I Believe in Baseball by Bryce Rolenc

I started playing the game when I was around four years old, and I've been hooked ever since. I still get the nerves I felt as a little kid walking on to the field for the first time ever. There is a certain feeling you get when you are playing the game, a feeling I love. If I could I would keep that feeling for every second of my life. I believe in baseball.

Baseball has many great sounds. The crack of the bat when you hit a home run. A white and red seamed ball hitting an oiled, leather mitt. The sound of a cheering crowd when you make an amazing catch and the groan of the other team's fans mixed in with it. The umpire shouting balls and strikes while the coaches yell at them claiming a bad call. My personal favorite is the sound of an umpire striking a kid out. These are just some of the many sounds you would hear on the field while playing this amazing game.

Baseball teaches you friendship. You are on a team with anywhere from nine to twelve other players. They aren't just teammates though, they are friends. During the summer it seems like you see them more than your family. You learn to get along with each other and you understand them. Whether it is playing cards on a three-hour bus ride on your way to a game or spending time with them after a game, you begin to bond. Though you may get tired of them from time to time, you appreciate them and they become your closest friends.

Baseball is America's pastime. The past has brought many baseball legends such as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Hank Aaron. The players knew how to play the game and played it the way it was suppose to be played, back when no one questioned if a guy did steroids after hitting a home run because no one really knew about steroids. The game was simple and the players were heroes to the community. The good old days when tickets were cheap and the food was cheaper. Kids went to the ballpark and dreamed of being there one day. The game may be tainted now because of the steroid era but if you take a really good look, you will notice not a lot has really changed.

Baseball is a sport that seems to stand out from other sports. It is a sport that Americans take pride in. There is a lot of tradition behind the game and people seem to respect that. It is a sport that can make dreams come true. You don't need to be incredibly strong or quick to play the sport, you just need to have a love of the game and a huge heart. People always ask me why I play so much baseball. The only reply I have to that question is that baseball is my life and that is why I believe in baseball.