OC pretty much all of us in the U.S. who are late 40's into the 50 year and up age bracket played baseball as little kids. At school it was softball, in Little League it was hardball, or just getting a buddy or two to pitch and hit to each other in a fireld or park somewhere. By age 7 or 8 most of us were playing, so that's one reason baseball is special to us.
Irish, your team the Pirates had one of my all-time favorites on their team years ago, the great Roberto Clemente...he put up great numbers and did it with flair and style too.