I once saw an 80-year-old man perform magic with a bat. It wasthe type of thing you'd hardly notice unless you began payingattention, at which point you were mesmerized. So many things cometo mind at the outset of spring training - the Giants' pitchers and catchers reportMonday - but I always think of Jimmy Reese and how he representedthe essence of the game. Back in the day, he'd played for the Oakland Oaks in thestoried, Roaring '20s version of the Pacific Coast League. Calledup to the New York Yankees in 1930, he roomed with Babe Ruth. Helasted only three seasons in the big leagues, but the game was inhis blood, and he launched a long career of coaching andinstructional work.