~ Baseball Coaching ~ Baseball Participation ~
~ Dream It, Believe It, Achieve It! ~

Welcome to theoleballgame.com, a website for baseball coaching youth, and amateur. The information contained within these friendly confines, is created for coaches, players, parents and fans.

This site is here, and bet that you are also, because someone has touched us with this game. A game like no other, it is loved and cherished by those who have, and have not played it. The game is surrounded by a magical, almost mystical presence of all that was, is, and always will be, played out on sand lots and inside stadiums world wide.

Playing or coaching this great game, begins with a dream, that vision of something we wish to accomplish, or a destination we aspire to achieve. Development of that dream requires that we truly believe it can happen.

The pages within are designed to stimulate thoughts on ways to help develop and achieve your dream, take your belief in that dream and turn it into reality, whether you are a rookie or veteran coach, player, parent or fan. I encourage you to engulf yourself in the journey. Your investment in the game, like a good stock, will provide far greater returns than you invested.

While there have been a few original thoughts along the way, most of what has been accumulated was learned from someone, somewhere. Every now and then it's believed there has been an original idea, only to realize it has been forgotten from whom it was learned.

So, pack up your dreams in the "ole" equipment bag, gather around the portable cage, lean on a fungo while traveling "round" the bases in your mind, at theoleballgame.com; inspired by 46 plus, years of experience.

As you focus on the process, the results will take care of themselves, just as they do in the game itself.

May you always slide in, under the tag!

Wishing each of you the best in your journey.

Yours in baseball,

Rick

Congratulations Derek Jeter

Photo Bill Kostroun: Associated Press

On July 18, 1897, Cap Anson became the first player in Major league Baseball History to reach the 3000 hit plateau.

One hundred thirteen years, 190 days later, Derek Jeter became the 28th player to reach 3000, at the same time becoming the first player in Yankee Franchise history to reach the mark.

Bernie Williams, former Yankee great and team mate of Jeter's, congratulated him on his accomplishment saying,"while the home run for number 3000 is what everyone will remember from this day...knowing you...you probably are more satisfied with that eighth inning single up the middle that won the game."

William's quote speaks volumes to the quality individual that is Derek Jeter.

Below is a listing of the 3000 Hits Club, in order by most hits, courtesy of Baseball Almanac:

Name	Hits	Date/Box	Age	At Bats
Pete Rose	4,256	5-5-1978	37	9,690
Ty Cobb	4,189	8-19-1921	34	uk
Hank Aaron	3,771	5-17-1970	36	9,566
Stan Musial	3,630	5-13-1958	37	8,744
Tris Speaker	3,514	5-17-1925	37	uk
Carl Yastrzemski	3,419	9-12-1979	40	10,418
Honus Wagner	3,415	6-9-1914	40	uk
Paul Molitor	3,319	9-16-1996	40	9,750
Eddie Collins	3,315	6-3-1925	38	uk
Willie Mays	3,283	7-18-1970	39	9,802
Eddie Murray	3,255	6-30-1995	39	10,392
Nap Lajoie	3,242	9-27-1914	39	uk
Cal Ripken Jr.	3,184	4-15-2000	39	10,803
George Brett	3,154	9-30-1992	39	9,779
Paul Waner	3,152	6-19-1942	39	uk
Robin Yount	3,142	9-9-1992	36	10,473
Tony Gwynn	3,141	8-6-1999	39	8,874
Dave Winfield	3,110	9-16-1993	41	10,559
Craig Biggio	3,060	6-28-2007	41	10,645
Cap Anson	3,055	7-18-1897	45	uk
Rickey Henderson	3,055	10-7-2001	42	10,710
Rod Carew	3,053	8-4-1985	39	9,101
Lou Brock	3,023	8-13-1979	40	10,324
Rafael Palmero	3,020	7-15-2005	40	10,393
Wade Boggs	3,010	8-7-1999	41	9,151
Al Kaline	3,007	8-7-1999	39	10,096
Derek Jeter	3,003	7-9-2011	37	9,607
Roberto Clemente	3,000	9-30-1974	38	9,454

Tips From The Dugout

Who Would Have Imagined?

As We Work And Play In This Game, A Good Portion Of Our Life Is Spent Gripping A Baseball, And As It Turns Out, It Was Baseball Gripping Us.

Let That Passion Take You To A Lifetime Of Memories And Experiences, That Money Cannot Buy!

A True Classic

If you located this paragraph, then you probably have had, or currently do have, the "dream". That vision of playing in a stadium the magnitude of Fenway or Wrigley, or a modern day version of the dream, which places you in one of the 28 other stadiums of major league baseball.

Who hasn't dreampt of standing on that mound looking in for the sign, digging into the batter's box in anticipation of turning around a 95 mph fastball, backhanding a ground ball deep in the hole and throwing the runner out at first, or leaping up at the outfield wall to steal a homerun.

As you circle the bases of the ole ballgame, you will find tried and tested ways to improve your game or enhance your coaching experience, all designed to help take you one step closer to your "dream".

Fenway Park has been home to The Boston Red Sox since 1912, making it the oldest major league ballpark in use, with only a few changes since it opened. Along with Wrigley Field, home of The Chicago Cubs, they are the last remaining classic ballparks in major league baseball.

One of the games most notable landmarks, the GREEN MONSTER was part of the original ballpark construction. Painted green in 1947, this 37'2" high, left field wall, was aptly nicknamed.

Fenway was also home to Ted Williams, who played his entire career in Boston. Williams was the last major league player to hit .400, which he did in 1941.

Entering the last day of the '41 season, Williams was hitting .3995, which would have rounded up to .400.

His manager, Joe Cronin, told him he could sit out the double-header scheduled for that day. Williams played, going 6 for 8, ending the season at .406. He would later say that it would have felt like cheating, if he sat out.

The true spirit of the game, and not surprisingly, a great approach to life.

First things first: see the ball! "Track it and whack it," as I have often shouted from the dugout.

( H.A Dorfman, "The Mental Keys to Hitting") ( A Handbook of Strategies For Performance Enhancement )