Published: July 04, 2009 10:29 pm      

Column: Baseball needs to shine again

One of the most familiar verses in the Bible can be found in First Corinthians 13:13. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

There’s another less profound, but still famous proverb that I also like, “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet.”

As for the greatest of these? It’s a tough call, or is it? Who doesn’t like a Bowen Field hot dog, a delicious piece of apple pie — with ice cream on top — or even a fast car, no matter what the brand?

Yet, the greatest of these is baseball.

July 4 has come and gone, and with it, so have the fireworks. It would be nice if baseball could create a few more fireworks in the months ahead.

Especially in July. After all, July should be all about baseball.

Football is still a month away — the actual games are nearly two months from now — the NBA and NHL are finally over, and Wimbledon will end today with Roger Federer seeking his 15th Grand Slam title, the most in tennis history.

Yes, the British Open in golf awaits later in the month, but it’s played on the other side of the world and doesn’t get the same attention as the Masters or U.S. Open.

This is when baseball needs to shine. It used to. Outside of the World Series, the marquee event of the year in baseball has long been the All-Star game. It’s always held in July, and will be this month on the 14th in St. Louis.

Well, it used to be a big deal. Now that it supposedly “counts”, it’s fallen to the level of the NFL, NBA and NHL, which are simply unwatchable, and could — and probably should — cease to exist.

Baseball’s mid-summer classic had long been different. It didn’t need the allure of home field advantage in the World Series to make it special.

When I was a restaurant manager, I always took the night of the All-Star Game off just watch that game. Now I’m a sports editor and I rarely watch the game at all.

That is a shame.

Baseball is still a wonderful game. It’s a shame more people aren’t getting to experience it.

The sport needs this month because once August hits, the “national pastime” is overshadowed by our “national passion.” Once football arrives, baseball — and every other sport — ceases to exist in the minds of many.

I like football as much as anyone else, but baseball is still my passion. Unfortunately, it’s not for a lot of other folks.

Baseball has taken a beating over the last decade or so, really since the World Series was canceled in 1994.

Since then, baseball — under the so-called leadership of Bud Selig — has tried to regroup — for good or bad — behind such innovations as interleague play, wildcard teams, expanded playoffs, realignment, escalating salaries, an All-Star game tie, the ill-fated Baseball Network, juiced baseballs, expansion, dilution of pitching, over-saturation of televised games, steroids and even a suspended World Series baseball game, and a three-inning finale.

Baseball needs pennant races, a thrilling final three months of the season, and a great postseason.

The sport desperately needs a must-see World Series, a matchup with a buzz. We haven’t had one of those in a while. We need Reds-Red Sox from ‘75 or Braves-Twins in ‘91.

I’m a fan of the Blue Jays and Reds, but I would love to see the Cubs and Yankees in the fall classic. Baseball needs it. The lovable losers vs. the greatest team money can buy.

Why? It’s been 2002 since a World Series went seven games, and only three of the last five have gone five games. The other two were four-game sweeps.

Last year’s Series was an absolute disaster. The Phillies won in five over Tampa Bay, ultimately wrapping it up by completing three innings of a suspended game, and then celebrating a championship. What a downer.

What has happened to “America’s Pastime”? For one thing, it isn’t anymore, not even close. Football (college and pro), basketball (ditto), NASCAR (hikes!!) and golf (when Tiger plays) have passed it by.

And, that happened a long time ago. What has happened since ‘94? The answers could make the Baseball Encyclopedia — after the Bible, the best book ever written — look small.

Since ’94, baseball’s popularity has plummeted. Many fans left, never to return. Some did return for the home run explosion of the late nineties, but steroids ruined that resurgence.

Those fans are gone, and probably won’t be back. Can you blame them? Their kids? Forget baseball, they’re playing soccer, riding skateboards or too busy with video games, iPods, Facebook or cell phones to care about the greatness of Albert Pujols or Roy Halladay.

As a youth, I was consumed by baseball. I collected baseball cards, played it when I could and never missed a game, even I had to watch it on a TV with rabbit ears on top.

It’s year later and there is still nothing I’d rather to than go to a baseball game. Usually that is how much of my July is spent, going to baseball games, usually in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Bluefield’s Bowen Field or Princeton’s Hunnicutt Field, or wherever else I can get to a game.

Give me a baseball game, a scorebook and a place in the cheap seats and all is right in the world.

Here’s hoping for a thrilling July, and a great finish to the ‘09 season. I have to admit that I don’t have much faith or hope that baseball will get back to where it once was.

One thing won’t change though. Much like hot dogs and apple pie, I will always love the game.

*****

Brian Woodson is the sports editor for the Daily Telegraph. Contact him at bwoodson@bdtonline.com.