Not long ago, my five-year-old niece walked through my office and then came to me and said, “I saw your baseball glove in your office, Uncle Mike.” She and I just nodded and smiled at each other, like we both knew that having a baseball glove in your office must be a good thing. It is.
When some project turns out to be a little more complicated than expected, I grab my glove and play a little catch, tossing a ball up in my office. If a business call takes an uncomfortable turn, after I hang up I grab my glove. If I’m feeling just a little off one day, I grab my glove. Often for no reason at all, I grab that glove.
Someone might call my glove an adult version of a security blanket. I’m okay with that. Who can’t use a little more security?
To me, though, baseball is much more. It’s memories of good times. My glove reminds me of baseball games with my dad and hours of playing toss in the backyard with my mom. Baseball reminds me of going to the 1970 All-Star Game with my grandpa, dad and brother. It reminds me of more recent things, too, like my wife and I watching the Round Rock Express.
For those reasons and more, I know just what Billy Beane (played by Brad Pitt) means in Moneyball when he says, “It’s hard not to be romantic about baseball.” For me, it’s impossible.
I kind of do the same, but I flip baseball cards. Reminds me of a time, when I had some control of where some of my favorite players end up.
Thanks for taking time to leave this comment, Suzanne! I guess that baseball reminds lots of us about old times.