Opening day of the Southern California Little League Championship at Pasadena’s Victory Park on Wednesday was more a poem than a game.
It didn’t matter that the first player at bat hit a home run, or even which team eventually won…except to that player and team, of course. It was hot, shade was in high demand and an umpire had a discussion with another ump about whether the plastic water bottle stuck in the chain-link fence was actually theirs.
In other words, a perfect start for post-season Little League baseball.
Do yourself a favor and go. It’s free. It doesn’t matter which SoCal teams are playing because they all deserve to be there. And if you’re lucky you may be able to find a shady parking spot in the Pasadena High School lot.
There are games every day except on July 4th. All the deets are in our calendar listing.
Ernest Hemingway reportedly said there are only two sports; boxing and bull fighting…all the rest are merely games.
But baseball has poetry. Maybe it is poetry, I don’t know. When you read the lines below, think of how that kid felt hitting the ball out of the park on Wednesday.
Opening Day
Out on the diamond
a great place to play
I could watch those boys
hitting and running all day
Grab a seat in the bleachers
and shout out “Hooray”
out on the diamond
a great place to play
The shortstop looks restless
he flies to the bag
the catcher throws down
and he puts down the tag
the runner hears “out”
as they put him away
out on the diamond
a great place to play
The pitcher’s a lefty
and throws a mean curve
that last one was filthy
just watch that thing swerve
the three hitter K’d
slams his bat on the plate
out on the diamond
he swung it too late
The innings were short
but the game was a treat
as we watch the away team
go home in defeat
the best gem of April
is opening day
out on the diamond
the best place to play
— Cinzia
Sometime between now and when the SoCal championship series is over on July 12th, open a box of Cracker Jack in praise of these kids and go live some poetry.
