Boys of Summer

It was 40 years ago that we were boys playing the game of Baseball. The year before we had swept aside all opponents in the Village Summer Recreation League. As we began the summer of 1973 our hopes were sky high for a repeat. We had good reason to be confident as our manager was returning for one last hurrah and we had five 14 year old starters in our lineup. After the age of 14 you were deemed to be too old to compete at this level.

There are no known photos from this season, not even an instamatic shot. There are no movies either. We did keep meticulous statistics and these are posted on the FaceBook for posterity. If our statistics were any indication of our seriousness then you wouldn't be surprised that we would rake the infield before home games, put lime down on the foul lines, and plant an American flag in deep Center Field. We didn't go as far as playing the national anthem but that was our only omission.

This was a group of serious Baseball fans. We watched what games that were available, on our mostly black and white TVs, and could imitate most of the well-known batting stances and pitching styles of the era. We also kept up with our favorite teams by reading the box scores in the newspapers and such prized magazines as the Sporting News.

When the dust had settled on our last season together, we had done as we had hoped and expected: swept the league again! The celebration after the last game was short and sweet. The art of pouring champagne on each other was in its early stages and only for World Series winners. We were simply the winners of a small league in a small town. Though on that last day some 40 years ago we felt good none the less. It's probably true that our small accomplishments in life can be among the most memorable and that these help shape our future outlooks and actions, just as much as marriages, graduations, and deaths. Please don't try and tell any of us Boys of Summer any different as we all know you had to be there to appreciate the moment.