What's Your Baseball Background?

[ronnynat]

I was just wondering who has played baseball (or other sports) and up to what point.

I was a catcher up until my sophomore year in high school. I was actually pretty good for a while and was scouted by San Diego State, starting when I was 12 years old. The reason I got scouted so young was because Donnie Warren (ex-Redskin) contacted his friend there when he coached my All-Star team (I hit 9 home runs in 10 games). Catching was my real talent, though.

Unfortunately (not really), I ran into some "teenage problems" and quit sports altogether after my sophomore year. Baseball wasn't my favorite sport, but it was my best.

Fastest fastball ever clocked: 87 mph.

I coach basketball year-round now.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Same thing...played baseball (and soccer and competitive skiing and cycling) up through high school, then discovered what fun S/D/RnR was 

Lots of baseball sap in the family tree (at least from a fans' standpoint).  Maternal grandparents loved each other dearly, but were bitter enemies when it came to baseball (she was for the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was a lifelong Yankees fan).  Great grandmother never understood how she had given birth to someone who would wind up marrying a Yankees fan!  I grew up going to Orioles games here and Yankees games in the Bronx, and started following the Expos when I moved to Canada in the late 1980s.  All things just come together sometimes! 

Back into the cycling and skiing these days, may pick up a ball glove again before too long.

[kimnat]

ZIPPO!  I used to think it was boring cuz my dad would have it on on Sat. afternoons and the pitcher would take FOREVER to throw the ball.  But back in the 70's we didn't really have a team here.  So there wasn't a lot to get excited about.  Now on the otherside, I am terrible in playing sports!  So, I'm a really bad one on this part.  I tried a work softball team in the mid-90's.  I SUCKED! 

But I can hit the ball good in the backyard now!    And I now LOVE watching baseball on tv, esp. if it's the NATS!

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Played soccer for eight seasons but once I hit high school I stopped all sports to concentrate on my studies.  I just wasn't one of those that could do both and I went with what I thought was more important.

Always wanted to play baseball but never did.  I can't say why, it just never happened.

Currently I play off and on in softball leagues and get together games with friends.

[nospinzone1]

my athleticism consisted of playing the horses, playing poker and dominoes. when I was a kid growing up in my hometown grown up teams used to put me on the team for occassions when they needed to get a base on balls in the late innings. they then would pinch hit me with strict orders not to swing at any pitches. it was a sure base on balls since i was such a midget that my strike zone was nonexistent.

[saltydad]

I played baseball and football in YMCA as a kid. Later got into soccer as a keeper and cross country running. That was it for organized sports, although baseball was my favorite to watch in person as a kid at Griffith Stadium, and I think that radio was invented for baseball. Individual sports have taken their place. I was a runner for many, many years, and ran and completed the NY marathon in 79. Was also into karate for a short while (only brown belt). Have been into scuba diving since the late 60's, mainly in either the Carribean or NY/NJ wreck diving in the Atlantic and the LI Sound.

Edit- Also used to coach my son's baseball team for 5 years, and his soccer teams (regular and travel) from when he was 5 to his senior year in high school, and was a soccer referee.

[2k6nats]

Beer league softball all the way!

As far as background, I played a mean little league as a kid, then played baseball through high school as a center fielder.  I was a great fielder, and a good singles hitter.  However, no way I was going to juggle law studies and college baseball, so my road to the majors ended at the age of 18.

[NatsAddict]

I played baseball from the age of 8, and then softball after high school until I was 26, but missed the entire season about half the time with my legs messed up. As my legs deteriorated, I went from CF, to RF, to 3B, to "Hey, can somebody give me a hand here?"  After I moved down to FL, I noted the level of play down here, well, stunk.  So, at 35 I started playing again for a few more years until my legs crashed again.  Now I'm down to a day a year at the FAU Homerun Derby.  I even did that in a cast for the 2005 derby - my one day a year to be young again - and there was no way I was going to miss it.  I fell over a couple times, but always got back up.

Now I'm pretty much just playing golf - badly.  My best friend served 3 tours in Vietnam as a Navy Seal, and used to say that nothing in his life ever frightened him as much as me holding a 6-iron.  Satan lives in my 6-iron.

I go snorkeling fairly often, but I'm not sure that qualifies as a sport.

[natsfan1a]

As far as team sports go, just beer league softball many moons ago. With school team sports, I was the type that got picked last.   

Growing up, there was always baseball background noise growing up. It was in the SFO Bay Area so I remember liking the sound of the Alou brothers' names (especially Je-sus Alou). My dad never took my brothers (or me and my sisters) to games, though (we were about an hour south of SFO and I suppose that cost was a factor with five kids). I remember my brothers playing a table-top baseball game where you rolled the dice for plays. I thought they invented it until I read something about the game in a baseball story years later. My younger brother still does a terrific roaring crowd simulation (and machine gun and various other guy-related noises). After I grew up, I'd watch occasional in-season baseball games and postseason play on TV but didn't really have a strong rooting interest. Until that fateful day when baseball returned to DC and I embraced the Nats. Now I listen to/watch them every chance I get (and pledge to do so in their postseason play as well  ).

[tomterp]

I played baseball in Boys Clubs leagues until I was around 13-14.  I was late developing and all of a sudden there would be some 6' tall 14 year old throwing heat, and I couldn't catch up.

