CARNDUFF - The fields in Carnduff are alive with the sound of baseball bats, laughter, and barks of instruction and encouragement.
It seemed like Mother Nature and the baseball gods could not agree as to when baseball should begin.
Just when it seemed like it was time, snowstorms put that on hold. Itching to blow the dust off and get the rust out from several months of baseball inactivity, teams resorted to practising indoors.
Some used gyms; others, the local arena. Imagine trying to get into baseball shape on a field of concrete. Balls bouncing off cement are certainly different than balls skipping off grass.
How could one practise sliding without chewing up their legs? How could that home-run swing be rediscovered without breaking lights or doing other damage? Real baseballs had to be replaced with plastic ones.
In the desperation to get into championship-calibre condition, all kinds of ideas were tried.
But then, the weather relented, and the practising started for real. Fresh grass replaced concrete; an infield, although still a little wet, was much more conducive for sliding; ground balls could be fielded in game-like conditions. And batters could swing for the fences again without fear of calling in the insurance adjusters.
Yes, finally the baseballs diamonds are alive with those familiar sounds of baseball. The baseball season is here.
