Weiskopf said playing in an unstructured environment allows youngsters to experiment with different skill sets and get more repetitions.

But Gould said parents are hesitant to let their kids out of sight for fear they will become crime victims.

"Forty or 50 years ago, people didn't worry about their kids going down to the sandlot by themselves and playing all day,'' Gould said. "Now you're afraid your kid is going to end up on the milk carton. So there are legitimate fears, whether perceived or actual.''

Weiskopf said most kids do not play baseball unless registered by a parent for an organized team. Many of the youngsters show up at their first practice having never had contact with the game, as opposed to the kids of yesteryear who learned from siblings and older friends.

"Even the worst players (of my day) had a good idea about the game and its rules because we played it often and learned from each other,'' Weiskopf said. "Young children are not playing and practicing the game enough today. They are not getting in enough reps, throwing and catching the ball, batting, etc.''

Weiskopf said baseball training centers provide excellent coaching and facilities, but access is limited to those who can afford them.

Playing on a select team exposes youngsters to high quality coaching and top-notch facilities, but late bloomers get left behind in the search for talent, and the cost is high, Gould said.

"If you're going to play travel baseball, mostly middle class kids can afford it,'' he said.

With some select teams playing 70 or more games and having limited practice time, nonstarters on those elite teams don't get much repetition, said 73-year-old John Stella, who has coached CYO, high school and American Legion ball in inner-city south Omaha since the 1960s.

"So they play a couple innings, get one or two at-bats,'' Stella said. "On the sandlot, you're playing all day and have countless at-bats, countless grounders and fly balls.''

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