Rounding Third

Image by john curley via Flickr As the 2009 Major League Baseball season comes to a close, it’s difficult to avoid drifting back to past seasons that have come and gone. Some of our most vivid childhood and adolescent memories are tied to the game that we cherish. Growing up in the outer boroughs of New York City, my memories of early fall are full of baseball. A nine year old in 1977, I witnessed the return of the New York Yankees to prominence, and so many other memorable events that remain with me today. The wonderful world of baseball was exploding for this Jewish kid from Fresh Meadows, as I became completely immersed in the game. The thrill of leading off and playing shortstop in the Fresh Meadows Athletic League was my true passion. It’s amazing which baseball memories maintain their vividness over time. Although we recall which players dominated past eras and the teams that triumphed each year, it’s the personal events that shaped us that continue to resonate decade...