PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

As I ask the question in the headline, you may say, “Well, this guy has too much time on his hands!”

Yes, in retirement, I have nothing better to do than ponder questions like this.  Well, not really because, as the intro to this blog says, golf is on my agenda.

And the question takes on even more credibility as some of are glued to the World Series, which is the time when I tend to watch baseball on TV.

The managers in this case – Dave Roberts for the Dodgers and A.J. Grinch for the Astros – are decked out in uniforms as if they intend to play. They won’t and don’t. Still, they wear playing uniforms.

But, imagine if pro football coaches dressed up in football gear, including shoulder pads, leg protections and helmets! Stupid.

Or, if professional hockey coaches came to the bench in hockey protective gear.

Or, if pro basketball coaches wore baggy shorts and shirts without sleeves.

If any of this occurred, we’d be asking why.

But, with baseball, it’s different.

We accept that managers like Roberts and Grinch will get dressed up to play, then not play.

From exhaustive research on the subject – another indication that I have too much time on my hands — all I can determine is that the answer is rooted in the history of baseball.

For inquiring minds like mine, that is not enough.