If

By Joseph McGowan

  If you can play the game each and every day
as hard as you can in every way
winning or losing no matter what the score
If you love the game truly, you’ll always want to play more

If you can treat victory and defeat as one in the same
not gloating or holding your head down for you’ve played your best game
If you can pick up your teammate when he errors a play, and say nice try
when the ball takes a bad hop and passes him by

If you can be proud and confident as you stand at the plate
knowing the pitchers fastball, but not knowing your fate
If you can keep your composure
when you get a call that you don’t like
when you thought a strike was a ball and a ball was a strike

If you can stare at the pitcher right into his eyes
and take his best fastball high and inside
though he brushed you back
and made you hit the dirt

If you can get right back up
though your confidence has been hurt
and dig in and dig down deep
while those around you heckle and mothers weep

If you can grit your teeth and say to yourself not today
your not striking me out cause I’ve come to play
If you can swing that bat with all your might
at that tiny ball barely in your site

If, when you hit that sphere and send it into flight
you run like the wind as the ball sails into the night
as you round the bases headed for the plate
the catcher redies his self for the throw he awaits

As you round third base
If you can dig down deep though you feel you’ll surely fall
as the throw nears the plate as they relay the ball
If you can muster the will although your gasping for air
If you can say I’m coming home and safe or out I don’t care

If you can hit the dirt with what seems to be your last dying breath
and slide to the plate like it was life or death
and as dust fills the air as your cleats rip up the earth layer by layer
your now playing the game my son and safe or out
your a baseball player