Baseball and Belvedere...
Photos and story by Lauren Dunn

The last Saturday in April has become a very special day to some who used to live in a small neighborhood near Two Notch and Beltline called Belvedere.

The Belvedere Dixie Youth Baseball league and Belvedere Elementary School, which are closed now, used to be the place dreams were made of. And the much used baseball diamond is in sad shape these days.

Teachers, local longstanding business owners, baseball players and their wives, children, and parents all gathered for the annual Belvedere baseball reunion April 26, 2008.

Great food, fun, fellowship and baseball were enjoyed by all. Wonderful memories were shared of times when boys wanted nothing more than to be out playing baseball. Stories of teachers and principals now retired were entertaining. Names of folks not present were remem- bered as folks browsed through old score books, yearbooks, and photos.

Some folks drove vintage cars in appreciation of previous eras we long to hold onto. Others still had and played with their old baseball gloves, their names still written in them with boyish handwriting.

Neighbors of Belvedere gather at their old stomping ground April 26, 2008.

One could almost sense the ghosts of simpler times riding their bikes up and down those neighborhood streets and laughing on the playground equipment. The sound of the bat cracking the ball over the fence touched many a heart.

A fine group of men and honorable American citizens emerged from those baseball days gone by. It was a privilege to be among them.

A Dixie Youth player's prayer

Lord give me strength to hit that ball
and if I should, Don't let me fall.
Help me to pick the one that's right
Then let me knock it out of sight.
Then help me run, with deer- like grace;
Don't let me slip, but tag first base.
Then on to second, STAY WITH ME LORD,
'Cause this one out we can't afford.
Then let me zoom like a flying bird
Right down the line and on past third.
Then let me slide with foot out thrust
Across home plate, through swirling dust.
But first of all Dear Lord I pray, just

Players remember waiting in the dugout at Belvedere Dixie Youth field anxious for their turn to hit the ball.Many teams formed friendships. Relatives and friends drove together for an afternoon of good ole American baseball.

tell the Coach to let me play !
- Fred Snowden