I was scanning the tube last night in utter despair

Searching for something to watch on the air

Purely by accident I came upon something I had not seen in years

The baseball playoffs, how wonderful, it almost brought me to tears

How exciting, I thought, as I made sure I was on HD

I drew close to the screen to make sure I could see

The first thing I noticed was that the player’s names were shrouded in haze

No Mantle, No Aaron, No Clemente, No Mays

What’s happened to baseball, I thought to myself?

What’s happened to yesterday and pride in one’s self?

The next thing I notice in clear high definition

Is close up of players chewing and spitting      

   They spit giant globs of what I don’t know

and we have to watch as if they are putting on a show.

The camera shifts to the field and close ups are shown

of guy’s adjusting their stuff as if they thought they were alone

Alone, In front of 150 million viewers? Give me a break

It’s part of the game they fervently think.

A little pull here a tug and here and there

These guys are exhibitionists and they flat just don’t care.

If watching football or basketball you don’t have to watch

as guys play with themselves and play pool in their crotch.

Baseball has lost its allure and the reason requires only a glance

They can only blame themselves for their hands in their pants

©Copyright Charlie Gragg Oct. 16, 2009