Boy at the Ballfield

For a kid who loved baseball, going to a real, live, major-league stadium was more exciting than Christmas Eve. And even as the years fly by, you still tend to remember little details about those great afternoons or nights sitting in a box seat or bleacher while watching big-leaguers compete. The green, well-manicured grass. The whistle of a fastball. The sound of the ball jumping off the hitter's bat. The smack of that ball slapping the pocket of the catcher's mitt. And the press box.

Yes, I remember my dad pointing out the press box and how newspaper writers sat up there watching every pitch so they could report on the game for the following day's newspaper. "They get paid to watch a game?" What a concept—I couldn't imagine a better job!

Those ballpark experiences I had starting at around age 9 (that was me at age 10 above, holding little bro Jeff) are a large part of what inspired me to pursue a publishing career. So by freshman year at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, Pa., when our English teach assigned us the task of writing an essay about the career we see in our future years, I already knew what I'd write about: writing.

A few years later, I was majoring in Mass Communication and working toward a B.A. at St. Bonaventure University. I didn't become a beat writer covering a major league baseball team, but no matter: My college experiences turned my attention toward magazines, and that attention later evolved into books, newsletters, and, of course, the Internet. Along the way, I did end up spending a little time in press boxes while working on baseball-related books.

After three decades in publishing, I thought it was time to lay out my own highlights and memorable experiences on a website, if for no other reason than to organize my thoughts as I wrap up a 14-year tenure as editor-in-chief of Antiques Roadshow Insider. In the months ahead, I'll stop by to add entries about things that stand out from years not only at AR Insider but at Tuff Stuff and its sister publications and from CD Review.

I may even slip in a few photos of my daughters running track (Quinlyn) or playing softball (Karsyn, below).