By ROBERT L. LEE

The rain is great.

The rain is wonderful, especially in drought-stricken south Louisiana.

But the rain should stop for baseball.

Actually, the sport would be a high scoring blast if it were played in the rain for about four innings, but I know coaches are worried about ruining their infields. Then there’s the matter of players holding a metal bat up by their heads which isn’t the best of ideas, but that’s easily fixable, use wood.

But those and probably any other ideas to play in the rain are null. It’s not going to happen, even though there are teams sitting on their hands, eyeing the puddles and waiting to uncover the bases.

Not only are the players frustrated about cancelling scheduled games which would have made memorable matchups, but imagine how it feels to be a lowly sports reporter trying to cover these events to fill his pages. That’s also frustrating.

This past Wednesday alone 11 games were scheduled.

I think one was played around the NorthShore area. That means 10 baseball games stopped before they were started because of water.

That means Lutcher’s Golden Grove team didn’t get a chance beat back Rummel, Reserve Post 159’s team from Riverside Academy didn’t get a shot to defend their reputation and home field from East Jefferson, Cretin Homes’ St. Charles Catholic squad couldn’t give the Archbishop Shaw guys their first loss and as far as the East St. Charles Post 366/195 and Otto Candies face off, well, nothing should have stopped that, it should’ve been played in the rain.

Afterall, when the Tigers, eh, Fighting Wildcats, or one of them wins, they can cheer, then help each other fix the field back.

Maybe better still, have an agreement beforehand that the loser fixes the field, whichever side of the river they’re on.

Seasoned fans are used to bringing umbrellas to shade the sun so that cures another obstacle.

Of course, high school’s legion teams aren’t the only ones sitting in the dugouts with their helmets in their hands.

Numerous little leaguers were turned around, and teams up through all the age groups could get in little more than two at bats.

Football is best played in the rain, and there are more players on the field all trying to move, cover and defend each other at the same time. While it may be hard to focus on catching a baseball, or throwing that elusive curve ball, it certianly isn’t anything those players haven’t done before in nearby fields or yards.

ROBERT L. LEE is the sports editor. You can contact him at 985-652-9545, or fax 985-652-3885, or e-mail lobnews@bellsouth.net.