Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
March 28, 2008, Washington Post

The Value of . . . Wait for It . . . Patience

The Washington Nationals open their season and a new stadium Sunday night against the Atlanta Braves. The Baltimore Orioles play their first game Monday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays. Local fans are hoping for a better outcome than last year, when both the Nats and the O's had losing records.

The Nationals should be improved in the field with shortstop Christian Guzman and first baseman Nick Johnson returning from injuries, and promising newcomer Lastings Milledge now starting in center field. But the Nats lack proven starting pitchers, which could spell trouble over the long season.

The Orioles might be worse off. During the offseason Baltimore traded two stars, shortstop Miguel Tejada and pitcher Erik Bedard, for 10 prospects. It might be years -- and lots of losses -- before those young players make the Orioles a winner again.

So Washington and Baltimore fans will have to be patient. Of course, patience is always important in baseball -- for fans of losing teams and for kids who play the game.

I like lots of sports and think kids should give them all a try, but baseball is my favorite. So I get annoyed when some kids (and parents) say they don't like baseball because the game is "too slow" or "boring." Baseball and softball are great for kids because these slower-paced games teach something often missing from our world of fast food and action-packed video games. That something is patience.

Sports such as soccer, lacrosse and basketball are a blur of activity. It's not hard to pay attention because the players are always in on the action. These games are great for staying in shape, but they don't teach the same lessons as baseball and softball .

In softball and baseball, kids have to be patient and pay attention even when not much is happening on the field. It might be a long time before you get your turn at-bat or a chance to make a play in the field. But when it is your turn, you have to be ready to swing the bat or chase the ball.

That kind of patience can pay off in other places. Think about it. If kids could learn a skill from playing a sport that would help them in school, wouldn't one of the most important skills be the ability to be patient and pay attention until they were called on?

That's exactly what baseball and softball teach.

Fred Bowen writes KidsPost's sports opinion column and is an author of sports novels for kids.

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