Can you smell it?

It's getting to be that time of year again, the best season of them all... Spring! There is only one thing that comes to mind when I think of Spring - baseball. The "Great American Passtime." Many who know me know that I like the cooler temperatures, so that means I don't mind Winter weather. However, just 'cuz I don't mind it doesn't mean that I don't wait eagerly for Spring to roll around. The moderate temperatures, unpredictable rain forecasts, and tornado warnings are all part of Spring, but it's worth it when I remind myself that as soon as we use some Diamond Dry on the baseball field, we'll be back in action! That's just one positive anecdote that comes with the territory.

Going back to when I was in elementary and middle school and earlier, baseball was a huge part of my life. I always loved the transition between Winter and Spring, and it wasn't even the feel of the temperatures or the sight of the grass that got me excited. It was the anticipation of baseball season and, ultimately, the smell. I would always tell my parents "It's starting to smell like baseball season!" And it was. It's a very distinct smell; refreshing, light, clean, humid, and a slight scent from the new life in the grass. It would get stronger and stronger as time went, and I knew, by smell, that baseball season was getting closer and closer. It was probably the most enjoyable anticipation I ever experienced. It still happens today. Although I'm not playing the game like I did then, I still get that feeling inside when I can begin to smell the seasons changing.

Whether I'm coaching, playing, umpiring, or just functioning as a spectator, baseball season is still the same. In my opinion, it's the most under-appreciated sport by those who don't play it. When talking about football or basketball, the non-fan still recognizes and acknowledges the difficulty involved and the skill needed to perform at a high level. However, baseball doesn't get that same respect. Instead of the other athletic sports, baseball is a sport that must be loved in order for an athlete to understand and achieve its highest accomplishments.

Well, it's getting close to that time. Before this most recent surge of snow we just got in Ohio, I caught the first whiff of baseball season, and I got tingly inside. There's still a little of that white stuff on the ground as I look outside, and the bitter cold temperatures are hiding the fragrance of our Great Passtime some, but I know that it'll be in full bloom in just a few weeks! The actual baseball season is already upon us, having snuck up much more quickly and unexpectedly than usual, but it's almost here nonetheless! Pitchers & Catchers starts Monday, and every school in the state of Ohio will begin their official preparation for this coming season. When we finally take the field for the first time on March 30, I will know once and for all that it not only smells like baseball season... it finally is!

Short blog entry, I know. I just had to write something to create a wordy, doctored up representation that tells you "I'm ready for baseball!" Still bored? Read my other blog about baseball: Don't Doubt Baseball

May God continue to bless you.
-Marcum