I turned 63 a little while back and it seems the older I get the more contemplative I become. I would like to share a few suggestions with those who are now 55 and older.
1. Check your bats. I tend to purchase my bats online and some of them are gently used. After taking a close look at my collection of bats I have found that many of them have holes in them. No wonder I foul so many back. Evidently there isn't as much wood on my old Jackie Robinson R-17 as I thought there was. I am thinking the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer have infested my vintage Northern White Ash bats. Wish I had figured this out a couple of years ago. Maybe I would have reached that elusive (for me so far) .450 batting average. For those of you who may favor maple bats, there have been problems with the Sugar Maple Borer in my town, so, maybe some of those critters are going after our bats as well.
2. Get your eyes and reflexes checked. I have a theory that somehow a deal has been cut to allow the waiver pitchers under age 55 to use baseballs that are 15-20 percent smaller in circumference than a standard MLB approved baseball. That's what it seems like to me anyway.
3. Your Glove---Gloves develop holes as well. It seems that often the older we get, the more holes our gloves get. And they sometimes just pop open with no reasonable explanation. Go figure.
4. One more thought---perhaps there should be consideration to have 2 sets of bases on the field. One 60 feet between bases for those of us age 55 and older and the other set 90 or even 120 feet for the waiver guys under 55. And, as long as we are at it, we may want to consider a pitching distance of 46 feet instead of 60 feet 6 inches when waiver players come to the plate.
Hope this helps gentlemen. I do enjoy advocating for the elderly.
-- Edited by crowbait on Wednesday 4th of March 2015 11:31:54 AM
Really Crowbait? I totally get the tongue and cheekiness of your message. I'm so sorry I can't laugh though. I've always played under the umbrella of thought that when you start using age as an excuse for not playing well, than it's time not to play. I know there are many schools of thought and most of the varying opinions come down to "playing to win the game" as Herm said, or just getting our fat behinds out there because we can.I'll always play to win. In my,as you say "humble opinion"I want to play ball against guys who don't make excuses and want to kick my ass! The feeling is always mutual.
Ralph, my intention was humor, not to make excuses. Sorry you see it that way. If your hope at this point is to , as you say, want to play against guys who want to kick your ass and vice versa, so be it. That has never been my approach. I have always wanted to just play the best I can and let the chips fall where they may.
The board has decided that to solve all the problems associated with the baseball end of things in the CDMSBL,we are going to start a Co ed kickball league. The games will be played at the swift Road complex. Sign up sheets can be found on the homepage. If you are interested in kicking something other than a$$,pplease leave your name and number with your nearest board member.
Pete Westfall
Bored member
