How many of us have said while watching TV: "It's better than actually being there!"? Diehard fans might dispute that contention, but everyone has to admit that television coverage of sports is remarkable, and coverage of the World Series was extraordinary. But, why, why, why the endless close-ups of faces and the spitting marathon! It is bad enough that every baseball player feels that he has to spit every ten seconds, but why do we have to see the face of the pitcher or the batter before every pitch as he is spitting.
Of course, the blame for all this spitting lies first with the players. I am no expert on baseball. (frankly it comes after football, basketball and even hockey in my sport favorites), but I assume it started with the need to spit chewing tobacco. I don't think there is much of that going on in the game today. I do see players blowing bubble gum bubbles, a subject about which I am an expert. I do not think that there is any physiological need to spit while or after chewing bubble gum or any gum for that matter.
But if the players persist in this foul and disgusting habit, at least the TV producer should spare us the repeated international broadcast of each and every saliva ejection. Not only do I believe that the average or even avid fan has no desire to see this, but I wince when I see what these role models have wrought. I watched the wonderful Little League World Series, (as exciting as the big leagues) and darned if almost every kid out there wasn't spitting between their teeth. I doubt that there was any tobacco chewing going on out there, but probably a lot of gum chewing. Almost all kids chew gum and other than in baseball, spitting does not seem to be necessary nor popular. So the players with the help of TV have created this spitting frenzy and the baseball youth of the country unfortunately have emulated it. As a result of worshiping the players, the youth of America may turn out a few golden gloves and home run kings, but they certainly all will be champion spitters.