By Diane Stanley
February 7 2003

This week we bring to you a very talented member of our staff, Pete Brooksbank. I must say I think this is the best interview that we have ever posted on The 7th Inning.

Over to you Pete...

''My name is Pete Brooksbank. I've been following baseball since it appeared on Channel 5 back in 1997 and I instantly fell for the Cleveland Indians. What a bunch of losers! I'm 21 years old, and I come from Boston, Lincolnshire, but I live in Lincoln, where I am in my final year at the University studying English. I'm leaving to go travelling around the world next summer, so I hope to take in some baseball games when I eventually reach America! Other interests include football (Boston United) and music (The White Stripes/PJ Harvey etc).''

When did you first get interested in Baseball?
When it started on Channel Five. Before then, I saw baseball as an impenetrable American sport, much like that farce on a field, gridiron. Over the course of 1997, I found myself increasingly glued to the screen at some ridiculous hour. I borrowed books from the library and learned the rules off by heart and by the time the World Series arrived, I was hooked.

How often would you say you watch the games on Channel 5?
Not as much as I used to. I saw the entire 1997 and 1998 seasons, but by 1999 I had a part-time job and then moved to Lincoln to study. It gets harder to find six hours a week! These days, I'll watch roughly one full game a week, but I make sure I catch the results and highlights elsewhere.

Are you happy with the amount of coverage baseball gets on Channel 5 or would you like to see more games even if they were not on live?
I'd like to see late-evening weekly highlights round up, for the reasons above. The show would go through the weeks games, not just recap the live games as has been tried before with SportsWeek. I think Channel Five have stumbled across a gem of a late night schedule with the American sports they cover. It's pleasing to see the viewing figures for Game 7. I think the channel can be proud of what it has achieved with the baseball show - it has achieved an almost cult-like status! It's fantastic to get two games a week live. A highlights show would nicely top it off.

Being a British lad if you won a competition to go to either the World Cup of soccer final or game 7 of the World Series, which would you choose?
A nasty question! If I were a neutral, probably the game 7. If the World Cup game involved England, then I'd obviously choose the soccer! I suppose it depends which teams were in the World Series. I hope I never have to make a choice like that!

Do you think baseball will ever be popular enough in Britain to have professional teams?
I'd like to think so, but it will require a lot of investment at every level of the game. Any sport can thrive as an amateur activity, but when it comes to pitching a minority sport to a mass audience it is an absolute lottery. BSUK should do everything they can to encourage measured, sustainable growth in order to avoid the boon-bust we saw with American football. The thing is, all children play rounders at school! The potential is certainly there. My school of thought is that a professional league should be based only in the major cities and should be initially a very low budget operation. Any league should be easily accessible to the everyday fan. Some say baseball isn't suited to the so-called British 'mentality'. I think that's nonsense. If cricket is popular, then baseball can be. It'll take years, but it's an achievable goal, for sure.

Are you a regular visitor to any other baseball sites on the internet?
ESPN, mainly. It's probably my first port of call. I also look at thenewspaper web sites of the big cities, like the Washington Post and the New York Times. They're all pretty comprehensive. MLB.com nicely ruined the official sites earlier this year. Now they're all identical, slow,and sluggish with the updates.

I love your articles on Top Of The Ninth. What made you decide to join the staff?
I saw Gary's request for writers on the UK baseball discussion group. I was already writing a column in my local newspaper about American sport in Boston, Massachusetts. I enjoy writing about baseball and Boston United on BostonFever. I see it as a hobby mainly, but I have thought about applying for a post-graduate journalism course. Who knows?

If you could interview one player, past or present for the site who would it be and why?
Hank Aaron, without a doubt. What a player. I really can't think of anybody else who I actually admire as much as him. The video of him hitting that home run is etched in my memory. Never mind the calls on the homers by Bonds, or McGwire or the Roger Maris shot. That Hank Aaron call is just the best, and it captured the moment perfectly. What Jackie Robinson started, Aaron well and truly rammed home. I'd like to grab hold of Pete Rose too, and give him a chance to talk about his playing days rather than his betting misdemeanours!

Have you ever visited the US to see a Major League Game?
No, have not been. I am leaving Britain next summer to go around the world for a year. Hopefully, I'll get to take in a few games when I get to the U.S. I particularly want to go see the Indians, and take in the usual ballparks - Fenway, Wrigley Field etc.

The biggest story in baseball right now has to be the contraction issue. Do you think contraction will take place, and which teams do you think are most likely to go now the Twins have a court order against them that they have to play in the Metrodome next season?
I think it will eventually happen. Obviously, it's not going to benice and clean, and there's bound to be a million and one lawyersinvolved. Bud Selig has not handled the issue as well as he could but, sadly, it is in the best interests of baseball, although it could have been avoided. I think the Expos have to go, without a doubt. Minnesota should be left alone, I think. They might be able to shed their Muppet owner and flourish again. Tampa Bay should be buried with the Expos. Put the team out of its misery, Bud!

What are your personal thoughts on contraction?
The whole thing makes me angry, because it need not have happened. The last two rounds of expansion were ill conceived. Two fertile markets were uncovered in Phoenix and Colorado, but the introduction of the Tampa Bay and Florida franchises was a huge mistake. The Expos should have moved with another team to the good markets, and Florida should have just been ignored. This is a problem baseball has created for itself and now there is one almighty mess that has to be cleared up.

It's obvious that the salary scale for Major League players is out of control. Who do you blame for this?
It's easy for the owners to blame the players along with the rest ofus. I think everyone, apart from the fans, has to share the blame. Past Commissioners have failed to implement measures that could have avoided the absurd situation we have now. Owners have not acted in a way that generates respect from the player's unions and the playersthemselves are under so much pressure from so many sources that they become the greedy prima donnas we see on TV. I don't think it's too lateto do anything about it. If the U.S slides into a deep recession, as it may do, then wages will drop and baseball officials might be able to finally get it under control.

This question I ask everyone. Who apart from Jackie Robinson do you think has done the most to change the face of the game?
Larry Doby, pretty much for the same reason Jackie changed the game. That picture of Doby hugging white teammates in Cleveland is one of baseball's most famous images of last century and contributed to the progress made by blacks in the game.

Do you collect baseball memorabilia?
Only Indians merchandise. I have a replica shirt that cost me an absolute fortune and is un-wearable under normal circumstances, a cap, pennants, a bat, a Texas jacket I won earlier this year (which is for sale, by the way!), and videos, books and a couple of console games.

If you could personally have chosen the MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the year for each team who would you have chosen and why?
NL Cy Young to Randy - no question at all. Just such anintimidating guy, so intense. He scares me.
The A.L Cy Young - I'm sucha fan of Pedro Martinez, and he didn't get anywhere near winning theaward this year! Mike Mussina had a good year, and although Clemens took the prize, I think the Seattle pair of Mulder and Garcia were unlucky. I'd go for Moyer.
As for the Rookie awards, in the N.L I'd stick with Pujols but would gofor my guy, C.C Sabathia in the A.L voting. Ichiro had a great year. But a Rookie?
The MVP votes were spot on in the N.L - Bonds. Nobody got evenclose to what he did this year. In the A.L, again, I'd have to go with atotally biased view and pick Roberto Alomar. Sorry!

Thanks for a great interview Pete. If ever you do make it to my side of the Atlantic I hope we will be able to catch a game together.

If you would like to be the next interviewee,
please contact me (Diane Stanley) at greenfan@shawngreen.net