okay, so major-and-minor league ballplayers are professionals, 'cuz they get paid. little leaguers and HS/college players are (supposedly) amateurs. and then there are semiprofessionals -- used to wonder what the heck *that meant (only being half-good and half-paid?). around here there are a lot of semipros playing 'town ball'. they get paid but it ain't their full-time occupation.