Baseball and the ‘burden of peace’

“Baseball is like church; many attend, few understand.” Most often this quote is attributed to Leo Durocher, a long-time major league player and manager. The suggestion is that most people who go to a ball game do not really know much about the rules or strategy, just as few comprehend much theology.

However, what struck me when I recently attended a Major League Baseball game is that in an effort to “save” the national pastime, understanding the essence of baseball is being made even more difficult. It’s not the intricacies that are being obscured by this “modernization,” it is the beauty and lessons of the game. I’m not talking about recent rule changes – some of which are abominable (extra inning ghost runners?) – but the raucous stimulation between half innings which is meant to provide the crowd with non-stop entertainment.

This came to mind after I attended a game at Wrigley Field, the most revered cathedral of the “Church of Baseball.” It is the place where “Leo the Lip” Durocher infamously prowled the dugout 55 years ago as the Chicago Cubs manager.

The Cubs were hosting the Los Angeles