by Kent Rupe

The memory of the football season is still reasonably fresh but beginning to fade, the NBA All-Star weekend is upon us, and "March Madness" is still at least a couple of weeks away...

But it's one of my favorite weeks of the year because of these four beautiful words: Pitchers and Catchers Report.

Spring training kicks off in earnest next week in Arizona and Florida...but major and minor leaguers from almost every team have already started to get ready for the 2007 season.

I've loved the game ever since I can remember, having attended games at Kansas City's old Municipal stadium and Minnesota's old ballpark (Metropolitan Stadium) at a very young age in the mid-60's.

My Grandpa lived in St. Louis and took me to enough Cardinals games that I'll be a fan for life (last year's World Series championship almost brought me to tears).

It may not be America's favorite sport anymore...but it is still our National Pastime!