What Is Baseball? A Recollection Of Memories

Baseball means so many different things to different people. Not just a nine inch (circumference) circle shaped object with cork at the center, wrapped in yarn with white cowhide sewn with red stitches.

To some, it is a way of life, while others may view it strictly as a business.

To a little kid growing up in in the 1940's, in East Slumville, it was a way to escape the poverty and hopelessness found in the "hood". His game could consist of a garbage lid for first base, a discarded pizza box for second, an old newspaper with a rock holding it down for third base.

I couldn't sum up baseball in one word, one sentence or one paragraph.

Pull up a chair and I will attempt to tell you what baseball is to me.

Baseball is the smell of freshly cut grass at my old elementary school (now used as a horse stable for the Sheriff and Police Dept.)

Baseball is Joe Adcock (may he rest in peace) hitting one over the wall in center field in the Polo Grounds (483')

Baseball is diminutive southpaw Harvey Haddix (may he rest in peace) pitching a 12-inning perfect game and losing in the 13th 1-0.

Baseball is reading a book about Lou Gehrig (may he rest in peace) called "The Iron Horse".

Baseball is opening up a fresh pack of Topps Baseball Cards. You could smell the gum years later. There were five cards and they cost a quarter.

Baseball is taking scissors and cutting the baseball cards off the back of a Post Raisin Bran box.

Baseball is Stan Musial hitting five home runs in a double-header.

Baseball is Rocky Colavito hitting four home runs in one game.

Baseball is watching host Mark Scott (may he rest in peace) and two great power hitters every Saturday evening on Home Run Derby.  I loved it when he would say, "That's two in a row, one more means $500." I was well into my 40's before I found out the show was filmed at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles.

Baseball is looking at the Sports page in1961 seemingly every day and seeing Roger Maris (may he rest in peace) with another home run or two.

Baseball is Roger Maris hitting 61 home runs, aided by three packs of camels a day, not steroids.

Baseball is Norm Cash batting .361 and never hitting .290+ before or after.

Baseball is watching two All-star games in the same summer. ('59-'61)

Baseball is listening to the Reds on the radio with my father, who swore until he died that he hated the Reds. He never missed a game on the radio, as far as I know.

Baseball is the terrace that proudly introduced rookie outfielders to the fence at Crosley Field.

Baseball is me throwing a baseball against a retaining wall made from cross ties. I actually played a game, pitched for both sides, and was the official scorer. I imitated them all as well . I guess I was the original "Batting Stance Guy". I even taught myself to throw left handed so I could do a better job of pitching like Billy Pierce and Mike McCormick.

Baseball is Tom Cheney (may he rest in peace) striking out 21 Orioles in a 16-inning game in 1962.

Baseball is thinking about how cool the LA Angels' Bo Belinsky (may he rest in peace) was because he threw a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles in Dodger Stadium in 1962 (not to mention the fact that he dated actresses such as Mamie van Doren, Ann-Margret, Tina Louise and Connie Stevens.)  It was the first major league no-hitter on the West Coast.

Baseball is Pete Rose running out a base on balls.

Baseball is Dave DeBusschere (may he rest in peace)  pitching in the Major Leagues and playing forward in the NBA.

Baseball is watching a game on TV in 1962 and seeing a guy I never heard of named Purnal Goldy of the Tigers hit two of his three career home runs.

Baseball is Sandy Koufax taking the mound in the bottom of the first in the 1963 World Series at Yankee Stadium.

Baseball is thinking how sad it is for Ken Hubbs (may he rest in peace) to be killed in an airplane crash at 22, just two years after winning the Rookie of the Year award.

Baseball is Al Rinker and me playing catch in my side yard in Winchester, Va.  I can still recall what a "heavy" ball he threw. He and I would sit down and name over 500 current MLB players!

Baseball is listening to Waite Hoyt broadcast a Reds ballgame on the radio while he gets jacked up on Hudepohl.

Baseball is Don Drysdale (may he rest in peace) pitching high and tight to Frank Robinson. Low bridge.

Baseball is Masanori Murakami being the first Japanese player in the biggies, with no fanfare.

Baseball is Don Drysdale being on the Donna Reed Show.

Baseball is Pitcher Juan Marichal taking a bat to the head of John Roseboro (may he rest in peace)in 1965

Baseball is Mel Allen (may he rest In peace)  broadcasting a ballgame.

Baseball is Charlie Finley (may he rest in peace) not signing Don Sutton because he didn’t have a cool nickname.

Baseball is the Green Monster in Fenway Park.

Baseball is the ivy covering the walls in Wrigley Field.

