Frozen Tropics: Riot Stories

The 1968 riots memories are embeded in my psyche, living near 17th and U streets at the time was an experience I will never forget. I invite you to my personal website that tells a short story of my experience at:

http://sites.google.com/site/gironjoshua/images-of-a-childhood/washington-dc-1968-riots

Contacted

Is the word "contacted" a real word (verb). I understand that the Collegiate Webster Dictionary will not accept this as a word. Well if they allowed "Ain't" then that defies all the rules.

Baseball

Is baseball discriminatory? In this hemisphere we do things from right to left or move clockwise. Why is it that in baseball we run bases counter clock wise? Is it because it's easier for right hand batters to run to first base. Shortstops, 2nd and 3rd basemen can easily throw from right to left towards first base, the most targeted base? Only advantages to a lefty is playing first base or batting against a right handed pitcher, I wonder if Alexander Joy Cartwright thought of this in the middle 1800's