In Honor of Willie Mays' 89th B-Day: A Poem Titled "Say Hey" for Baseball Fans Everywhere

I wrote this poem for kids playing Little League baseball and their parents. Baseball's a difficult game and I didn't want kids to be pressured into thinking they had to be great. I only wanted them to have fun playing baseball like I did when I was a kid. And, who had more fun playing baseball than the "Say Hey Kid", Willie Mays?

Say Hey

Hey, Mr. Baseball
can you teach my kid to hit?
and Mr. Baseball
can you teach my kid to spit?
and while you're at it
show him how to wear his cap
and with his bat, how to clean his cleats off with a tap

Hey, Mr. Baseball
when all is said and done
can you teach my kid, how to chew his gum?
and Mr. Baseball, maybe not today
but before the season's over
can you teach him how to turn a double play?

But most of all
please remind him time and time again
that even a .300 hitter
fails on seven out of ten...

 Hey, Thanks Mr. Baseball.