Reasons Why I Follow Little League Baseball Part Two
- Updated: June 23, 2021
(Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League all-stars. Honoring God, America’s national anthem, and our flag, serve as reasons why Rabbi Rabbs is a fan. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
Three years ago, in Why I Follow Little League Baseball, this sports blogger listed five reasons why Little League became his favorite spectator sport. Those five included rooting for Southern California, sitting in the best seats at free sporting events, watching high-level players that compete for their love of the game, getting adopted as a team’s crazy uncle, and cheering for consistent winners. In this follow-up article, Rabbi Rabbs will now present additional reasons.
In the past three years, much happened. The National Basketball Association and National Football League reportedly suffered terrible television ratings. That occurred despite huge opportunities for increased viewership. With so many sports fans forced to stay home during government-mandated lock downs, conventional wisdom dictated that those fans would watch more televised games. The opposite reportedly unfolded. People stopped watching. Why? I believe because those leagues alienated fans by force-feeding to them radical political agendas.
Those leagues became so divisive that I can now tell with seemingly pinpoint accuracy where a person aligns themselves politically just by observing that person’s attitude towards basketball or football. If he or she continues to watch those pro sports, doing so almost always means the person tends to agree with those leagues’ extreme politics. Because, I find that those who refrain from aligning with such propaganda more often than not cannot stomach watching anymore.
More reasons.
Pro baseball and ice hockey arguably remain less divisive, but each disappointed me. I was a lifelong fan of the National Hockey League. During the past decade, the NHL repeatedly weighed in on controversial issues. In doing so, that league often offended my personal beliefs. A sports league should have restrained itself. So, I had already lost considerable interest in pro hockey.
(Noah “Chewy” Flores of Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League sets an example. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
But, the final nail in the coffin for me came when NHL players disrespected our great American national anthem. League officials failed to condemn and sanction those offenders, and did nothing to prevent further such disrespectful actions. Look, the players have every right to express their opinions. And, I as a consumer have every right to take my business elsewhere.
I am so done with professional sports. I stopped paying attention to them more than a year ago. They are dead to me. From now on, I shall only support leagues that honor our national anthem, respect our great American flag, and do not shove offensive politics at me. So, add those to the list of reasons why this proud American loves Little League, as I have never witnessed it disrespect our flag or national anthem. If I ever do see that, I might stop supporting that league. In any event, let us call U.S. patriotism my sixth reason, and staying politics-free my seventh.
Even more reasons.
Prior to each game, every Little League youngster recites a beautiful pledge that starts, “I trust in God. I love my country and will respect its laws.” That pledge serves as my eighth reason. As someone that tries to follow Judaism, I absolutely love when children are raised to fear God.
(Bonita’s Sweetwater Valley Little League
all-stars. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)
Little League preaches that God not only rules the universe, but that He is trustworthy. Right on, Little League! America needs so much more of that. I pray that that youth organization always preserves its strong Judeo-Christian values. If however, Little League ever loses its way, abandons its traditional roots, and removes its mention of God, I will be greatly disappointed.
My two shekels.
Reverence for our great nation, and for our almighty creator. That is how to raise our young people. That is what helps Little League stand head and shoulders above the big leagues. But, no one needs to pay attention to what I think. Because, what do I know? After all, I am merely a surfer burnout with Jewish side curls and a fancy college diploma. And, those are my two shekels. Thus concludes my controversial but necessary rant. Thank you for reading its entirety.
Changing the topic, CaliSports News mourns the reported recent loss of yet another former umpire of California District 42. That ump was Shelley White. He served that southern San Diego County district for many years. I often bumped into White while attending West Region tournament action held at San Bernardino’s Al Houghton Stadium. I believe the first time he and I met came during the 2015 tourney when District 42’s Sweetwater Valley Little League of Bonita won the West. As a pillar of the West Region’s Little League community, White shall be missed.
Teamwork makes the dream work.
CaliSports News thanks everyone that shares our articles. Teamwork makes the dream work. On that note, CSN thanks Sweetwater Valley, Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League, and District 42 for sharing my prior article, Local Little Leagues Say: “Play Ball !!”, on social media. And with that, we conclude my latest article. Next week, I plan to share memories of one of my favorite teams. Stay tuned! Until then, God bless Little League baseball! U-S-A! U-S-A! Let’s Go SoCal!!
(Photo courtesy of Military.com.)
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