Theme Thursday - The Ball Park

If you grew up in a country where baseball is played you know it is played in a "Ball Park".
American Football is played on a Football Field, Basketball is played on a Basketball Court, Soccer is played on a Pitch, Ice Hockey is played on a Rink, Tennis is played on a Tennis Court.  But of all these fine sporting events only Baseball is played in a Park.

A park is a place where the family gathers for fellowship and recreation,  fun and games.  A baseball park serves the same purpose plus cold beer or soda and hot dogs or slices of pizza.  Baseball is a graceful game, bursts of excitement spicing up a relaxed ritual of stretching, scratching and spitting while the players position themselves for the next pitch.  There is time to reflect on the game, time to debate the accuracy of the umpires last call, to speculate on the possible standings before and after the all-star game.  Even time to honor the old tradition of the 7th inning stretch when we all rise to loudly sing Baseball's de-facto National Anthem:

Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd;

Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,

I don't care if I never get back.

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win, it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game.

Written in 1908 by Jack Norworth

To hear it sung as it should be sung - with great gusto and little concern for the niceties of elocution and pitch, listen to it led and sung by the master of them all, the great Harry Caray, long time announcer for the Chicago Cubs and possibly the most ardent promoter of the tradition.  To enjoy Harry in top form, click this link to YouTube,