Hope Springs Eternal

The page is being turned on the winter. Spring has hit in most locales. The boys of summer have returned. And as every long suffering baseball fan knows, "hope springs eternal".

But on a deeper level, where is hope? We just visited the people of Tent City where there is little hope. People who have been done in by the complexities of life. Most wondering where their next meal will come from let alone worrying about whether the Dodgers, Angels, or some other team packed with millionaire players will walk off with the pennant in late September.

Nor is there much hope for those stationed in the five year long quagmire of Iraq. At least, the soldiers do get a short rotation out of the war zone and an opportunity to see loved ones state side. But what about the Iraqis who live with little water, little electrical power, and little hope to an end to a war that they did not bring upon themselves.

And what about the common Joe and Jane who increasingly see their hard earned wages eaten up at the gas pump. And what about those who barely can afford the mortgage payments on a home they purchased not fully understanding the complexities of what seemed to be easy to finance loans. And what about the parents who want to do the right thing and forgo the junk food that they know will poison their children but can't afford the basic necessities of bread, milk, and eggs.

There is a weird correlation between hard economic times and the game of baseball. When things get tough, Americans have often looked toward the sport to bring a bit of excitement and energy to their lives. There is something fundamentally clean and precious about rooting for the hometown heroes as they fight for their city on a pastoral setting within the gritty confines of an urban sprawl that is rocked with the realities of life.

In the depression era 1930's, when going to a movie or a
ball game was affordable for almost all, these easy to reach
escapes sustained an entire nation. What will happen if our economy continues in this downward spiral and those who run our theaters and stadiums continue to charge outrageous admissions for the rich actors and sportsmen who occupy them? You say, watch the games on TV. Listen on the radio. All good, but the concept is to allow people an opportunity to get out a bit and feel good about themselves. A thrilling victory, witnessed in person, can bring hope to the thousands who are in that baseball cathedral. A night spent under the powerful lights watching men in whites and grays playing on a sea of perfect green grass is an opportunity for families and friends to bond and to plant seeds of determination.

The American dream of picking oneself up off the floor and against all odds, making a worthwhile life, is the morality play of baseball. As the times continue to get hard, it would be hoped that the economic disparity between the players and the fans would be bridged just a bit so that thousands of seats can be sold on a fair price basis. Baseball has always been there; may it remember its roots.