Four Reasons I Watch More Football Than Baseball

On the Road With the M's

The Super Bowl is right around the corner. I’ll enjoy it much more this year because my beloved Seattle Seahawks made it to the big game. I’m an avid Seahawks fan and these days, I watch far more football than baseball. How can that be if my roots are in baseball? I spent eight years working with the Seattle Mariners, on the field and in the clubhouse. I road-tripped with the Mariners and even served as the batboy for the National League during the Major LeagueBaseball All-Star game.

A shift has occurred over the last decade. Does it have anything to do with the lack of success of the current Mariner teams? After all, they haven’t been to the playoffs since 2001. I don’t think that is it, I still follow the Mariners and get excited each spring. As a comparison, the Seahawks had some awful teams during the past decade as well and I continued to watch. 

In the Clubhouse and On the Field Before the All Star Game

The All-Stars had arrived and the Kingdome became the center of the baseball universe for three days. This was not the All-Star experience of today. Keep in mind, this was 34 years ago, the spectacle of the All-Star Game would grow over the next couple of decades. There was no Home Run hitting contest, no futures games or fan-fest.

The events leading up to the contest consisted of a batting and infield practice open to the public—that's it. No television directed drama, just a simple practice. Still, 15,000 people showed up for that event. It was cool for me, because I got to shag balls in the outfield during the batting practice, alongside greats like Dave Parker, George Foster and Dave Winfield.

School Newspaper Picks Up Story

Here's another bit of media that was a result of my selection as Batboy for the Seattle Mariners. This was published in the Auburn High School Troy Invoice school newspaper. Enjoy!

 

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

How Baseball Began (in my Eyes)

Many people ask if I was a baseball fan before becoming a batboy. In fact, my earliest memory of sports was attending a New York Mets baseball game in Shea stadium. I was somewhere between three and four years old, about the same age of the Mets when I saw them. Way before the Miracle Met's of 1969. It didn't matter to me who won or lost.

Inaugral Season Schedule and Win/Loss outcome

I can still remember walking into the stadium, through the concourse and out into the stands. My eyes grew wide taking in the sheer size of the stadium and the beautiful green grass contrasting sharply with the orange clay of the infield. From that moment on, I was in awe of stadiums. You can read a bit more about that here where I talk about my experiences in theKingdome. I remember sitting at the game with a big orange, metal bar in my face. You wouldn't find that in stadiums of today! Yep, way back in 1964 during a sunny afternoon in Queens, NY, this three-year old fell in love with baseball.

This was a Long Time Ago

Here's living proof that my Batboy days were a long time ago. 

Besides the fact the smoking was allowed in the dugout, players chewed tobacco endlessly and the snack rack in the clubhouse resembled a

The Media Blitz Ensued ...

Photo Op outside the Kingdome

After my selection as a Batboy for the Seattle Mariners, there was an onslaught of media coverage. Here I was, one day a mild mannered high-school kid, the next day, interviews, photo ops and more. It was a fun time in my life, for sure. Most of this was before I even set foot on the field for the first time.

In addition to the job, I received a $500 savings bond for winning the contest. The Mariners also selected a Ball Girl from the contest. I guess you could say life was looking up.

Over 30 years ago, there were no 24 hour sports stations (actually ESPN came into existence the year I was batboy) and media coverage was limited at best. To say I was unaccustomed to the media blitz was an understatement. They made me feel as if I was really in the Big Leagues.

My Ticket to the Major Leagues

I've mentioned previously that I earned the batboy job for the Seattle Mariners through an essay contest. In 500 words or less, the topic was, Why I wanted to be a Bat Boy for the Seattle Mariners. The Seattle Times and the Seattle Mariners selected the Top Ten Finalists based solely on the essay and then the series of interviews began.

This was a long time ago. I happened to dig out the original essay that I submitted for the contest. Sometimes, it's hard to remember how different things were in 1979. There were no word processors, personal computers or online access. Quite frankly, it's amazing that I have a copy of the essay at all. Then again, I tend to keep a lot of stuff.

So here it is, for better or worse, from 34 years ago, my ticket into the Major Leagues …

"Why I wanted to be Batboy for the Mariners" Winning Essay

  Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

I Can't Believe They Paid Me For This

Being a batboy for a Major League Baseball Team had lots of perks—free tickets for family and friends, a great view of the game, a chance to meet baseball superstars and much more. The one question that I'm always asked is, "Did you get paid?"

The reality is I would have done this job without being paid a dime. There were so many memories and experiences, that I should have paid the ballclub to work. However, I did receive a wage.

Ready for this … now remember, this was 1979. I received a flat rate of $6 per game.

Wow, that must be something like $11 a game in today's economy!

My Home Away From Home - The Kingdome

Kingdome under construction- mid '70's

You've heard of a home away from home? Well, I had one of those. It was the largest freestanding concrete structure in the world at the time—the Kingdome, built in 1976.

My family moved to Seattle from Florida in 1975. There are two things I remember most about arriving in the Pacific Northwest. The first was driving through Snoqualmie Pass and seeing real mountains for the first time. The twin sister volcanoes, Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainier greeted us as we approached the Cascade Range. This Florida flat-lander was 14 at the time and the mountains served promise of new adventures. 

Behind-the-Scenes in Major League Baseball - The Beginning

Billy Martin and Jim Devitt, circa 1979

Wow, it's been over 30 years since I was a batboy in the visiting clubhouse for the Seattle Mariners. That time of my life had a huge impact on me—working on the field in Major League Baseball, dealing with million dollar athletes, and picking up jockstraps in the clubhouse while participating in an exclusive club. 

The first question people ask is, "How did you get the job?" Most don't believe the answer. I got the job through a contest sponsored by the Seattle Times and the Seattle Mariners. I submitted an essay on "Why I wanted to be a batboy for the Mariners." Ten finalists were picked based on the essays and then we went through a series of interviews.