Informed Opinions on Today’s Topics : Examples of the Real Spirit of Baseball

“The world shook Northridge, then Northridge shook the world,” read the placards of fans celebrating the return of the Northridge Little League all-stars to their home diamond on Devonshire Street. After capturing the national Little League title and barely losing the World Series to a Venezuelan team, the players have enjoyed a level of celebrity that serves as a poignant backdrop to the Major League Baseball strike. With more than 250 scheduled games canceled as a result of the strike thus far, players and fans have been forced to occupy themselves in some other way. The success of the Northridge team fills a gap for local baseball aficionados hit by both the strike and the Jan 17 earthquake.

What defines the spirit of baseball?

Steve Wold, former pitcher and coach for the Northridge team.

“I think that, for the kids, the spirit of baseball lies within the parent. I see more parents participating now than I have in a long time. If you drive by the field before the season starts, you’ll see a group of dads out there working with their kids. We never worked out when I was a kid. Today, there are schools and camps around for private lessons.

“But (in the major leagues), baseball is less team-oriented and more of an endorsement game these days. . . . This affects the kids playing today who want to emulate the flashy players. They tend to do the same things (the big leaguers) do. The worst thing is theway that these kids think they should charge the mound when they get hit by a pitch. They see highlight films with a series of guys charging the pitcher and think it’s part of baseball now. That’s not baseball. What’s part of the ball game is that you are going to get hit every now and then.”

Harvey Rich, chairman of the Cal State Northridge sociology department

“(All) sports are an outlet in our society. They’re a great way to relieve stress as a player or a fan. Sociologists study the effect of sports on different groups and communities. We look at the effects that sports have on the community and how they enhance camaraderie. (In that sense), if it weren’t for the earthquake, the Northridge Little League team wouldn’t have received the exposure it did. Because the area is perceived as somewhat of a victim, the Northridge team, known as the ‘The Earthquake Kids,’ became a symbol of things coming together again for the community. Their success re-instilled a sense of pride in the community.”

Michael Harris, owner of the Baseball Card Co.

“From a collectible standpoint, the strike has done a lot of damage. Both (Chicago White Sox first baseman) Frank Thomas and (Seattle Mariners center fielder) Ken Griffey Jr. were trading really well before the strike and now people just aren’t that interested. Having the Northridge Little League team on television, though, was the best. We had people coming in here who became true Northridge fans. Such exposure probably wouldn’t have happened if Major League Baseball was still running. In that aspect, the strike has done well for little league baseball.”

Dallas Willard, professor of philosophy at USC

“You see the two extremes in the feeling and thinking about baseball with both the strike and the Northridge team. I’ve had people who were watching the Little League series come up to me and say, ‘This is what it’s all about.’ They don’t understand how people with salaries of over $1 million cannot just enjoy a game when these kids play for free. But to seek to get whatever you can get for something of value is an American ideal. It’s an insolvable tension in our society--to play sports for sports sake or to make money off of sports.

“When the Northridge kids won, everyone was gratified because . . . it looked like the right people won. With (major league) owners and players, there doesn’t seem to be a right person.”