Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
Friday, June 29, 2007, Washington Post

Endangered but Not Forgotten

It's almost time for the traditional Fourth of July baseball doubleheader. Wait! Major League Baseball doesn't schedule doubleheaders -- that's when fans get to see two games on the same day for the price of one -- on July 4 or any other day. The doubleheader is one of sports' endangered species, something that used to be common but has practically disappeared.

For example, you hardly ever see a barehanded batter. Almost everyone wears batting gloves. Some of the game's greatest sluggers, including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, didn't need batting gloves to hit home runs. But these days, even kids playing tee ball or coach-pitch baseball wear batting gloves to get a better grip and prevent blisters.

There are endangered species in other sports, too. When was the last time you saw a professional quarterback call his own plays in the huddle? Years ago they did, but now the coaches send in the plays from the sidelines. Football kickers used to kick straight-on, driving the ball downfield with the tip of the shoe. Now, almost all kicks are done soccer-style.

And what ever happened to offensive linemen in the National Football League who weigh less than 300 pounds? Even 300-pounders are now considered a bit small. And some linemen are as big as sofas.

Basketball players used to wear shorts that were short. Now players like their shorts long and baggy. About the only time you see short basketball shorts are on those funny TV commercials with Dwyane Wade and Charles Barkley. You know, the ads where D-Wade teases Sir Charles by saying Barkley looked "sexy" in the old short shorts.

When Tiger Woods plays in the AT&T National golf tournament at Congressional Country Club next week, he might use a 3-wood instead of a driver at some holes. But the 3- wood is actually made of metal. Drivers and other woods used to be made out of wood. But no one plays with wooden clubs these days.

Lacrosse sticks and tennis rackets also used to be made of wood. Bjorn Borg won his five straight Wimbledon titles (1976-80) with a wooden racket. Now Andy Roddick, the Williams sisters and everyone else blast their big serves with rackets made of space-age materials. And the tennis balls are yellow. Until 1986, tennis balls at Wimbledon were white.

There's no question some of the changes are good. Years ago, for example, hockey players didn't wear helmets. And crazy as it sounds, hockey goalies used to stop slap shots without masks. Of course, if they had continued playing without helmets or masks, hockey players themselves might now be among sports' endangered species.