Little League Baseball Players And The Asphalt Diamond

The Beauty Of Baseball Poetry Contest
Matt Caliri

A supposedly wide-open, empty street
A rubber ball, a plastic bat, and a real game.
Kids playing to the baseball beat
The diamond asphalt is just the same.

Lines are drawn, and teams are picked.
The pickup games are for bragging rights
Where emotions are high, and egos are nicked.
Some kids haven't reached their grown heights.

The bigger ones hit the longer ball
The little tots hit short liners that hit parked cars.
Homers hit homers over the wall
A neighbor’s house is seeing stars.

Foul balls find a garden bed
Where a stampede of kids thrashes the roses.
A homeowner is cussing and seeing red.
Today's game comes to an end and forecloses.

Tomorrow’s stars have a dream
To play on the big stage.
Where it all started with the pickup teams
On the streets and to the homeowner’s rage.

Baseball is America’s pastime.
Hot dogs, sunflower seeds, and lemonade fill the plate.
There is a passion and a youthful chime
And these kids arrived early and don’t want to be late.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2026

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Caliri Avatar
June 27, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Excellent job, Connie, placing 7th out of 25 entries! Loved the perspective from the kids in the streets...that was my boyhood! Playing baseball on the street with a tennis ball. Hawaiian-style I guess (grew up on Oahu). Loved you imagery and storytelling.
Pachecho Avatar
June 14, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Connie, this poem is so cute. It.screams of youthful exuberance. Did you play Bobby Sox? Anyway thanks for sharing.
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