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Steve Smith
Looking at the incredable response to my previous messages, I shall do another one. I see that there are only 50 or so classmates coming to the reunion. I hope no one is not coming because they think that they are getting too old, fat and ugly to show up, thinking that some may have faired better going geezer. Well I myself have suffered from the getting old, fat and ugly syndrome. Yet, I always refered back to what Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige said in 1956. Satchel played in the Neghro Leage for years and was their best pitcher. He was 42 when Major Leage baseball became intergrated and he was allowed to play.. So, when he was trying out for the Cleveland Indians in 1956, a reporter asked him if he thought he could make the team at his age. He replied that " age is just mind over matter, ...if you don't mind, it doesn't matter" For years I thought that was about the cleverest quote I ever heard. Then I started thinking about it and realized that in 1956 spring training, Satchel was 48 years old. That is an easy thing to say when you are in superb shape and in your 40's. And by the way, Paige was cut from the team early on in spring training. Since then, that quote has lost some luster for me. So, those of you that are hesitant to come because you think that you are too old, or too fat or too ugly to show their face, maybe you are right. But, I'm still coming.
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