I was a member of the Knothole Gang,
the kid fans of the Sanford (NC) Spinners.
If we couldn’t get into a game the regular way,
and most of us couldn’t for lack of “funds,”
we watched our heroes the “irregular” way –
through knotholes in the fence.
Some of us also climbed trees
to watch over the left-field fence.
If we were really lucky,
between the games of doubleheaders,
we’d get to walk down
McIver Street for ice cream
or a milk shake at the Fairview Dairy Bar.
But baseball wasn’t just for
Sanford’s Temple Baseball Park.
We could dream and play on our own.
Mostly, especially if we lived out
“in the country,” we made balls
by balling up rubber bands
and wrapping tobacco twine around them.
Mostly, too, we played our games in pastures.
Traditionally, all over, and not just in Lee County,
“Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was offered
in the seventh-inning stretch.
But I bet it wasn’t played on the banjo
until I grew up to play it so!
Here goes!
Listen to BASEBALL on the banjo!