Spitting

I receive a number of news articles and letters for publication. One I received last week ranks right up there with the best. The title of the article is called "Quit Spitting" and it calls for Minnesota Twins players to quit spitting when they move into their new home at Target Field.

A group of people signing this petition call  upon Manager Ron Gardenhire, his coaches and players to quit spitting. The request was sent to principal owner of the Twins Jim Pohlad.

I am not sure if the petition refers to spitting in general or spitting tobacco. I can see where spitting tobacco could be banned. As an individual who has spent a lot of time baseball and softball fields, I can tell you spitting is like adjusting your cap or pounding the mitt of a glove.

I'm not talking about spitting chewing tobacco either because I never did get into that habit. Being outdoors, playing on the grass, spitting is a ball player habit-no matter what you think of it.

A football player will chew on a mouth guard, a basketball player adjusts a wrist band, but baseball/softball players have more quirky habits than any other athlete by far. I could never spit tobacco on the new Target Field, as  beautiful a facility as that is. It shouldn't be tainted with chewing tobacco. I think it's the most disgusting habit an athlete can have.