A tribute to old school

Age is just a number especially in the case of 100-year-old Arthur Giddon who recently celebrated his centennial birthday by reliving his younger days of being a batboy for the Boston Red Sox.

In 1923, growing up as a huge baseball fan, he lived the dream of so many kids by being a batboy for the now defunct Boston Braves. Giddon even had the honor of meeting the late great Babe Ruth among a host of other players that can be found on baseball cards worldwide.

With a full life spanning from living his dream as a kid to graduating from Harvard Law School to eventually serving in the Navy during World War II, it has brought him full circle, back to his childhood.

The first ever MLB commissioner, Kennesaw Mountain Landis actually was the one to get Giddon thinking about becoming a laywer when he felt he wasn't big or strong enough to become a baseball player. That is exactly the path this life had in store for him.

Despite never playing serious baseball, no one can deny the love and passion he has for the sport whether as a fan in the stands or a batboy helping all the stars that the baseball faithful watch on TV.

Every day, Giddon works out to keep living a healthy life. It really should be inspiring for anyone who is getting on in years to see the case of one fellow senior, that anything is possible if they take care of themselves and set their mind to accomplish anything they want to.

Another old-timer, Sacramento resident Elmer Carter, turned 98 on April 12. Three days later, he was honored before a River Cats game at Raley Field with fellow Negro League baseball player Don Porter. In a recent Sacramento Bee profile, Carter talked about the two "Satches" he knew personally while playing for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League-Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong and Satch Page.

Talk about two guys who could play.

It really puts things into perspective when you talk about these two cases. Many of us are used to thinking about "old" people as humans who can't fend for themselves or are just restricted to a wheelchair or bed. We certainly don't think of someone still living the kind of life Arthur Giddon or Elmer Carter leads.

With all the tradition of baseball along with everything that this historical game has given them, what is more fitting than life long fans once again realizing a childhood dream?