MICHAEL J. LACIVITA A smooth landing all the way around

In March 2006, I went from the extreme cold of Youngstown to the extreme heat of Port Charlotte, Fla. Why? To see my 22-year-old grandson Michael Krieger play Easter break college baseball for Ohio Wesleyan University.
I hadn't been on an airplane since my retirement in 1986. In my world of work and a trip to Italy, I had logged 50,000 miles. I had never experienced today's stringent airport security measures.
I was wearing my ever present U.S. Navy World War II baseball cap and as I boarded the plane the pilot was greeting us. He said to me, "I am a U.S. Navy veteran, too." I told him, "If you were a Navy pilot I have nothing to fear, since you could land a plane on a postage stamp." He was a pilot on the giant Constellation and Nimitz aircraft carriers.
We made a smooth landing on arrival and it reminded me of my first plane ride in 1968, when riding with our company's sales manager, who had flown a million miles, we made a slightly rough landing. I asked, "Hal, how was that landing?" His reply: "Any landing that you walk away from is a good one."
Play ball!
The time for watching baseball, America's great spectator sport, had arrived. Michael, now a senior, was in the starting pitcher rotation his entire four years. He earned the number one spot as a junior and senior. He performed as I had expected him to and he won his two games.
He had some Youngstown connection spectators' help. In the cheering section were Donna and Frank Dravecky, whose son is former major league pitching star Dave Dravecky. Coincidentally my son-in-law and Michael's dad, Greg Krieger, was Dave's catcher at Boardman High School in 1971 and 1972. Good friends Janie and Steve Krivan cheered Michael on, as well as Jim Ianazone and Brett Smith.
Michael graduated on May 14 as a journalism major. His accolades include second team All-NCAC honors in 2004, first-team in 2005 and second-team in 2006, as a pitcher. He was just named to the first-team Academic All District baseball team, which includes players from five states.
X Michael J. Lacivita is a Youngstown retiree and an inductee into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame and the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.