Baseball is thinking that Dick Radatz was big (6-5, 235)

Baseball is playing a board game called Strat-O-Matic.

Baseball is playing whiffle ball in Tim Slepetz back yard with he, Larry Spurlock and Mike Thompson (may he rest in peace.) Billy Bryan of the KC A's had a great year in the backyard. Boston's Gary Waslewski threw a no-no.

Baseball is Stan Musial and Al Kaline playing over 20 seasons each for the same team every year.

Baseball is players having to have a job in the off-season to put food on the table.

Baseball is Larry Spurlock, my sister Ruby and me sitting in the top seats in center field of DC (RFK) stadium watching the Senators.  I drank a little heavily and actually hit my head against the concrete ceiling.

Baseball is thinking that Denny McLain's 31 wins was not that big a deal.

Baseball is wondering when Richie Allen actually became Dick Allen.

Baseball is my brother Frank and me getting to go to the 1969 All-star game in Washington, D.C. The game was scheduled to be played Tuesday night but was postponed until Wednesday afternoon because of rain. The sales manager where I worked had tickets but had unbreakable arrangements for Wednesday.  Free, and I even called Bill Freehan's home run.

Baseball is Pete Rose bowling over catcher Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-star game.

Baseball is Wes Parker being on the Brady Bunch.

Baseball is thinking that Pete LaCock has the coolest name in the game.

Baseball is thinking that Crosley Field should be made into a museum after the 1970 season.

Baseball is me putting a curse on Bowie Kuhn (I hope he rests in peace) and Charlie Finley (may he rest in peace)  for making All-star and World Series games to be played  under the lights.

Baseball is Charlie Finley hiring Stanley Burrell (now M.C Hammer) as his Executive Vice President.

Baseball is Charlie Finley using orange baseballs.

Baseball is Charlie Finley wanting to implement a Designated Runner.

Baseball is me putting a curse on the Player's Union for striking in 1972.

Baseball is saying a premature goodbye to the great Roberto Clemente.

Baseball is Dodger lefty,  #44 Al Downing throwing a fat one to #44 Hank Aaron for No. 715.

Baseball is the Houston Astros uniforms looking like they came from a beer softball league.

Baseball is me cussing Yogi Berra for not putting Tommy John on the All-star squad with a record of 13-3, 2.59. I never forgave him for that. Tommy was and still is My Boy.

Baseball is Lyman Bostock being at the wrong place at the right time.

Baseball is thinking how cool the Pittsburgh Pirates looked with their 18 combination color coordinated uniforms in 1979.

Baseball is me putting a curse on the Player's Union for striking in 1981

Baseball is the Atlanta Braves (America's team) being the only team to have cable coverage of all their games.

Baseball is "Maniacal" George Brett storming towards the umpire during the "pine tar" incident of 1983.

Baseball is watching Pete Rose hug his boy after passing Ty Cobb (may he rest in peace) on the all-time hit list in 1985.

Baseball is Nolan Ryan throwing seven no hitters in his career.

Baseball is Pete Rose being convicted by MLB of gambling on baseball games.

Baseball is me putting a curse on Bart Giamati (wish I could take that one back) for levying a lifetime ban on Rose, preventing him from consideration to the Hall of Fame.

Baseball is Bob Horner hitting four home runs in one game.

Baseball is me putting a curse on the Player's Union for striking in 1994. I quit the game completely until 2006.

Baseball is Curt Schilling's bloody sock.

Baseball is the insects swarming in Cleveland.

Baseball is thinking that Sean Penn could play Khalil Greene if they made a movie about him.

Baseball is thinking that Will Smith should play Robinson Cano if they make a movie about him.

Baseball is me hoping with all my might that Cal Ripken doesn't break Gehrig's longevity record.

Baseball is trying to figure out why people like Brady Anderson and Luis Gonzalez are hitting 50+ home runs.

Baseball is Roger Clemens saying he doesn't give a "rat's ass" about the Hall of Fame.

Baseball is my still amazing disbelief that Bill Mazeroski is in the Hall of Fame.

What I am trying to say is that in and of itself, baseball is just that, a ball. But, when you throw in personalities, crowds, players, umpires, weather and records, it becomes something alive.

What memories the word brings to the forefront of your memory vault. The game would not be quite what it is without the good things that have happened, and even the bad, sad, crazy and egotistical things that have rubbed us the wrong way.

So, I would say that the good outweighs the bad, and the Lou Gehrig's of baseball will always trump the Juan Marichal's and the Roger Clemens' any day of the week.

Cliff Eastham is a BR Featured Columnist for the Cincinnati Reds.

(c) 2009 Clifton Eastham

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