Ah, summer. It is a time for vacations, outdoor activities, family reunions, and picnics.
It is also the time of year for two of my favorite passions: Baseball and golf.
The sport of baseball (and slow-pitch softball) is something I have been around my whole life, whether it was playing, coaching or just watching, thanks to my father who passed down his life long passion (some would say obsession) for ‘America’s Pastime’.
So when my parents visited for Arts Fest weekend it turned into an impromptu ‘boys’ baseball weekend’. We went to the State College Spikes game last Friday, my son Ryan’s Teener League All-Star playoffs on Saturday, and capped it off with an Altoona Curve game on Sunday. Of course, we watched the Pirates on TV in between.
Hats off to Scott Walker, the general manager of the Spikes, and his staff for all they do to make a night at the ballpark fun for families. It was especially meaningful for my father because he played for the Corning Athletics in the New York–Penn League back in the 1950s.
After all, baseball is still a family affair.
What’s great about baseball? It actually begs for you to slow down, take your time, relax, and enjoy an evening with family and friends. Grab a cold drink, a hot dog, and some peanuts and you are set. In this hurried, fast-paced world it is nice to just sit outside and simply enjoy the atmosphere. These young players play hard trying to earn a shot at the next level. It is family oriented entertainment, and you are likely to run into some old friends.
As a matter of fact, on Friday I ran into one of my first bosses at Penn State, Larry Fies, who was the original manager of the Greenberg Ice Pavilion and a great boss and mentor. He just turned 83 and it was great to get to say hello to him and his grandson Cameron at the game.
For those wanting to keep track of every tweet and Instagram from the social media world, hey, you can still do that at the field. Or maybe, just maybe, we could all put the phones down long enough to relax and enjoy the game and some good old-fashioned conversation.
In Central Pennsylvania we are lucky enough to enjoy professional baseball with the Spikes in State College, the Crosscutters in Williamsport, and the Curve in Altoona. All are great bargains and make for a great time with family and friends.
You can also catch a Centre County Baseball League game, American Legion games, a Teener league game, and of course, Little League. I still love going over to see the Little League World Series in Williamsport in August. While it has certainly become more commercialized over the years, it is still at its heart all about the kids. This year’s Little League World Series is Aug. 18-28. If you have never been to it, here is your chance! Williamsport and Lycoming County offer a lot of great outdoor activities and gorgeous scenery as well.
For the more adventurous ‘mature’ folks who want to live “the glory days,” you can still play in the Centre Sluggers Adult Baseball League. I occasionally get a chance to see some older friends playing at the field next to where my son plays and the guys are totally into the games as witnessed by the number I see cramping up with muscle pulls! A message to the wise: take time to stretch properly!
If you are into softball, then Central Pa. has plenty to offer there as well. Leagues are all over the area from the ultra-competitive to the local church leagues. By the way, if you ever have the chance to go watch women’s fast-pitch softball in this area, the local teams are really good. My father managed to make friends with several members of the Penn State women’s softball team at a fall football tailgate so we get over to Beard Field when we get the chance to cheer them on.
Fore! Switching gears to my real summer sports passion, golf.
In my younger days I lived and breathed hockey 365 days of the year and played into my mid-50s until my recent neck surgery forced me to hang up the skates. I still love the game, but perhaps because it was my vocation for such a long time, I find it difficult to simply enjoy watching a game without becoming emotionally involved and stressed out.
So I have become obsessed with golf, speaking of stress. Perhaps it’s because it is a challenge that is never likely to be mastered or because I am simply a glutton for punishment. After all, noted sports writer John Feinstein wrote a book about golf entitled “A Good Walk Spoiled.” If you want a good belly laugh, look up “Robin Williams on Golf” online to get his take on how the game was invented. Just make sure no kids are around as it is laced with expletives — the same ones I occasionally hear out on the course after a bad shot.
I read about golf, watch instructional videos, watch tournaments on TV, attend PGA events, and love to just get outside with friends and tee it up. It has become even more fun since my youngest son Ryan has started to play seriously while my daughter Brianna is still testing the waters. My wife sticks to her belief that “I can take up golf anytime and be bad at it, so why start now?”
I played in the Glenn O. Hawbaker Charity golf outing this past weekend with Larry Savino and Mike McAndrew from Northwest Savings Bank and friend Tony Ciccarelli and we finished in second place in the morning flight. More importantly we had a blast and we helped raise money for worthy charities supported by the Hawbaker Company.
Perhaps because of the extreme heat, a few groups didn’t make it for the afternoon round so I stuck around for the afternoon flight and Ryan and Brianna joined me. Yep, 36 holes in 95-degree weather. That pretty much qualifies me as a golf nut.
We played the Penn State White Course, shot 59 in the afternoon and ended up winning the flight. We even used a few of “rookie” Brianna’s drives, including on our final hole, which we eagled in what proved to be the difference. It was pretty cool hearing the host say: “In first place in the afternoon White Course flight, the team of Battista, Battista and Battista.” That will probably never happen again but it will live on in our family lore forever.
This Friday we are off to see the PGA Championship at Baltusrol Country Club in New Jersey, so we will have been fortunate enough to see in person, three out of four of this year’s Major Golf Championships. The British Open just wasn’t in the budget so it will remain on the proverbial ‘bucket list’ until I finally reach retirement.
Whether you like to watch hardball, softball, or the little white ball, or better yet, get out and play yourself, summer time is the perfect time to take a swing.
