In these days of quarter-billion dollar salaries and multi-million dollar television contracts, it is easy to forget that at one time all baseball players were kids.
The only thing a young ball player cared about was getting his or her turn at the plate, and hopefully he or she would make mom and dad proud, even if they did bat ninth and played outfield when no one could hit it that far.
Yesterday afternoon at AutoZone Park, before the Centennial Game of Minor League Baseball between the Memphis Redbirds and Nashville Sounds, it was easy to spot the excitement of childhood on a sunny, humid day in early Spring.
Steve Barnes, of Nashville, coaches a recreational league baseball team of eight, nine and 10-year-olds, and he said he takes some of his players to games throughout the season.
"These kids love baseball, and it's not hard convincing them to go to a game," Barnes said.
Brad Whitmarsh, 8, is a shortstop on Barnes' team, nicknamed the Dodgers.
He said his favorite major league players are Alex Rodriguez of the Texas Rangers and Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs, but he also said he has a few favorite things about the sport of baseball as a whole.
"I like wearing hats, getting dirty and drinking Cokes at the end of the game," Whitmarsh said.
Whitmarsh said he does not have any aspiration to being a major league ballplayer one day.
"I want to be a fireman," he said.
Whitmarsh's teammate, nine-year-old Phillip Easley, said there is one thing he dislikes about baseball.
"I got hit in the arm one time," Easley said. "It hurt, but I got over it."
Easley said he is a pitcher, and that his favorite major league player is Pedro Martinez of the Boston Red Sox.
"He is awesome, and he doesn't hit people that much," Easley said. "I've hit people when I was pitching. I don't do it on purpose."
Barnes said he is impressed by AutoZone Park, and the two ballplayers echoed his praises.
"I like this place," Whitmarsh said. "The big batter at the front is cool."
Easley said he also likes the park, and he wants to play on the field. "I want to schedule a game here," Easley said.
Barnes said the Dodgers begin play in late April and play a 40-game season, but tonight two of his players will be fixated on watching baseball.
"I'm going to get some nachos, a corn dog and a Coke and not move from my seat the whole game," Easley said.
