Ryan has taken to not taking afternoon naps anymore, though it’s clear that he still needs them.  In an effort to help him fall into slumber, we’ve taken to having him watch “baseball” which is Ken Burns’ documentary on the sport.  Typically, he’s fallen asleep.

Last night, as I was walking into my hotel, I saw two kids who were about 15 race past an elderly man who was walking into the hotel.  They moved so quickly that the door nearly slammed in the old man’s face.  It was there that I realized that with the fall of baseball comes the fall of America.  Then, I realized that I could do my part by making sure my kids know the game for what it was.

It’s a bold statement but here it is.  In this steroid-ridden, big money, expensive ticket and sushi in Yankee Stadium era, baseball has lost track of its history and tradition.  Baseball was a sport where blue collar workers to take their family and, before the era of big TV contracts, the regional teams were as popular as the national teams.  It took hard work, dedication, a bit of luck and teamwork to win a baseball game and everyone who played the game always respected those who played before.  The distance to home plate from the pitcher’s mound was always the same, there were always 9 players on the field and a batting average in 1881 was the same as a batting average in 1991.

The American dream was very similar.  You could work hard and carve a niche out for yourself in 1881 and, in theory, the same could be done in 1991.  Now, for many, they’re out looking for the quick way to success.  It’s a different time.

Baseball has been a game of tradition and a game of history.  It’s been a common bond between people, cities and generations.  As we lose baseball, we lose America.  So, this weekend, pick up a ball and bat and give it a whirl… see if you’ve still got the connection to baseball.