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Sports keep us young at heart |
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Wednesday, 28 May 2008 |
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By TERRY NAU Sports editor Some things I think I think:
-- I had a chance to talk with former Seekonk High softball coach Norm Bowlin over the weekend. Norm was the subject of an action-photo sequence in Monday’s sports section. The 70-year-old Bowlin was pictured crashing into a fence while trying to catch a home run ball in the “Field Of Dreams” Senior Softball League, which plays games every Friday at Baldelli Field in Woonsocket.
Norm crashed into the fence, rolled over on his back, and returned to his position without delay. He laughed about the play, saying Jerry Turgeon’s homer hit the top of the fence before leaving the park.
That photo sequence says so much about the way older folks are staying fit and active. Norm Bowlin, at age 70, is still chasing home run balls, still playing a game he loves, and he’s not giving in to the aches and pains.
Golf’s another game where age really doesn’t matter. I recently squared off against 77-year-old Arthur Jodaty of East Providence in a Tuesday night league match at Rehoboth Country Club. Standing on the tee, knowing nothing about “Jody” except that he was getting only one shot from me on the scorecard, I figured maybe this week I might finally win a match. And then Jody teed off, knocking the ball 250 yards down the fairway, shooting a 38 for nine holes and even making an eagle two on the 7th hole.
Needless to say, I got my butt kicked. But it was fun watching Jody play and even more fun listening to him tell stories at the 19th hole afterwards.
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There are stories like this occurring all over the Blackstone Valley every day. And age really has nothing to do with it. We’re heading into a summer season where Little Leaguers will learn lessons about the rewards of team play, working together for a common goal, sticking together through good wins and bad losses.
Adult softball players of all ages will compete in their leagues and gather to tell stories afterwards. Golfers of varying skills will head to local courses with high hopes, knowing full well that the frustrations of the game are only a temporary pain and that the chance to compete against pleasant company is worth all the aggravation and occasional happiness that the game delivers from swing to swing.
All of us are athletes in one sense of the word. Maybe we’re not on the level of a Jeff Bailey, who can launch two homers out of McCoy Stadium on a sunny afternoon in late May, but the spirit of competition and camaraderie is what drives all of us to participate in sports and recreation.
Bottom line: Sports can keep us all young and happy if we just get outside and stay active.
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-- Home-field advantage may be a big deal in the NBA and in certain college arenas but it has little impact on Major League baseball games this season.
Nobody in the American League East is above .500 on the road with Tampa Bay and Toronto the best at one game under .500 apiece. The Red Sox are cruising along with 11-18 and the Yankees are a dismal 11-15.
Only two teams in the entire American League are over .500 on the road. The White Sox are 16-14 and the Angels are 16-11.
Over in the National League, only the Marlins, Phillies, Astros and Cards are slightly above .500 on the road.
What does this mean? Well, good teams are supposed to at least play .500 ball on the road while cleaning up at home. The Red Sox are 21-5 at home and one can make a case that the fans at Fenway Park, along with the cozy confines, provide the best home-field edge in all of baseball.
This trend of so few teams playing above .500 on the road should subside as the season heads into June and July. For the time being, though, I think the trend indicates there are no standout teams. Everyone has flaws, even the Red Sox. They just have fewer flaws than some underachieving teams (like the Yankees and Mets, to name two).
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The Pawtucket Red Sox are mirroring their parent club when it comes to winning games at home. The PawSox won 20 of their first 28 games at McCoy Stadium this season, a pace that has launched Ron Johnson’s team into a battle for first place with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the International League North.
The PawSox are an interesting club this season, anchored by players who compete hard every day. That’s not a given in minor league baseball where each player harbors his own individual goals that sometimes get in the way of the team game. But the 2008 PawSox seem infected with a winning attitude, perhaps the residue of playing games so close to the home of the World Series champions. The game is a lot more fun when your team is winning.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 30 May 2008 )
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