The disgusting baseball spitting

If only someone in authority would take action to stop that disgusting spitting by baseball players and managers. Seeing them chewing bubble gum like adolescents is bad enough, the spitting is totally beyond the pale (it’s almost as bad as if they were urinating on the field). Of course, it’s been going on for years–formerly they chewed tobacco and had to spit–but it wasn’t as noticeable as it has been since TV takes the home viewer of a game right up to the faces of the players and managers.

Since baseball players, like other professional athletes, are supposed to be models for young people, why can’t someone in baseball recognize the negative effect that the chewers and spitters have on these young people?

Those in other sports don’t do it, so why do baseball players and managers have to?

Although not alone, Terry Francona, the Boston Red Sox manager is one of the worst of the spitters. Indeed, there are so many of them, it is easier to note the ones who don’t chew and spit. Among this latter group are Jim Leyland, the Detroit Tigers manager (look how the Tigers have come to life under his management), Joe Torre, the New York Yankees manager (the Yankees have pulled well ahead of the Red Sox for first place in the American League East), and Mike Mussina, the New York Yankees (and former Oriole) pitcher. When I watch a game on TV and watch a pitcher start on the mound, or a batter step up to the plate–players that I don’t know much about–I pay close attention to whether they chew and spit (I can very soon tell). Those occasional ones that don’t I root for to do well, regardless of their team.

I just wish some prominent American--such as Senator John McCain, Tim Russert, the NBC "Meet the Press" host, any of the living former U.S. presidents (Clinton, Bush, Carter, Ford), Oprah Winfrey, or some of the many others–would take a stand against the repulsive chewing and spitting and use their influence to put an end to it.