Baseball EquipmentBaseball Equipment Was Treasured...
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Being born in 1936 meant that, in the early 1940's, and at the start of World War II, my peers and myself being all of five(5) years or so in age we were beginning to know a little about playing ball.
This is also about the age youngsters begin to pickup all the baseball lingo such as "strike out" and "you are out" and such vocabulary used in the game of baseball.
A player having baseball items such as , a bat made by Hillerich and Bradley as the Louisville Slugger bat company, a Rawlings baseball glove all of which are standard youth baseball equipment of today, and the tools of trade for a ball player, made all of us as happy as a lark. However, we should not forget the baseball cap which is every young boy or girls pride flashing the logo of their favorite team.
War Eagle
The baseball cap would represent the team of which the wearer was proud and they would root for constantly win or lose.
Being introduced to baseball equipment as a youngster there was no such thing as a youth baseball bat during my beginner baseball years. If we had a bat, any bat, we were as happy as little pigs wallowing in the mud.
Now some kid in the neighborhood with a real store bought bat and especially one saying Louisville Slugger in bold print would draw a crowd. This baseball equipment was something we all had to touch, swing and pretend we were hitting a homer with the swing.
A baseball bat of our own new or used, even a bat which had slight break would be gently nailed together and wrapped with tape, and we were tickled pink. Our baseball bat mending tape usually was the old sticky electricians black tape not the pretty white adhesive first aid tape used for medical purposes and bandaging our cuts and wounds.
In history, immediately after the Great Depression and in the early to mid 1900's, ball playing equipment was a scarce item. This did not dampen the will and the love to play the game. "We made do."
We made do without gloves but a bat and a ball were essential for playing the game.
"We made do with what we had."
Sometimes when the bat was so big and heavy and we swung with all our might, it was sometimes even comical, it was hard to tell if we swung the bat or if the bat swung us.
By wars end in 1945, being nine, (9) my "want to" for ball playing was beginning to take hold. The war effort made baseball making stuff such as leather very scarce.
World War II returning veterans our uncles and cousins brought us their old Army Duffel Bag or baseballs-finest-equipment-bag. which we could use as our all purpose team equipment bag.
They had used their Duffel Bag during all their travels during the War. The military army duffel bag was an ideal item for use in carrying the team bats and equipment.
You talk about some happy campers we were big shots lugging those army duffel bags filled with bats.
In my country boy style of expressing myself the words happy camper just naturally came to mind. I immediately remembered the many times as a youngster during our junior high years doing overnight camping in the woods with many of my baseball playing buddies.
Those fond memories of growing up and the many things we did as friends, buddies, classmates and baseball playing teammates it was all so intricately tied to those backyard sandlot baseball games.
Who had a ball? Who had a glove? Some of our bats were home made. Baseball equipment many times was make do with what we had but that never interfered with our love for playing the game..
Our teacher Ms. Ethel Darden developed the ball making art by using cord. Her tightly wound string or cord baseballs were prized recess playing items.
We made do and played this game of baseball without the benefit of baseball training equipment but still we played the game to our ever loving hearts content.
Having a pair of baseball players equipment such as spikes, or if you would baseball shoes, was not even a consideration when I was a small one learning about the game. Having a set of shin guards for the catcher you could forget it.
Now days playing a baseball game without your baseball spikes is not even considered.
Having no baseball players equipment such as a baseball glove made us learn very quickly the fundamentals, of catching that ball.
Catching with both hands did not require a coaches bellowing when catching bare handed was the only way. The first time that wet and hard cord ball kissed you a good one on the mouth you learned right then and there two hands was the only way.
Any baseball glove would do but the Rawlings baseball gloves or if by chance a glove with a famous baseball player signature was a real prize.
The first ones to start showing up on the playground with a new glove (normally brought back from overseas by an uncle returning from the service) became every body's buddy. They would let you hold it and even pound your fist into it so as to help make a pocket.
Pocket? Yes Pocket. The early day gloves were thicker, padded with a heel of the glove consisting of rolled padding where your hand slipped into the glove.
First models or style of baseball equipment specifically the baseball glove was designed for catching the ball in the palm of the hand. The first baseball gloves were made with padding to help protect the hand and fingers.
This padding had to be broken in or formed into what we called the pocket.
Now the pocket--a glove needed to be broken in right--just like a new pair of shoes needs to be broken in before wearing them all day to the picnic.
People let me tell you when the teacher was busily engrossed, in an exercise of teaching with one part of the class, us hard ankle worry warts or wannabe ball players, would slip into the coat, or was it cloak room, and sit pounding our fist or ball into the pocket of that almost new glove.
If the baseball glove owner found you not hitting that pocket just right he would quickly retrieve his glove from abuse.
My remembrance of those days of trying to form a pocket of your baseball glove are just that a memory. To days baseball gloves are designed and made with the webbing and body of the glove already preformed and ready for battle.
The miracle of modern technology and materials have come a long way so has the expertise skills and playing smarts of our young baseball future all-stars.
The real store bought baseball equipment such as a bat again was a prize and the owner immediately was part of the team. We were a bunch of two faced buddies when it came to this baseball playing.
This so subtle social acceptance thing "of owning a bat" was and always will be part of societies action and is part of that playground rules thing.
Where else but on the playground could we have learned this give and take part of living and growing up and the joy of sharing baseball equipment. One of the most non spoken real life experiences we were faced to understand was the order of things as for the have and the have not portion of economics and station of life.
Batting helmet what is a batting helmet? My how the times have changed I suppose I had already finished my college schooling by the first time I had ever seen a batting helmet.
Umpire will not even allow a hitter into the batters box without his batting helmet. Things happen and are caused for the best for many a serius head injury has been avoided with the now use of the batting helmet.
