Baseball is America's game. Although it is now played worldwide, we all know that the game's origin is right here in the USA. My father introduced me to the game when I was just a toddler. It's not surprising that his passion and enthusiasm for the game rubbed off onto me. Through the years I have followed the game with that same passion and enthusiasm and maybe even more so. I have tried to pass this zeal for the game on to my sons. As I played baseball throughout my youth I became a student of the game. I use what I learned from that to understand and enjoy the game as a fan. Playing the game and being an active fan has also taught me the meaning of being competitive and has helped guide me through my life endeavors. The game of baseball is descriptive of occurrences that we face in our everyday activities. Baseball, like any other sport, teaches us to be competitive both at work and at play. Baseball furnishes us with discipline and also teaches us humility. At times it can be entertaining, exhilarating and humorous. On the other hand it can be dull and boring. Baseball is gratifying but it can be argumentative and dangerous. Because of the multitude of statistics and its rich history baseball is a marvelous educational tool. Everything that baseball offers helps build character in those who follow the game seriously. Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Baseball is also dramatic, imaginative and romantic. All three of those words when used as adjectives are synonyms of poetic. Therefore, by logic, baseball is poetic. When you stop and think about that description for baseball you will understand the logic. Just about every motion of the players on the field is poetic in nature. It starts with the pitcher taking his windup, lifting his arm, striding towards home plate and then releasing the baseball. All of the pitchers action is poetry in motion. A batter's swing - even if he misses the ball - is a poetic motion, maybe even more so when attempting to bunt. A player fielding a batted ball may be the most poetic motion in all of baseball. Think about all of the incredible defensive plays you've seen. Each and every one has a poetic motion whether the player is diving for a ball, leaping against the wall to pull down a possible home run or turning the double play at second base. Even routine plays have their own poetic motions. Then there's players running and sliding into a base. And, yes, even umpires have their own unique way of poetry in motion with the way they punch a batter out on a called third strike or on the base paths. Since baseball and poetry are synonymous - at least in my eyes - I have written this book of baseball related poems for my enjoyment as well as yours. Before you read this book I must warn you that I was born and raised on Chicago's north side so I was destined to become a lifetime Cubs fan. Therefore, quite a number of verses relate to Chicago Cub players and history. Don't hold it against me that I'm a Cubs fan and don't feel sorry for me. It's my choice and I have to live with it. Enjoy the book. Ken Knee Dedication This book is dedicated to my father, Manuel Knee, who died at sixty-one - way too soon Whenever they play that song about baseball I think of him - how he loved that tune You know the one about buying some peanuts and cracker jack And when we went to a ballgame we didn't care if we ever got back Oh, how he used to tell me such great stories about the players of times gone by Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb, Wilson, Hornsby, Wagner, Johnson and a guy named Cy It was a sad day when the Lord took him to that big place in the sky Oh, how I miss him - I'm so sorry I never got to say goodbye