06/23/2000

Batter Up -- on the Web!

Do you love baseball like I do? America's favorite pastime appears in lots of places on the Internet. You can even PLAY baseball on the Web!

Matt Kipphut is a 12-year-old who practically eats and sleeps baseball. He has played since he was a little tyke, throwing, catching and swinging at anything that will fly or roll since he was three. His parents and grandparents follow their favorite teams, as well as their young all-star to every one of his games.

Last summer Matt's mom took him to a place he'd been begging to see - the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

"I especially liked the display of Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa's accomplishments," Matt told me. "They broke Roger Maris's homerun record of 61. Mark McGuire had 70 homeruns and Sammy Sosa had 66. The Hall of Fame display had Mark McGuire's cleats, jersey, bat and the hat he wore when he broke the record. Sammy Sosa's cleats, ball, bat, jersey and hat were there, too."

"I also liked seeing the World Series Trophy," Matt continued, "and reading about all the accomplishments of the players. Cooperstown is fun for everyone and it only costs $10 to get into the Hall of Fame."

Take a look at the collection of websites listed below. With just a click of your mouse, you, your kids and your grandkids can:

• Play baseball online
• Follow team and player statistics on a daily basis
• Learn the rules of the game
• Understand the scientific principles behind throwing a curveball
• Challenge each other with sports trivia questions
• See the National Hall of Fame site to find out about all the special events planned there this summer.

Better still, mosey on down to the nearest ball field for an afternoon or evening of the real thing. "Batter up!"

Web Links:

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum -- Cooperstown, NY. Read about Hall of Fame Weekend 2000 - A great event to attend with your children and grandchildren.

Sports trivia: football, baseball and other sports (everything from swimming to soccer)

Online sports games for kids

Total Sports: Baseball - Follow the progress of your favorite major league teams

The Science of Baseball. Rules of the game are also covered on this site (click on "Links").

What are your favorite baseball websites?

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.