Progress

We are a society of people who thinks because we live in this modern world of  computers and space age technology that the world is better off this way than without it.  It may be true but for those who grew up without all of this modern diversions life the old way won't bad either.

Wednesday in the Rocky Mount Telegram there was a heart felt letter from Grady Griffin about Rocky Mount losing American Legion baseball.  We can ride all over Rocky Mount and see the progress we have made in this world with all of the vacant buildings that use to employ hundreds that now only has grass growing in their parking lots.  The losers in the vacant buildings and the green parking lots are those who use to be employed there.

The losers watching American Legion baseball disappear from Rocky Mount are those that worked the hardest to keep Legion baseball thriving.  Grady is one of those and  if you read the speak up from Wednesday he is hurt by the lost because he has spent many hours keeping it alive.  There are many others  involved as Grady who are hurt to think something they care so much about and has been such a bell winner for the community is dying. 

We hope that just maybe  this will only be a temporary set back but with all of the cloth factories that use to be here when they closed they hoped they would reopen too.  When they tore down the old round house  when Atlantic Coast Line had steam engines and went to diesel engines that was called progress.  Today the railroad employes only 10% the employees they used to have here, progress.

Our world changes every day. There are Archaeologist every day digging in the ground looking for a world that no longer exist.  It has been cover up by an earthquake, volcano or maybe even the tide of the ocean like they predict for the Outer Banks.  The tide has washed Rocky Mount out of the Legion baseball world.  Rocky Mount will not be better off without but that is what is called progress.

Why would any high school senior who has already committed to play college at any level still want to play travel or showcase ball.  Many legion players because of the age can still play one year out of college.

We have seen other teams struggle mightily to field teams day after day.  Those that are trying to keep legion here and action and those two are Hank Jones the coach and Joe Bell the athletic officer have tried their best.  they have done all they could short of begging players to come.  If you have to beg them just to try out you will not be able to depend on them on a hot June Saturday when the beach is calling.  They simply didn't want to worry every game "how many are showing up today?"  Who can blame them.  I have seen it on coaches faces waiting for enough to show up to make out a lineup because only eight were here.  Now the long ride home and a forfeit on your schedule.  Hank and Joe didn't want to have to put up with that kind of season.

Maybe a year without Legion will be a good thing and it comes back in the future.  But 2015 will be an empty ballpark sitting on Howell street.  Progress.