Spring Fever, Can it be cured?

The temperatures are nearing that perfect zone for Texas (80 - 95), the flowers are beginning to bloom, my yard needs mowing (Looking for volunteers) and the crack of the bat is beginning to echo across our nation. Once more spring fever is manifesting itself all over the place. The Mavericks are once again making a move toward the playoffs {can we please beat San Antonio just once when it counts). The Stars are skating toward the Stanley Cup yet again. The Rangers have not YET been mathematically eliminated from the pennant race, (hope we can still say that in May). All of these things pale compared to the really important things in our life. The Celeste Youth Sports Association softball and T-ball seasons have begun!

Yes, that's right, I consider our local sports more significant than the big leagues. Here are a couple of the reasons. We know all the players, or at least most of them. As far as I know, none of them has ever been traded to the NY Yankees for a player to be named later. They don't make millions of dollars for playing the game I love. Instead, they play because they love the game. On our small ball field I have witnessed amazing plays that you would never see at the Major League level. I have seen three players standing on one base, I have seen runners from first base pass the runner from second. I have seen outfielders turn their back to the batter, sit down and pick flowers. I have heard players say they didn't tag a runner out because he was "Cute" (I should probably point out that was in T-Ball where both boys and girls play.) I have seen an umpire call his own daughter out at home, not once, but twice in the same game. That was, of course, me and she was mad at me for a week.

Here in the bleachers of our fields, I have watched as the community renewed itself. Old friends that only see each other during the spring softball games sit and cheer for each others kids. People who find it extremely hard to even say hello to each other most of the year, sharing chili cheese nachos because their kids play on the same team. CYSA Softball and High School Football are my two favorite seasons of the year because those are the two seasons when everyone you see is your friend and will stop and talk with you about the "Game". During those two seasons, we forget our political differences, we forget the petty little garbage that irritates us and we embrace the real joy of living in a small East Texas town. That joy, of course, is our kids and our friends.

Play Ball and pass the chili cheese nachos.

Disagree or Agree feel free to add your own comments.

Please send any feedback to UnkHiram@BHocutt.com