Berkshire Baseball January 21st Newsletter

By Christopher Holland

Berkshire Baseball was fortunately granted the opportunity to have Bill "Spaceman" Lee speak at its 2010 Scholarship and Awards banquet after his inability to attend in 2009 due to his father 's passing shortly before. Although Lee was unable to attend in 2009 he immediately committed to speak in 2010, and with his profound reputation as a baseball odyssey and his adherence to counterculture behavior, the banquet attendees were in for a speech to be remembered forever.

Lee started his baseball career at a young age and carried it on through one of the most extravagant adventures in Major League Baseball history as a southpaw pitcher. Drafted in the 22^nd round of 1968 from the University Of Southern California (USC) by the Boston Red Sox, Lee embarked on a journey he could have never fathomed as an adolescent. During his senior year at USC Lee was fortunate enough to secure a National Championship title before departing across the country to compete in the Majors. While at USC, Lee double majored in Physical Education and Geography while managing a minor in Biology.

Lee grew up in a family with a background in professional baseball. His grandfather William Lee was an infielder for the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League and, his Aunt Annabelle Lee, was a pitcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

He was only four-years-old when he was introduced to hunting and fishing, and his exquisite love and passion for baseball made his childhood almost inconceivable. His study of nature's woods taught him things that would contribute to something he dreamed of doing his entire life: creating wooden bats "designed for every individual batter." Lee stated in an interview "My bats don't break. They're the best. I can look at one persons swing and know exactly what size and weight bat they need, and I can make it."

Although Lee is widely recognized for his strange mannerisms and rather abnormal instabilities, his love for baseball goes beyond the extreme.

After playing for the Boston Red Sox from 1969-1978 and the Montreal Expos from 1979-1982, Lee never gave up the game. Even though he was blacklisted from the Majors for his opposition toward government and not adhering to the rudimentary knowledge of his coaching staffs, Lee went on to play for quite a number of different semi-professional teams. He played for and managed the short-lived Senior League in Florida that was mostly comprised of former MLB players, and played in several other similar leagues. Although most of his post-professional attempts at playing baseball were only short-lived, he managed to find a way to keep his life wrapped around the stick of the bat, never letting the game slip away.

Lee is currently partnered in a bat manufacturing company called the Old Tyme Bat Company and uses ash and maple farmed from his land in Vermont to make the bats. He claims to be the first man to ever make wooden baseball bats from yellow birch. "I don't believe in aluminum. It takes the heart and soul out of the game," said Lee. "It's cheating when you use aluminum and my goal is to make wooden bats at affordable prices that can be used at every level of playing."

On and off the field Lee is an extroverted, gregarious man. He is continuously questioning philosophy and admires the work of great Philosopher Immanuel Kant and the iconic late American writer Kurt Vonnegut. Having Lee as the guest speaker at the Scholarship and Awards banquet was an honor to not only those who respect the game of baseball, but as well for those people who accept open-minded intellectuals always seeking truth within modern society.

Lee's speech was unsurprisingly unconventional but his tone had deliverance that kept the crowd attentive and intrigued. Even though his transitions were abrupt and unorganized, jumping from one topic to the next, in the end it was insightful. He mostly encouraged the use of wooden bats-which Berkshire already embraces-and that every young athlete in the room has a shot at the big time. He gave reassurance in the fact that dedication, devotion, and practice mean everything. He strongly emphasized that determination is the key to success and that in failing to comply will get you nowhere. "Don't let anything hold you back from doing what you love. I know for most of you it is to play baseball, so it's your job to pursue it. A positive attitude and commitment to the game will get you further than you can imagine, whether it be found as a career or for self gratification. You can take a man out of the game, but you can't take the game out of a man."

While heartedly admiring the game and giving positive insight through comical references and irregular ways of conveying ideologies, his charisma and enlightening persona reflected in the room leaving the attendees satisfyingly blissful. It was truly an honor to have an American icon and former Major League pitcher such as Bill "Spaceman" Lee attend the 2010 Berkshire Scholarship and Awards banquet as the guest speaker, and Berkshire Baseball is looking forward to another positive year heading into its 21^st season.