When small communities like Selma — communities that struggle to taste success — get a chance at something good, we sometimes overreact.

To be specific, nearly a month ago we caught word that a professional baseball team would begin play in Selma. The Selma Cloverleafs, revived from the 1960s, would play in our very own Bloch Park.

Here’s where we had the opportunity to overreact: We might have had visions of a sold-out stadium, RV’s parked behind the centerfield fence, and long lines outside the ticket booth.

The reality, of course, is that every game won’t be sold out, and ticket lines may be as quick as the express line at a grocery store, and the only RVs near Bloch Park will be the ones headed from Orrville to Montgomery.

Then again, who knows? After Sunday afternoon’s local tryout for the new baseball team, indications are that this might be a fun league with good talent and an exciting brand of baseball.

The Cloverleaf’s quickly formed management team hasn’t completed the team’s roster yet. If 58 players tried out Sunday at Bloch Park — some coming all the way from Michigan — who knows that the Leafs will get when college players finish their 2002 season.

Yes, many in Selma may overreact to the good news that has come our way recently, but isn’t that better than the alternative?

Imagine if a pro baseball team, or a car manufacturer, moved in or near our city and we just brushed the news off? What if we all had the pessimistic attitude of many in this city who say nothing will save poor, depleting Selma?

Attitudes like that do nothing to help our city. In fact, those attitudes can destroy anything good that might happen to Selma.

For those who insist on keeping a negative attitude about Selma, we ask that you keep those thoughts to yourself.

On the other hand, if you feel good about what’s happening to Selma — if you think pro baseball just might make it here — then share those thoughts with your friends and neighbors.

What Selma needs right now isn’t a pro baseball team or 1,000 jobs. What Selma needs is a community attitude that believes good things can happen here.