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Greetings and Welcome to The 405 Coffee Break with O.K. Solberg
New episodes tend to air over the local KMMR radio station @ 5 minutes past 4PM each M-F. And have been doing so, nearly every week since Sept 2018.
I'm D.J. Rasmussen, O.K.s friend since junior high, possibly your neighbor & this websites maintainer, whom strives to get each episode's show notes written, the transcript proofed and the audio posted to the internet within a few hours of that days KMMR air time. NOTE: recently been publishing most new releases by 4:30PM.
Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy the time we can spend together.
I wanna again welcome you to The 405 Coffee Break. Guys, get you a cup of coffee, glass iced tea, bottle of water. Let's see what's happening. Find a shady spot.
OK Solberg:Spring wheat $5.60 a bushel, 550lb steer calf top end $5.61 a pound. Calculate that out, and you're gonna come really close to $3,000 per head, I hope to shout. And a 100lb fat lamb in Billings, top end $3 and a nickel. $3.05 a pound. But, guys, there's more, much more.
OK Solberg:Okay. It's Thursday, June 18. What date rings a bell? I know it's somebody's birthday. Well, happy birthday to someone out there. Sorry. I can't remember your name.
OK Solberg:Bible verse right up front from Proverbs 30 verse 25 Ants are creatures of little strength. Ants. Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer. Proverbs 30:25.
OK Solberg:Oh, it is summer, and are you storing up your food? It's summer, and are you keeping track of baseball? Oh, yes. I am. The game begins in the spring, blossoms in the summer, fill in the afternoons and evenings. And then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the cold winter alone. Well, guys, winter isn't here yet. Summer is upon us, and baseball is even being played right here in good old Malta, Montana. You gotta love it.
OK Solberg:So what is the value of baseball? Now if you drive through a small town on a summer evening, you might hear it before you see it. The crack of the bat, the cheer of a crowd, the voice of a coach reminding a youngster to keep his eye on the ball. Baseball's been called Americans pastime and for a good reason. More than 70,000,000 fans attend Major League Baseball games each year.
OK Solberg:70,000,000. Millions more watch from their homes or they listen on the radio or follow the standings in the newspaper or even online. Yet baseball's importance is not measured merely by attendance figures. Its value lies in what it teaches. Unlike many sports, baseball has no clock.
OK Solberg:There's no running out the final seconds. 27 outs must be earned. A team can be behind by 10 runs and still have a chance. That fact has taught a generation of Americans about perseverance and about hope. Consider this.
OK Solberg:A batter who succeeds only 3 times out of 10 is often considered a star. A 300 batting average can lead, well, to a hall of fame. Imagine a professional where failing 7 times out of 10 still makes you one of the best in the world. Baseball teaches us listen, guys. Baseball teaches us that failure is not final.
OK Solberg:You step back into the batter's box and you try again. The game also connects generations. A grandfather who watched games in 1955 can sit beside a grandson in 2026 and still understand the same rules. 3 strikes still makes you out. 4 balls means you walk.
OK Solberg:The dimensions of the field remain familiar. In a rapidly changing world, baseball offers something that continues. And what a history it has. From legends like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson to modern baseball stars, it has provided some of the most remarkable moments in American sports. It has reflected the nation's struggles and triumphs serving as a mirror of American life.
OK Solberg:But perhaps baseball's greatest contribution is its pace. There's time to think, time to visit with the person sitting beside you, time to enjoy a summer evening. The game allows conversation between pitches, laughter between innings, and memories that often outlast the final score.
OK Solberg:A 100 years from now, children may play new games with technologies, some things that we can't even imagine. Yet somewhere, on a diamond of grass and dirt, a youngster will grip a bat, stare towards the pitch, and dream.
OK Solberg:Because baseball is more than the sport. It is patience. It's perseverance. It's family. Well, its history. And every summer, it reminds us that sometimes the most important things in life are not measured by speed but by the simple joy of playing the game well. Go out and watch a baseball game.
OK Solberg:So until next time, as you go out there, remember now, don't be bitter.