Former Teammates

Funny you should bring that up. Our guy pitches Monday against a team with several of his travel teammates. Should be fun!

I will have a hard time not cheering for them.

One of my son's really good friends and travel teammate is a catcher at one of rival high schools. When they played against each other this year they would always chit chat when my son came to the plate. It some times turned into a friendly smack talk. One time the umpire thought there was actually a situation brewing and yelled at them to knock it off. They had to tell the umpire they were buddies and the umps response was "oh, well then, proceed". LOL.

once in college, we were playing against a friend from back home.  never had been teammates but we were friends (hawaii's a small place so you were either friends of sworn enemies of every other ball player, growing up).  sometime in the middle of the game, someone said something and someone else answered.  next thing we knew, benches were clearing.  i was late to the party, having come back from chasing a foul ball (small college life...gotta love it).  things were slowing down by the time i got to the diamond and i found my friend just hanging out.  there was still a little scuffle going on at home plate so i asked him what was happening. turns out someone hit on another guy's girlfriend at a party back home over winter break and both parties were waiting on this series.  we had a nice chat on the pitchers mound until we noticed that another friend of our (my teammate and another guy from hawaii) was right in the middle of it.  dave looked at me, i looked at dave and we both said "let's go save steve". 

In high school the relationship between travel teammates in high school games was friendly but very competitive. It was the parents of non travel players who had issues with the friendships. Parents would also stare down travel parents who invaded their turf (went to other side of field to say hello).

in college my son played against several former travel teammates. One year the first weekend there was a Big Ten/Big East round robin (just before BE imploded). All of us parents sat together watching the games. The kids were into it. They had texted and razzed each other that week. But you couldn't tell they were friends on the field. In high school a travel teammates congratulated my son for hitting a homer when he hit it. In college the former travel team team pitcher my son pinch ran, stole second off and scored the winning run stared him down.

In a conference game a former high school team team and fellow math nerd and my son shook hands before Friday’s game. That was it. I had dinner with the parents.

In a non conference, midweek game the first baseman and my son chatted each other up when my son got on. It had to be obvious to everyone they knew each other. They were laughing. Each year it got less friendly as the novelty of playing against each other a couple of times a year wore off.

But, one time some college teammates weren’t happy when my son went to hang out with two former travel teammates after dinner Saturday night instead of hanging with the team. The only on field acknowledgement between the three was Friday afternoon before the first game. I went to dinner with the parents.

My player loved it when he was in college and played against former teammates. He loved it just the same when he played professional ball against former teammates. And he still loves it as a professional coach when he meets up with former players who chose the same profession.

Pitchingfan,

What a poor example for players to follow that occurred last weekend between UT and Arkansas.

@PitchingFan posted:

.  Some of their teammates and parents could not understand talking to the ENEMY on game day.  

Parents.  LOL!!!

I think my Dad had it right back in the late 70’s/early 80’s.  Packed me a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, dropped me off at the game, said “have fun.  Don’t forget to mow the lawn when you get back.”  And drove off.

@3and2Fastball posted:

Parents.  LOL!!!

I think my Dad had it right back in the late 70’s/early 80’s.  Packed me a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, dropped me off at the game, said “have fun.  Don’t forget to mow the lawn when you get back.”  And drove off.

That is awesome. Your dad got it right! 

@3and2Fastball posted:

Parents.  LOL!!!

I think my Dad had it right back in the late 70’s/early 80’s.  Packed me a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, dropped me off at the game, said “have fun.  Don’t forget to mow the lawn when you get back.”  And drove off.

Too damn funny. When I tell my kids how we did everything, they think we were raised by wolves!

Son played travel-ball teammates, high school players and always spoke to them at some point. Sometimes is was after the game shaking hands or he would find time to speak to them at some point. Now, he sees guys in Milb, and it's the same. Matter of fact, a kid who he rode the tube with at the lake around 6 years old and later went to Cooperstown with .....will be playing him in late June in Reading PA (Rumble Ponies vs Fightin Phils) on the road and their parents are going up to them both of them. We may steal away as well and have a  mini-reunion.

Son has had the opportunity to play against travel teammates and and even HS teammates believe it or not. Always speak before or after the game.

He hit against his HS/ travel teammate (and best friend since they were 6) last year 2020 pre-Covid. His former teammate is a closer. Son came on to pinch hit. First pitch fastball, he didn't miss, no-doubter, his first and only college home run. They were grinning at each other as he was between 3rd and home. My wife and I were sitting with his grandparents at the game, and we laughed as well, we had had conversations about them possibly being matched up against each other numerous times before it happened. Doubt the matchup happens again, son is pretty much a PO in the starting rotation now, didn't have an AB this season.

@Good Knight posted:

Too damn funny. When I tell my kids how we did everything, they think we were raised by wolves!

If you get thirsty don’t come in the house. Use the hose.

When my 2015 played in college there was one game where 4 players between the 2 teams played in the same high school division.  Great to see them chat before and after the games!  One game 3 of them went yard!  In college I think most parents will root for the players they know and have watched grow up regardless.

A few years ago my son and two other key players left their travel team and moved to another travel team in the same league. Since then a few more players have made the same move. Needless to say, now the games between these two organizations are much more intense. There's clearly no "love lost" and much in-game chirping takes place between the coaches (who are the owners) of these organizations. Initially my son struggled some in these games, but he has also hit a homerun and had walk off hit against them.  Last year he finally started to settle down and play his normal game. He still sees the former teammates mostly as friends...it's more of a travel ball business issue that the players are in the middle of.

Life is about relationships. I think we get too caught up in the win/lose, competitiveness of this sport (I know I did).  It is still just a game or even a job, but the friendships that can be made in this sport can last a lifetime and will make life much more meaningful.