Yesterday marked Opening Day for six teams and today will be Opening Day for even more teams, including our Minnesota Twins on KFIL! The importance of baseball is more American than apple pie, and one wartime president recognized its significance.

As World War II was going on, and many of the ballplayers were going into military service, President Franklin Roosevelt was questioned by baseball’s commissioner what should happen moving forward for Major League Baseball.

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On January 15, 1942, Roosevelt wrote Kenesaw Mountain Landis back. In that letter, President Roosevelt said of the American people, “they ought to have a chance for recreation and taking their minds off work even more than before.”

You can find the whole letter here: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/prz_lfr2.shtml

Another gem from that letter includes the minor league levels. “Here is another way of looking at it – if 300 teams use 5,000 or 6,000 players, these players a definite recreational asset to at least 20,000,000 of their fellow citizens – and that in my judgment is thoroughly worthwhile.”

While there are all kinds of things going on in the world, the calming recreation of a ballgame in this KFIL announcer’s mind is definitely worthwhile. Happy Opening Day, everyone. Go Twins!

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