To My Son

I have watched you grow from a little tadpole into the strapping, 6'2" man I see shaving in the bathroom every morning, and I am so proud of you. I wish I had been a rich man, and that I could save you all the hard work you have ahead of you over these coming years, but that is not within my power. At least I hope that I have given you the strength to do what is necessary to build yourself a happy and contented life. That means a lot, believe me.

And you will always have me behind you. Yeah, I know that someday I am going to not be here -- much as I would like to believe it isn't so! I feel GREAT physically right now, am playing some of the best baseball of my life, and hope to go on like this forever. But one day you are going to look and not find me there.

I WILL be there, though. I'll be there every time you watch the Phillies play. I'll be there every time you see the Red Sox play, every time the #25 appears before you.

I'll be there when you take the mound or stand in the batter's box, whispering in your ear, and every time you wear a Washington Township Senators jersey, which I sure hope you will do someday. Whenever you pull that uniform on, you'll know I'm there.

I'll be there on your future trips to Fenway Park, to the Little League Field to watch your sons and daughters play, to anywhere you hear the crack of bat upon ball, of ball upon glove. Just listen for my voice traveling softly on the summer breeze to say "hiya, son!" I promise with all my heart that you will hear me.

Baseball is the gift I have given you, and actually, it is the one you have given me in return, because my fondest moments spent with you were mostly in or around the game.

Godspeed, my sweet boy. Keep some love and kindness in your heart always.

Baseball

Well, just a LOVELY week in the world of baseball. Son Tony and me first attended a Phillies game at Citizen's Bank Park. It was just a GORGEOUS night for baseball, but the Phils phucked things up by coughing up a 3-0 lead and dropping the game to the Braves. It was a game they had no business losing, but it is typical of their lame play over the last month. Still, we had good eats and really enjoyed ourselves. I love talking baseball with my son, and tossing around the intricate details of the game because he understands them well.

Then on Thursday, we took our first-ever trip to Oriole Park at Camden Yards. What a thrill to see that wonderful ballpark! We were seeing our beloved Red Sox play the O's, but a-hole Terry Francona had to mess even that up by sitting Johnny Damon, Manny Ramirez, Edgar Renteria and Jason Varitek! Why this numbskull would sit his entire offense in one night is beyond my understanding...other than to say that I saw him do stupid stuff each of his years in Philly. He basically GAVE the Orioles the game by sitting all that talent. And they did lose 3-1, with the game being halted after six innings due to rain. Tony and me were on ESPN, too, when a Melvin Mora homer dropped just two rows below us (in section 98).

Just a great father/son outing, and we have sworn to make the trip down to Washington later this year to see the Nationals play at RFK Stadium. Maybe then I'll finally break down and buy one of those blue road caps the Nats wear.

And to make a baseball week complete, my club plays Sunday morning at Mercer Avenue Babe Ruth Field in Cherry Hill, which is the scene of my last (only!) wood-bat homer. Here's hoping we close off the week perfectly -- with a Washington Township Senator victory!