I grew up listening to baseball beside my father on the old living room radio.
We sat still and quiet, focused on every play. I was his littlest one, his sidekick.
I loved the sound of the announcer, the rhythms, the suspense and
at his side I learned about double plays and squeeze plays, sacrifice flies,
balks and bunts, full counts, extra innings, and walk-off home runs.

He’s been gone so long but I still hear his voice as I sit in bleachers
watching a son, grandsons, twin granddaughters, all taking to fields of their own.
Texas leaguer when a pop-up lands safely behind the infield.
Butter fingers he whispers when an easy ball is dropped.
Joe Adcock, Warren Spahn, Hank Aaron haunt the field.

Now on Sundays it’s the sun beating down, the brats and the beers,
old men in caps and babies taking naps and kids chasing foul balls for quarters.
It’s the cheers and the boos, the old league rivalries, 50-50 raffles.
It’s hardball, serious ball, generations of families, the old stories retold.
It’s a playwright’s dream and we all take our parts.

Anne Emerson grew up in Milwaukee and has lived in Door County since 1969 when she opened Edgewood Orchard Galleries. She is known for her love of creative education and lifelong learning. She was instrumental in creating the Door Community Auditorium that opened in 1991 and Write On, Door County in 2013.