has parts of it that are similar to individual sports.

In baseball, everyone plays a role aimed at helping the whole team. If a pitcher is not having his best game (or even if he is), all other eight defensive players on the field need to be on guard, pitch after pitch after pitch, for the team to succeed. Players need to have learned the fundamentals, the game, and the plays involving multiple players. They have to be constantly ready to execute them to achieve success for the team.

I had the good fortune to play under and then coach alongside Augusta’s Bob Lippert, now a member of the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. He always tells his players, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.”

At the same time, however, for a hitter in the batter’s box and a pitcher on the mound, staring each other down, baseball teaches you how to feel all alone in a one-on-one matchup. That is a scary situation, but an experience that is of great value in all sorts of situations later in life. Success or failure cannot be credited or blamed on a team member. Still, preparation is critical. What are the batter’s strengths and weaknesses? What are the pitcher’s strengths and weaknesses? Knowing these put a player at an advantage. Again, luck (i.e. success) is when preparation meets opportunity.

Perhaps the most important lesson learned from playing baseball, though, is learning how to fail, as Coach Lippert has also told hundreds of his players. In baseball, a good hitter only gets a hit one out of three times, and only gets to first base four out of 10 times. In what other sport can success be measured by how little you fail?

Later in life for these young ballplayers, they may not get into the first university or community college they apply to. There may be times when they only get one job interview for every 10 applications they make. (They better prepare for the one they get!) They may not get the first home loan they request. Baseball prepares them for temporary setbacks like these, but also teaches them a habit of preparation to help prevent them.

In the Augusta area, there is a long history of a strong baseball program for the benefit of our kids and pride in our community. I got so much from Augusta baseball that I can hardly drive down the Piggery Road without breaking a tear of joy from fond memories. Coaches, parents, playing as a team, learning to get by on your own sometimes, and knowing how to deal with temporary losses combine to make baseball of so much value to our kids, and ultimately to all of us.

Alas, the snow has long melted away and the season is almost here. Baseball is a challenging but rewarding game. And a lot of fun! Players, parents, coaches, volunteers and fans in the Augusta area, are you ready to help our great local and national tradition this year?

Garrett Murch, a native of Windsor and a resident of Mount Vernon, played baseball for Cony High School from 1994-1997, and is a board member of the Capitol Area Babe Ruth baseball program.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Commentary: How you can help Maine businesses recover

Next »

Bill Nemitz: Fear of COVID-19 can make any health problem worse