America's Pastime

If you were to ask someone of my grandfather's generation, "What was America's past time?" I think the answer would be quick and simple, "Baseball." From the time my 84 year old grandfather was a small boy living on his parents farm in rural Iowa he had priorities. First came taking care of the farm chores, second came school, and third came playing baseball with his brother. Whether it was just a regular season game or a big playoff game my grandfather's father always had the radio on listening to the Cardinals games rooting on his favorite team. But as time and people have shifted we have seen a change. Away from the grace and elegance of baseball, and more to the power and destruction of football. If you ask that same question today I believe a lot if not most kids would say football. But why has America's attention shifted? From the sophisticated ways of people like Mickey Mantle and Satchel Paige to the bone crushing high speed hits. I think it is a need for violence that for some reason we as people enjoy watching. But as America's new past time becomes more and more popular it also faces more and more scrutiny for the way it's players are forced to live after their careers. Research done in the past few years on the subject of concussions and lawsuits from previous NFL players has in my eyes started the end of football. Just this year I have seen on Sportscenter that two highschool football players have died from hard hits on the field. Today during a conversation with one of my teachers she brought up that she believed that within the next ten years football will no longer be a highschool sport. I think that 10 years is a bit quick but in my opinion I truly believe that within the next 20 years highschool football will no longer be a thing. You may ask well what will be America's next new past time? My answer to this is easy, basketball. Basketball combines both the grace and elegance of baseball with the some of the power that is displayed in football. It is a fast paced game that people all over the world as well as country can play and enjoy. I truly believe within the next 20 years all of the love and media attention that follows football right now will slowly transition to the game of basketball. (411)