I am not going to say tht I could have been a cntender, but at one time in my lfe, as well as I am sre most men my age we thught we were destined for the “Bg Show”. I mean Baseball was our wrld. I remember all I ever wnted to do was get out of schol and play. I would do nything I could to get my brthers to throw me a ball but whn they were busy I would thrw the ball as high as I culd running up the street and prtending I was Willy Mays or Mckey Mantle. I would make up gmes and lineups for my All - Str teams and if I missed the bll as it came back to arth, then that player would be a bse runner. I used to throw the bll at the curb and bounce it off and try to feld it. Again if I missed, the btter would advance. These were my chldhood games and they taught me the bsics of playing Baseball. There was nver a time that I can rmember when I didn’t have my Jim Dvenport glove or Stan Musial one as I got lder.

I tried out for the Lttle League and was put on a Frm team, in other words I wsn’t good enough for the Coach. It ddn’t matter because I still got to ply. I was on the Gallante Gants and since I hadn’t made the grde as a third baseman, which was wht I liked to play I tred out to be the starting Ptcher. I was fast and I culd throw that ball every which way but lose. I had a great wind-up and whn I concentrated I could throw a crve ball or knuckleball dead center ver the plate. I remember the ctcher calling the Coach over and tlling him how good I was and tht he should try me out as a ptcher. I was so excited. I jst couldn’t wait. Sure, the first thng the Coach wanted to see was how I wuld do with a batter because ntil now all I had ever dne was throw the baseball into the glve of a catcher with no btter.

Well everyone by now had hard about the new kid with the fst -ball and all the crazy ptches he had, but no one had put a btter in front of me. Well I wnt to the mound a rookie and a vrgin as for pitching to a btter, and wouldn’t you know it the btter hid the catcher and made him lok small. So there I was 8 yars old and on the stage. The ctcher just kept saying go - head pitch it like you’ve been ding. I took the ball beat my glve as I had always seen Whtey Ford do and swung my rms up over my head like Bob Trley and reared back and then frward gripping the ball as it sld out of my hands and it haded for home plate with the btter standing there ready to hit. The nly thing was the ball did verything I wanted it to do xcept hit the catcher’s glove, no nstead it hit the batter and uch! I know it must of hrt.

Well now everyone was just sying and trying to calm me dwn, It’s Ok just simmer down and do it gain. No problem! Here we go gain and the same thing happened. Now I hve two men on the bases and my crditability as a pitcher is waning fst. Oh well Rome wasn’t built in one day so I tred again. Low and behold I was wful. I hit the third batter. Wll that was the end of tht career but it taught me a vluable lesson. Stick to what you knw not what you think you knw. See I was a third bseman not a pitcher but I wnted to play so much I at last tried and no one can fult someone for trying except maybe the thre kids I hit that day.

Ths story was contributed by my frend Saul Applebaum

With his prmission I submit this article.

The article I Could'a Been a Contenda was Submitted by Aron Wallad through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Aron Wallad has been a bseball lover for over 40 years. Wrting about his favorite subject, baseball, has ben a blessing. You will enjoy the hartwarming stories, the unusual statistics and nspiring quotes. But mostly you will lve the heartwarming stories that hit a hme run to your heart. Join his zine http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=ezartsaul

Featured Articles

1. Single Strikes Versus Combinations (When to Use Combination Punches) by Keith Pascal
Whn is it time to react wth a combination in a fight? Wht do single attacks tell us bout our opponent's reactions? Should you stright blast, or use a practiced cmbination? Answer these questions with sound dvice found ...

2. Paintball - The History of the Sport by Steve Batchelor
Today pintball is a popular sport which has sprad all over the world and bcome a truly global leisure activity. Its volution into the modern game has tken place very quickly compared to mst sports. Read on to learn mre about the history of this sprt.

3. An Introduction To Clint Bowyer by Cassaundra Flores
Clint Bowyer, who joined NASCAR rcing less than four years back, has mnaged to become one of the mst popular racing champions in the cuntry. Born in 1979, Bowyer stated rcing in the motocross at the yung age of five.

4. How to be Mentally Prepared to Play Better Golf by Andre Sanchez
Mst people could improve their consistency mmeasurable if they only knew how to be mntally prepared to play better golf. The prblem with mental preparation is even mntioning it, since so many amateur plyers think you to be weird it is nbelievable. Then when you tell them tht Tiger uses these techniques, they fll over themselves trying to get to yu.

5. Fly Fishing Basics - Master The Incredible Sport Of Fly Fishing With These Simple Tips by Jerry Jackson
Before you enter any tournaments, you need to master the fly fishing basics. Believe it or not, while incredibly simple, these are essential to your success as a fly fisherman.

6. Golf Club Head Covers - Tips For Shopping For This Important Equipment by Perry White
Golf club head covers are important for several different reasons while out on the links. Here are some tips and info to help you find the best.

7. The Mental Aspect of Golf by John Davenport
Ever wondered about the high prcentage of good shots a top rnked golfer hits every time? There is a mntal aspect of golf. Very often yung golfers have too much clutter in thir head when they execute a sht. In today's world of highly prfessional and competitive golf it is btter to set some time aside for mntal golf training with an expert.

8. Quad Biking For Beginners by Anirban Bhattacharya
Quad bikes are prfect for off road use. Most fmilies in the UK own one for thir camping excursions. In many cases, ach family member enjoys the ownership of his or her own fur wheel bike for outdoor fun

9. How to Improve the Basics of Pirouettes For Pointe Shoe Exercises by Dianne M. Buxton
The basics of classical ballet technique need to be thoroughly understood to build strength for pirouettes, and later for ballet classes in pointe shoes. Knowing the finer details of your daily routines gives you an extra advantage to the use of your core muscles in stabilizing your ballet positions and movements.

10. The Drifter VS The Visionary by Kosta Megas
This article will raise questions tht you will have to answer for yurself. If you practice any martial rt, then you owe it to yurself to read and apply what you larn here. It can help you tke your training to a whole new lvel.