America has an enduring love affair with baseball. For centuries, it has been this country’s favorite pastime, capturing the hearts of millions of people from every corner of the United States. One of those hearts is that of CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil. He felt a connection to the game at an early age.
“I think when you’re a kid, you know, your dad throws you a soft toss, and you make that first contact, the ball just does something, your heart flutters a little bit, and you want to do it again. It’s like falling in love,” Dokoupil told CBS Mornings co-host Nate Burleson during a trip to Citi Field, home of the New York Mets.
Dokoupil is a former standout outfielder at George Washington University. He still ranks among the school’s all-time leaders in hits, runs and stolen bases and has had no trouble showing his skills in the batting cage.
Dokoupil said his earliest memory of playing baseball was when he was 5 or 6 years old, watching the Mets at Shea Stadium. He vividly remembered seeing Darryl Strawberry and Lenny Dykstra on the field and aspiring to be just like them.
“When Darryl Strawberry hit a home run, in the old Shea Stadium, the apple would fall out of the hat. And I remember my heart breaking so hard I almost broke. I thought, ‘That’s a dream. I want to do that,'” Dokoupil said.
Burleson’s experience with baseball is different from Dokoupil’s. Burleson, a lifelong star athlete, admitted to suffering from performance anxiety, which is why he preferred playing wide receiver on the football field since he didn’t have the ball in his hands on every play.
Burleson said he doesn’t like being the center of attention. He was a good basketball player, but struggled with free throws because of the pressure.
“Just throw it at me every now and then and I’ll do my thing,” he said.
Insights from the professionals
The hosts spoke with New York Mets coaches Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, who spoke candidly about the complexities of hitting a baseball.
“It moves in different directions. It changes speeds. I mean, it can be 10, 15 miles an hour different in pitches,” Barnes said. “And then there’s the part that it can hit you. And it’s a hard ball that comes in extremely fast.”
“Baseball carries a little bit of fear with it. This little white thing can really hurt you,” Chavez said of a baseball.
But even if you’re not a baseball fan, it’s a whole different experience to watch the game with peanuts, hot dogs, and beer in your hands while enjoying America’s favorite pastime.
“Recipe for success,” said Dokoupil.
