Thanks to you, and baseball too!
When my son and I began our podcast in 2020, talking about baseball was a way to cope with everything that was and was not going on with the Covid-19 pandemic. We were bored and liked to talk about baseball. We were also surprised and thankful that there were people out there who were bored enough to listen and later watch and listen!
Since I have always had an interest in writing and have done some writing for many years, both personal and professional, writing about baseball seemed to be a natural extension. After writing more than 100 posts/articles, I am heartened, encouraged, and most of all thankful for all of you who are reading!
To be honest, talking and writing about baseball is therapy for me. There are so many things going on in my life and in the world that contribute to raising my personal stress level. You know what I mean. Whenever I think about baseball it often distracts me from the other stuff and for that I am thankful! I still think about the other stuff ALL THE TIME, but temporary, even if momentary, distractions are what keeps me going. Baseball has always done that for me.
I am thankful that something that I’ve come to truly enjoy doing is something that other people find interesting enough to read or hear. It’s extremely flattering, and it means a great deal. Whenever I receive notes, questions, and feedback from readers and listeners it makes me happy. Even when the feedback is not so positive.
My passion for baseball above all other sports is steeped in the game’s history and correlation with U.S. history. I am fascinated by the history of both and the intertwining of that history. The future of baseball as a professional sport in the late 19th and early 20th century was less certain than we remember. The United States survived the Civil War, but the future of the republic was also less certain than people today may realize. For more than 150 years baseball has adapted to the times while keeping its core values intact. It’s not the same as it was nor ever will be and there are many things I miss about the way the game was played when I was younger. I love today’s game too — not every single thing; but in general. I feel similarly about things in our country. Nobody loves every single thing; but let’s all try to help make things better for people, and baseball!
Baseball fans are accustomed to disappointment. But we all go on rooting for our favorite teams year after year, hoping that this year will be THAT year! Like it is in real life, baseball fans have ups and downs, thrills and disappointments, all of which are as real as anything we humans experience.
I am on this path and am thankful to have you with me alongside as we walk.
Thanks for reading Almost Cooperstown! Clap, share, or do nothing but please keep reading!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.
About the Author: Mark Kolier along with his son Gordon co-hosts a baseball podcast called ‘Almost Cooperstown’. He also has written baseball-related articles that can be accessed on Medium.com and Substack.com.
