Play Ball!

It is probable that most spring-sport athletes are welcoming a return to competing outdoors after a long spring of mostly practicing inside; and this may be particularly true for baseball players. Many of whom began playing the game from an early age, with some continuing to play well into adulthood. Such longevity and devotion, according to the South Shore Cardinals baseball team’s Head Coach Joshua Plummer, is one of the things that makes the sport special.

“I’ve been involved in baseball since I was 5 years old,” Plummer said. “It’s a passion of mine. Although I’m not playing competitively anymore, you’ll see me at local pickup games throughout the year. The old stick still has some pop.” Upper 13 League Washburn Sharptails middle infielder Alex Petroski agrees.

“l played high school in Park Falls and four years of college at UW-Superior,” Petroski said. “This will be my tenth year of playing (post-collegiately). Each year it seems more and more special just because I don’t know how many years I have left. When you get in your thirties, you get much slower and more sore every week. This season means a lot to me.” Plummer remarked that the memory of playing as a youngster also makes the game special to him now.

“Once the snow starts to melt it’s not long before I’m taking a fresh pearl out of a bag,” he said. “Seeing the kids get excited really brings out the kid in me as well. When l was young my excitement towards the game …it brings back such fond memories. For me there’s nothing better.” The sport that Plummer describes reflects a love affair that is not uncommon for those who follow, play, or played baseball, the coach suggested.

“It’s hard not to fall in love with the game,” he said, “watching a kid get their first hit, or catch their first pop fly. As adults we can step back into our youth by taking in a little league game; no other sport offers that. Baseball is so unique in this regard. All one needs to do is take their mitt out and smell it — and it’s an instant time machine to your youth.”

A robust schedule of Bay Area high school and Northland College baseball and softball games are now underway and will continue into June. The Upper13 League regular season swings into action in May and will continue through July.