Hall of Famer Robin Yount has some very strong feelings on Old Timers Games. He hates them. Will never play in them and says “I ain’t playin’ so don’t ask me to come.
His comments can be read at length in Bob Wolfley’s column at the Journal-Sentinel today. His basic argument: kids will be confused seeing players who were supposed to be really good stumbling around the diamond trying to play in their 60s and 70s. And that would be bad for the kids, etc.
Which, OK, but I think he underestimates kids a great deal. When I was a kid I’d see some old Detroit Tigers players in uniform hitting fungoes or something and my uncle would tell me that so-and-so played in the 50s or 60s. I was able to process it pretty well. I think the kids today could handle seeing old Robin Young lumbering around too if he’d just relax a little and have some fun.
