Home
"HOME"Some people look at Baseball purely as entertainment. Eyes and ears; T-Shirts and beers. Others view it as purely sport. The national pastime. And then there are those who think of Baseball as a metaphor for America; Individual ruggedness and team spirit.
But most people think it's just about a bunch of guys standing around scratching and spitting.
What it's really about is going Home!
There are 4 bases. 1st base, 2nd base, third base, but no (inflection) 4th base. It's called Home. You start at Home only to get back Home.
Unfortunately, there are lots of obstacles.
There are holes between 1st & 2nd and 3rd & short
There are gaps in the outfield - and foul territory
There are power alleys where guys with strong arms can throw you out
All just preventing you from trying to get Home
There are fielders lurking behind the bags
There are warning tracks and fences
And, if you're not careful, you could get hit by the pitch
All just on the way Home
If you happen to get on base:
You could get forced out on a ground ball.
You could be erased in a double play
You could end up in a pickle, or
You could get run down
All just in the way of you trying to get Home
You could get stranded at 3rd with less than 2 outs
You could die at 2nd if no one knocks you in
You could be caught in a suicide squeeze
All just to get home
It's a treacherous endeavor - this game of Baseball. You leave Home just to try and get back Home. And there are so many obstacles in the way.
Now, there is one way to avoid all this. It's called a Home Run. You hit the ball out of the park and that's it. Sayanora! Everyone stands and applauds you; the opposing team stops what they're doing and watches you as you gently meander around the bases in a leisurely pace touching each one until you get back home.
So, the next time you see some one hit a home run and they drop the bat and just stand there in self effulgence watching the ball soar out of the park - you'll know what they're really thinking: Man, now I don't have to die at 2nd base and I can go back to doing what I do best - standing around scratching and spitting.