"Whittled Down"

I had the pleasure and privilege of going to the annual Pacific Coast League Reunion Luncheon in Carson, Ca. with my friend Irv Noren today. I have gone to this event before with Irv. In case you don't know who Irv Noren is: he played baseball in the old Pacific Coast League from 1947-49. He was the Player of the Year in 1949 when he hit 29 homers, batted .335 and drove in 135 runs. If you don't know baseball statistics those are great numbers.

He was promoted to the major league's Washington Senators in 1950 and proceeded to be named Rookie of the Year. A year later he was traded to the powerhouse New York Yankees  (for 6 other players)! He played on those great Yankee teams that went on to win World Series after World Series. He was in the game in left field when Jackie Robinson stole home; he was in the dugout when Don Larson pitched the only perfect game ever in the World Series and later in his career he was roommates with the great Stan Musial in St. Louis. Irv has 6 World Series rings. He was one hell of a baseball player.

This annual luncheon brings together all the old players from the great PCL teams like: the Los Angeles Angels, Hollywood Stars, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Seals and the Seattle Rainiers etc. Irv is 85 years old now, yet he is one of the younger guys left.
I love hearing the old stories about the PCL greats like Joe Dimaggio, Dom Dimaggio, Lefty O'Doul and also the regular players. IT's always a great day for me BUT I share with you a kind of sad moment too. I saw all these former professional athletes struggling to get around, having to use walkers, wheelchairs, canes and many had poor vision, bad hearing, well you get the idea. I watched them closely and could see in their aged bodies the handsome young men that they had once been.

They don't want to be older, resent having to ask for help, and despite their poking fun at their old pictures  they are proud of what they accomplished. My point is in their day they could run with the wind, play baseball 7 hours a day, and do things in sports few can. But it's gone now! The list of those that had passed away just in the last year was too long and each name elicited a wince, a sigh, and a nod of the head.  All too soon these remaining great PCL players won't be here either.

Old age doesn't take us in the night, it doesn't jump us in an alley and beat us down. It's more insidious because it whittles us down one age spot on the skin at a time, one aching joint, one hearing loss notch at a time. We get whittled down, whittled down and before any of us are ever ready, nature makes it's final cut.
I wanted to grant these guys one more weekend in the sun, one more home run, strike out, stolen base and for them to hear the cheering crowds one more time. I wanted them to be young again for one last 3 game series! But I knew I couldn't. I respect and admire these guys for the athletes they were, for the good lives they led after baseball and most of all for not giving in to the whittling down. They refuse to go quickly or easily. They are fierce competitors right to their last at bat. A great lesson for me and for us all.