Albert Belle has gotten old on us

My uncle Frank is response for my deep love affair with the game of baseball from the onset of my childhood. He had one favorite Cleveland Indians player, Albert Belle.

I took to rooting for Belle to struggle as we bet monetary amounts that kids bet and and never intend on paying with my horse in the race being my own favorite, Dodgers Darryl Strawberry. It wasn’t smart, and Albert Belle always finished with better numbers from those 1991-1993 years that we held those bets. My uncle never made me pony up.

You don’t realize how long ago that was until you learn that Albert Belle is now 45 years old. One of the most prolific power hitters of my childhood was in camp with the Indians yesterday.

We’re all getting older, I guess.

Here’s a video of the 1995 Cleveland Indians playing a scrimmage with the minor league affiliate in Buffalo. All of the regulars like Belle, and Eddie Murray look thrilled to be playing in the 30 degree April weather. If you didn’t have an appreciation for how long ago the Albert Belle era was, you will after watching this for a few minutes.