The Willmar-Bird Island-Spicer State Tournament booth was active over the weekend during TwinsFest. Pictured from left are Jon Rambow, Allison Roehl, Doug Ruter, Leah Ruter,Steve Rambow, Cindy Lahr, and State Board member Dennis Brennan.

When I started my teaching career (it lasted two years) back in 1974, one of the English teachers drew my attention to a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti.  The gist of it is this:  January 21^st,  Drinking wine this afternoon, I notice the days are getting longer. I have remembered those words ever since.  It signaled to me that Spring is coming and with it baseball season. 

The colleges start baseball on February 1 and Spring Training for Major League Baseball starts in about a month.  Those are good things to think about and it all starts with the days getting longer. 

I recently finished an excellent book by Bruce Weber.  It was about umpires.  The name of the book is As They See 'Em; A Fan's Travels in the Land of Umpires.  "Oh no, not umpires again," I can just hear you saying. Well, that is what Weber says too.  His book deals with all that goes into preparing and being a professional umpire.  It applies to amateur umpires as well.

New Baseball Selected

Willmar, Bird Island and Spicer representatives appeared before the Board and asked for approval of the State Tournament baseball they have selected.  The ball is manufactured by Fitzgeralds Sports.

Happy New Year!  2009 has flown by and 2010 starts tomorrow.  Hard to believe.  I started playing amateur baseball in 1971 in Hayward, Minnesota.  It was a real "Town" team.  We had approximately 15 players and played about 15 games a year.  It was a fun team to play with.  Good times and great memories.  Since then I have played with Dick's Place (A) in Columbia Heights, Dundas Dukes (B), Burnsville Bobcats (B), and back to the Dukes.  I have been in ten Championship games.  Playing or managing on Labor Day is the best there is. 

I wasn't going to write about this right now, but it seems like the right time.  I am retiring from the Baseball field.  I hope to continue to write for this website and I look forward to writing about baseball in many areas of the state.  Dundas will be in capable hands as Mike Ludwig and Charlie Ruud will take over the managerial duties. 

Thanks to all for the special memories playing Minnesota Amateur Baseball.                                                Bill Nelson