There’s a saying that “you get what you pay for.” When it comes to sports, I’m not so sure. Yes, the talent of major college athletic programs and professional sports teams far surpasses what you’ll see in Marion County. But for your money, I’d say the enjoyment value is far greater watching local athletes compete.
The e-mail I received recently from longtime friend Frank Mize was short and to the point.
“I just learned that Clete Boyer died yesterday, which immediately reminded me of you. Would you like to get together for lunch today? It’s my turn to buy.”
Hey, it seemed like a bit of an odd lunch invitation, but since Frank was buying, who was I to argue?
Like many kids growing up in the 1960s, Frank and I were big Yankees fans. We found it easy to jump on the bandwagon of such stars as Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Bobby Richardson, Whitey Ford and Clete Boyer, to name a few. In any case, Frank recently sent an e-mail to me touting golf’s many virtues. He could always golf circles around me, which isn’t saying much since my golf game in high school was consistently erratic.
Who would have thought that draft day would become a nationally televised phenomenon? On the other hand, in this age of reality television, perhaps it is entirely appropriate.
If it’s true that too much pressure is put on children to participate in an adult-organized sport at an early age, then a case could be made that the Hillsboro Recreation program for 3- and 4-year-olds called BlastBall is unnecessary or at the least, premature.
Count me among those questioning the need for this summertime offering.
Nevertheless, I enrolled our 4-year-old son, Nathan, in the program to see what BlastBall was all about.
