Fisch Tank: Great Spring of Beach Ball

Intense baseball enthusiasts always point to the purity of the game in an effort to evaluate the difference between good baseball and trash. For those of you who out there, if you missed the great action on the Grand Strand this spring shame on you.
In this business I receive a lot of phone calls and e-mails from viewers asking me to show more Major League Baseball. I would love to show all the games I could, but you can’t just focus on the bigs. Remember those professionals had to come from somewhere. This spring gave the folks on the Grand Strand a prime example of where the pros planted their roots.
We witnessed two major events in Grand Strand baseball history with the excellence of play from Coastal Carolina and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans. CCU took their charismatic team to the NCAA Tournaments Super Regional. While the Pelicans broke their franchise record for the first half of the season with 45 wins, and in doing so laid clam to their first divisional title in six years.
Coastal’s charismatic bunch was hard not to pull for. They almost had a 1993 Phillies feel to them. The Chants hosted their first regional at Watson Stadium and pulled off a great job in doing so. The tournament was so outrageous, first CCU came from behind to beat Alabama and then they blew ECU’s brains out. I could go on and on in talking about what a great series it was.
Secondly, if you’ve missed the Pelicans first half run then you need to get out to BB&T. The birds have some serious talent. I’m a Phillies fan so it disappoints me to see the Braves organization with such a strong group of young prospects. But I have enjoyed watching the fighting feathers beat up on the Carolina League. The Pelicans have placed seven players on the Carolina League all-star team for a good reason. ((Not intended for a cheap plug, the all-star game is at BB&T Coastal field on June 24th against the California League))
You have to throw in the high school kids; this past weekend was the North and South Carolina all-star games in Conway. It’s like the futures game for the colleges. Did you know nine future Gamecocks played in the game. I couldn’t believe it, I can’t wait until down the road from now when I can say I saw Adam Westmoreland or Richard Mounce or even Mac Doyle playing high school ball. Speaking of Mac Doyle I would be remised if I didn’t say something about the Conway Tigers playing for a state championship.
Well if your thinking “, Fisch where does the purity of the game apply?” It applies in the roots, seeing these players at three different levels all excelling while branching out their skill sets. With all the performance enhancing drugs and lawsuits surrounding the Major Leagues, it’s always a good thing to remember it’s a kid’s game. And as we all know there is something rarely as pure as a young child. This spring I witnessed some of the most enthusiastic and enjoyable baseball I’ve ever scene, and that made me feel like a kid again.

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