Tacoma Fantasy Camp

Most Major League teams have fantasy camps right before spring training. The Tacoma Rainiers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, just ran one of their own.

Ask John Rozeboom. At 66, he is retired from teaching and coaching baseball after 40 years, 29 of them at Lynden Christian High School.
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As a slow, belt-high fastball came toward him, he unleashed a smooth swing – aching triceps and ailing shoulder be damned – ripping a line-drive that sailed over the head of the second baseman into the outfield for an RBI single. The crack of the bat echoed in Cheney’s cavernous confines.

“God, I love that sound,” remarked someone in the dugout.

“It never gets old,” said another.

Eventually Rozeboom made his way back to the dugout and sat down. He wiped the beads of sweat from his face, but he couldn’t wipe away a brilliant smile.

“That had to feel good,” someone said.

“No, that felt better than good,” Rozeboom said. “That felt great.”

After a pause, he looked out at the sun-drenched field where men in his age range were diving in the dirt for ground balls, sliding into second to break up double plays, cheering and chattering, basically playing like they were giddy teenagers. He quietly remarked to no one in particular:

“That’s the feeling of being alive.”

Just go read the whole thing.