Blessed Pope John Paul II in the Batting Cage? Awesome!

For baseball fans, we’re still in the bleak of midwinter. But seeing this video is just what the doctor ordered to put a thaw on the freeze, and remind us that Spring Training is just around the corner (about one week after Lent begins).

While we wait, enjoy this footage of Blessed Pope John Paul II (is it really him? Dunno.) taking swings at an indoor batting cage during his 1987 visit to California.

Not bad for a southpaw, eh? and no “whiffs.” If I ever make it out of Purgatory, I’ll give him some tips (like, “step into it”) too. Also, in the meantime, I can ask Blessed JPII to start construction on a Field of Dreams style baseball diamond for us (if it isn’t built already). Hopefully there is enough room beside the lake of  beer St. Bridgid reports of.

I should like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I should like the angels of Heaven to be drinking it through time eternal.

Speaking of fields, the Dodgers are using the time off to make improvements to Chavez Ravine. 🙂 Blessed JPII said Mass there on September 17, 1987.

(H/T Southern Fried Catholicism).