"Mister O'Connell, how did you ever get along without THAT when you were a kid?" The "that", referred to by my younger friends, is usually something like cell phones or microwave ovens, or even THE INTERNET ... and CABLE TV, for Heaven's sake !!!

Granted. I missed out on HBO, mp3's and Jiffy POP as a kid ... but my generation can claim some early experiences that will most likely never be possible again ... for whatever reason. And, watching the baseball playoffs over the past several nights reminded me of a true enjoyment I experienced as a kid, that is never to happen again. At least, I don't think so...

I speak of the art ... and, believe me it WAS an "art" ... the art of sneaking a transistor radio into school to listen to MY New York Yankees beat 'dem Bums from Brooklyn in the World Series. That's right...World Series games were during the day back then, and the Yankees ruled then, too!

World Series time for me as a school kid required a special focus, an almost 'mission-like' regimen. Battery checks and equipment tests. Covert seating arrangements in classrooms. Mental toughness to maintain my composure when Yogi hit a grand slam, or when the Mick struck out. Damn, I was good.

And, my weapon of choice? The world's first "pocket" sized transistor radio, the Regency TR1 - with its newfangled transistors, developed by Texas Instruments. My folks got one for me (not knowing the purpose for which it would be so covertly used), and a little arithmetic tells me how much they sacrificed to give it to me.

This little jewel of a radio hit the market in October of 1954 - 49 years ago this month - at a cost of $49.95, with earphone (thank the Lord), and its 22.5 volt battery, which provided 20-hours of 'listen' time -- enough for the whole World Series, if it didn't go more than six games. Do the math. That would be almost $300 bucks in today's dollars - a humongous sacrifice on my parents part. Thanks, Folks!

And, you know, I don't ever remember getting caught. But I do distinctly remember one Nun asking me toward the end of each World Series day if I'd heard what the score was from that day. I always told her that I wasn't sure...but that I had "heard" somewhere that the Yankees (or whoever) had won, 3-2. "Good, Billy," she'd say, "and I'll check with you tomorrow, OK?. And, let's be sure to pray for those Yankees."

Nope. Never got caught.....