Gave it up entirely, until playing softball after college.  I played in a fairly competitive BB league in Prince Georges County, hitting 2nd in the lineup and playing 2nd base or right field.  I could hit for average, had great speed, but no power, no arm.  That was as good as it got for me.  Now at 48, I am semi-retired, meaning if the right work softball league came along, I'd like to play again.

[ronnynat]

Now I'm pretty much just playing golf - badly.  My best friend served 3 tours in Vietnam as a Navy Seal, and used to say that nothing in his life ever frightened him as much as me holding a 6-iron.  Satan lives in my 6-iron.

NatsAddict, that's one of the funniest combinations of lines I've read in a while.

[Ericas Nats]

fast pitch softball til i was 18 yrs. didnt play college. parents wanted me too

but i was too busy riding horses. i rode dressage, i rode from i was 4 til i was 19.

i swam and played golf too.

but now a days, all i do is work, as an RN. i took out my back 2 years ago. herniated disk. so no more swinging of the bat or clubs for me.

but i grew up with sports ever since i was little. i watched everything from baseball to football (go steelers), golf, and some hockey!

now a days, im just a nats junkie and LOVING IT!

[metssuck]

Great thread . I played baseball for two sasons in hs(during junior and senior year). I played outfield(mostly left) and one game i played ss. I wasn't good at the plate. I was like a .200 hitter. I was good at bunting and adviavnig runners thught. And i got a lot of bb's. ANd a lot of stolen bases, or diffensive indiffernces. I'm very fast. I was never higher than 7 in the lineup batting order. I hit ninth a lotta times and i even got dh'ed for couple of time so iwoulod play in the field but wouldn;t get to bat(whihc made me angry but i was a team player so w/e). I was average my first year in lf, but my second year i was very good, and i even threw somebody out at hoem from the outfield from the oputfied before. A ball was hit lined drive to the outfield and looked like it was goin go over my(i was shallow for some reason and afterwrads despite the doble i got chewed out by an assistant coach) and i overplayed the ball and it looked like i ran too far in and the ball would go over my head, but effortlessly jumped and caught the ball(i dunno the guy who hit the ball told me after the game during handshakes taht ball looked like it would surely go over my headbut i somehow jumped and caught it). Now for some reason  i caught the ball(and forgot it was only two outs) and me and 2nd basemen (who was one my close friends) started walin toward the dugout and talkin and then the SS yelled throw home and quickly i noitce somebody tryign to throw and i threw the ball hoem and even thought it was a little off target it was accurate enuff and the catcher tagged him out at home.  I got handshakes and praise from all the players and coaches from the oppsoiiton on the catch. Itwas a great day and we won.

In my senior year i won the award for most improved player that year, and i even got a few letters in the mail form some local schools to come play baseball but i had already made up my mind that i as moving back to Dc(i was living in wisconsin at the time).

Fun Fact: Bud Selig went to my school when he was in hs and also Latrell Sprewell was a student at my school.

I also did football and track&field during HS. ANd was apart of the chess club. I love chess. Holla at me when you want to catch some L's. Yeah my swagger is incredible, lol. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Chess is such a great game.  One of the only positive developments in long-haul air travel is that most flights (even in steerage) feature in-flight entertainment consoles, which generally include electronic chess.  Japanese airlines have a chess game that is pretty much unbeatable...you need to be a fricking Grand Master to even draw that sucker!

Great thread . I played baseball for two sasons in hs(during junior and senior year). I played outfield(mostly left) and one game i played ss. I wasn't good at the plate. I was like a .200 hitter. I was good at bunting and adviavnig runners thught. And i got a lot of bb's. ANd a lot of stolen bases, or diffensive indiffernces. I'm very fast. I was never higher than 7 in the lineup batting order. I hit ninth a lotta times and i even got dh'ed for couple of time so iwoulod play in the field but wouldn;t get to bat(whihc made me angry but i was a team player so w/e). I was average my first year in lf, but my second year i was very good, and i even threw somebody out at hoem from the outfield from the oputfied before. A ball was hit lined drive to the outfield and looked like it was goin go over my(i was shallow for some reason and afterwrads despite the doble i got chewed out by an assistant coach) and i overplayed the ball and it looked like i ran too far in and the ball would go over my head, but effortlessly jumped and caught the ball(i dunno the guy who hit the ball told me after the game during handshakes taht ball looked like it would surely go over my headbut i somehow jumped and caught it). Now for some reason  i caught the ball(and forgot it was only two outs) and me and 2nd basemen (who was one my close friends) started walin toward the dugout and talkin and then the SS yelled throw home and quickly i noitce somebody tryign to throw and i threw the ball hoem and even thought it was a little off target it was accurate enuff and the catcher tagged him out at home.  I got handshakes and praise from all the players and coaches from the oppsoiiton on the catch. Itwas a great day and we won.

In my senior year i won the award for most improved player that year, and i even got a few letters in the mail form some local schools to come play baseball but i had already made up my mind that i as moving back to Dc(i was living in wisconsin at the time).

Fun Fact: Bud Selig went to my school when he was in hs and also Latrell Sprewell was a student at my school.

I also did football and track&field during HS. ANd was apart of the chess club. I love chess. Holla at me when you want to catch some L's. Yeah my swagger is incredible, lol.