The naked pinch hitter takes only one thing to the plate: his raw, and somewhat irrational, confidence in himself. That this confidence is so unreasonable adds to its dignity.
- Thomas Boswell, Why Time Begins On Opening Day
Been distracted with hospital visits, but springtime means baseball which is always a good thing. The Thinking Man's sport, baseball has attracted some of the best writing: when Ted Williams hit a home run in his final at bat and refused to tip his hat to the cheering crowd - even when the umpires begged him to do so - John Updike wrote that "Gods do not answer fan mail." Indeed.
Thomas Boswell was a Washington Post sports writer and while a bit of a jerk managed to pen two of the finest baseball books written: Why Time Begins On Opening Day, and The Heart Of The Order. The first in particular is a love letter to a sport that is ever new. Just like Spring, in fact.
So Play Ball! Step up and take a swing ...
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