The possession of things as simple as ownership of baseball equipment fit into the equation of some of the lessons of life. I will hasten to add in most part any shortfall felt was a passing thing for this is where character and determination for achieving had its foundation.
I remember very well the best present any one ever received was an experience in grammar school when a school mate brought a real baseball bat to the playground.
Earl Massey had an older brother in the Army during the War. If I remember correctly it was William "Bo" Massey. Anyway Earl was the proud owner of a baseball bat no matter how or where it came.
That piece of baseball players equipment just a simple little baseball bat was as cherished as if it were the Holy Grail.
Was the good fortune of owning baseball equipment any of the baseball players equipment such as a baseball glove or baseball bat shared with playmates/teammates?
Yes Yes and most times, Yes. If a No popped up, no problem, he didn't play.
Today we talk of getting our gear by buying wholesale baseball equipment the oohs and aahs are not over some old used baseball equipment.
A batting cage showing up in the neighborhood draws young ball players like Winnie the Pooh to the honey jar.
The availability of a batting cage was slow to be accepted into vogue except for the professional playing leagues. Now there is hardly a neighborhood around which doesn't sport a batting cage for the youngsters to use.
Initially the price of a substantial batting cage was a prohibitive factor for the cost exceeded the average working family means to buy such a piece of equipment. Modern technology always seems to provide better and better equipment while slowly bringing the price range to a level which many can afford.
You want a batting cage then keep your eyes and ears tuned to yard sales and the wholesale sporting goods dealers and you will find yourself a real bargain by and by.
The batting cage is not a must but it is a welcomed piece of baseball equipment for any neighborhood. Beyond the playground this sharing of baseball equipment, when by good fortune we might be a proud owner of some used baseball equipment, was a part of the American Spirit fostered during the course of our youth during the World War II Days.
Playing on an organized team with plenty of used baseball equipment and a baseball team uniform was not even a part of our thoughts baseball uniforms were only for the High School and Professional teams.
Growing up in rural America, and many might say country, caught boys playing baseball bareheaded or simply wearing their straw hats.
Baseball Caps sporting your teams logo was a treasured item and was always proudly worn supporting the team.
In the early years of baseball and before the safety movement became a blatant thing, similar to the Temperance Movement, baseball gloves were left on the field of play. This was even done in the Major Leagues.
The infielders would toss their baseball gloves onto the grass of the outfield near their positions. Outfielders would leave their glove at their position in the outfield.
This was a habit from the days of youth when sharing the baseball equipment and especially the gloves was an act of true sportsmanship. If an opponent had no glove he was welcome to use the glove in the field. I will research and find out when this practice was halted.
Research completed it was the rule of baseball to stop the practice of leaving gloves on the field between innings at the end of the season of 1953.
Leaving gloves on the field was outlawed in the majors after the 1953 season. The reasons for such a regulation were that the gloves might deflect a batted ball to the benefit of the hitter, and also that they could be hazardous to fielders who were tracking a fly ball or chasing a grounder.
Baseball bats would be lined up lying in a neat row near the dugout on the way to the on deck circle. Opposing teams were welcome to use one of your team bats if they were so inclined.
This action was very seldom used by organized school teams but was common in the rural countryside when playing those pick-up games.
To have baseball bats lying outside the dugout on the playing field is today a strong NO no. The Umpire will call time out quicker than you can say "excuse me."
The term "Stumble Bum" is closely associated with a player in by-gone-days who happened to loose it all when stepping into a pile of bats in front of the dugout.
Boy but did he ever give and take razzing. Nothing is like a bunch of kids playing baseball when they witness a teammate goof up or get caught looking foolish. Folks its all part of the game.
We need base runners. "Come on Slugger let's see you get on base." "The pitcher is shot."
The old chatter of the ball game is refreshing and brings back many memories of being on a ball field and part of the team.
The modern day era of significant population and traffic count has caused changes in our management of recreation habits and mode. To keep pace new more modern baseball equipment is being introduced.
One item now increasingly popular is the use of a baseball batting cage which allows the capability of hitting practice for our youngsters living in the subdivisions.
Protecting your well groomed diamond from the elements of bad weather and other abuses is a must and requires using: Baseball Field Protection Baseball playing and the game of baseball with its rules and regulations, did not achieve its' greatness of fan and player devotion, by stopping us from "making do".
There were no complaints, catching barehanded, was as natural to us ball player wannabes as taking a switching when caught doing something naughty.
There was a deep "want to in our mind and hearts." A little thing as minor as a shortage of baseball equipment never kept us from the game and "The Thrill of Victory." Been there, seen that, done that and experienced that.
The thrill of victory is just as great on the playground as it is in the world wide coverage of The Olympics or The Baseball World Series.
If your baseball team is short some good baseball gear go visit your friendly equipment merchants at BaseballFarming One-Stop Shopping Center.
You are encouraged and welcome to go visit the pages about the five essential elements of baseball hitting as you leave our information about baseball equipment and its saga of our game of baseball.
Hey dude!, "Have you got my baseball glove?"
Baseball is unique by its uses of lingo, vocabulary, treminolgy, chatter and jargon all of which is a descriptive word picture describing the game and the action surrounding whats happening. The fluent close up use of this baseball language is an important part of the game of baseball.
Baseballs- Finest-Equipment-Bag, Baseball Spikes, Baseball Glove, Baseball Uniforms, Baseball Caps, Batting Cage, Baseball Gear,
Take a few moments and browse these friendly Baseballfarming merchant shops for some needed Baseball Equipment.
Nice selection of bats at these shops browse around and see what you want.
Batter Up----Let's Play Ball....
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