Crowded out

It's so quiet you can hear a sunflower seed drop.

Every sound from the dugout, every call from the umpire carries from one end of the diamond to the other. Same goes for the ping of the bat and the pop of the ball in a catcher's mitt.

On an average spring day a smattering of parents and a handful of friends take in late afternoon high school baseball games throughout DuPage County. Not too many others will be on hand to watch the national pastime in its purest form.

For a number of reasons, big crowds -- even for big matchups -- are few and far between at the ballpark.

"It gets tough when you go to a game and no one's there," said Driscoll shortstop David Schwabe. "But when it's a big matchup and a lot of people come out, there's nothing better than being at a baseball game."

Some stay away because of the poor weather, others because of an overloaded spring schedule of activities. Working parents and fans often have a hard time making it to the field for a 4:30 p.m. start time.

It's a shame, but it's also a daily reality for the players that their efforts will be played out in front of something less than a crowd.

Every year about a dozen local players go on to play Division I college baseball, and that kind of talent has allowed Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central to win the last two IHSA Class AA baseball championships.

But no matter how good the players or how strong the teams, it's hard to get people out to see them perform.

"We don't get a lot of recognition because it's only baseball," said Glenbard North catcher Alex Mulldendore. "But hopefully when they come out we'll put on a good show for them and maybe they'll come back."

The cold truth

Only the heartiest baseball fans enjoy braving the elements on a typical afternoon in early spring. Cold, rain, snow, wind … it's no wonder people don't show up to games in droves.

In March and early April, the few freezing parents in attendance can only hope for a quick game and a quick return to their warm cars.

It's no picnic for the players, either, as they strive to keep their focus in an atmosphere far from the intensity of a football or basketball game -- and in weather better suited for snowball fights.

"In baseball you don't have the crowd to keep you in it," said Naperville North outfielder Ben Kelsey, who played on the Huskies' Class 8A championship football team. "Baseball's definitely more laid back, so you have to rely on yourself. I always make sure I keep myself focused out there."

Regardless of the atmosphere, concentration remains pivotal. Baseball's a deliberate game as it is without the added isolation and distractions that accompany playing center field with a howling wind in your face.

In baseball as much as any other sport, focus comes from within.

"I don't know if it's the atmosphere, I think it's the fact that it's every day," said Neuqua Valley coach Robin Renner. "It's hard to get up for games every single day."

Football by far attracts the biggest crowds and the most-intense attention in high school athletics, but on rare occasions even the mightiest sport faces a fan test.

Naperville Central catcher John Holm, a tight end in the fall, remembers when a 2006 football game against Glenbard North was postponed due to lightning. The game was rescheduled for the next day on a Saturday morning in front of just a few parents.

At that moment Holm knew exactly where his focus came from -- his own team. Feeding off teammates is a lesson he carries over to baseball on a daily basis.

"As long as the team is behind us that's all that matters," Holm said. "It comes down to the players themselves. If the team is up, if the team is loud, that's all we need."

Busy bodies

In the late afternoon on a typical spring weekday, you'll find high school parking lots jammed with cars. Folks spread out among the tennis courts, the soccer fields, the track meets, the gymnasium, the baseball and softball diamonds and other venues.

In recent years the growth of sports like boys volleyball, water polo and lacrosse have further splintered the base of athletic fans. With so much going on, baseball ends up attracting only a handful of core fans.

"Whether it's going to other events or participating in other activities, there's just a lot going on in the spring," said Wheaton Warrenville South athletic director Bob Quinn, the Tigers' former varsity baseball coach. "On a Monday at 4:30, there are going to be a lot of conflicts."

Simply getting to afternoon baseball games gets dicey for working parents. And good luck keeping track of the rescheduled games that inevitably pile up.

If the weather does cooperate, then you can bet a major segment of the fan base won't be able to attend because the local youth teams also will be competing or practicing.

The timing couldn't be worse for trying to build a consistent baseball crowd.

"Weekdays have always been tough for people," said Addison Trail baseball and football coach Paul Parpet. "But if you notice on the weekends, the crowds pick up."

The difference, some believe, lies in the playing window.

"If you played under the lights on a weeknight you'd get a much better crowd," Renner said.

The players often do legwork trying to get the students to their baseball games. They'll wear their jerseys to school on game days to serve as a walking billboard, they may even post signs.

Word of mouth goes a long way, too. If a player is particularly popular, an instant student section could arrive at the field.

"We see when the stands are empty, so we try different things," Mullendore said. "We try to get our friends and classmates to come out."

A draw

Mike Bowden, now in the Boston Red Sox farm system, always drew a big crowd when he took the mound for Waubonsie Valley a few years ago.

Draws like Bowden, however, are few and far between. Certain Division I college recruits attract attention, but heavy fan interest requires that unique athlete.

Even top teams take time to build a fan base. When Naperville Central and Neuqua Valley won their state titles, the season whizzed by without much notice until they found themselves in the quarterfinals playing in a minor-league stadium.

Unlike any other sport, baseball is consumed by game play as opposed to practice. Every week you'll find teams playing as many as seven games in six days.

"Logistically there are things that really help a sport like football, and hurt a sport like baseball," Quinn said. "Friday night football is a part of our community. It's played once a week when there are few conflicts.

"In baseball you're dealing with 30-some games," he said. "You're dealing with postponements, rescheduled games, switched sites. It's tough for fans."

Which baseball games should fans rally around among 30-some choices?

Some matchups are no-brainer attractions. The Driscoll-Montini showdowns and the rivalries in Wheaton and Naperville generally bring out the crowds.

Beyond that, one game blends into the next without much distinction.

"You play so much, there's not one game to look forward to," said Schwabe, a three-sport standout at Driscoll. "It's completely different from football or basketball when you've got just one game a week."

As the weather improves and teams inch closer to playoffs, chances are you'll see more fans and more interest in high school baseball.

Until then, though, the players will continue playing in front of the faithful few in the stands.

"It'd be nice if more people came out to see us play, but we appreciate the ones who do come out," Kelsey said. "Either way, we'll be out there playing our best."