Tell me about your son and a baseball experience that made you so proud you almost couldn't talk for 20 minutes. Does he have any idea how proud you were and are?
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Ok,here's one of mine. My older son was 11 yrs old and played in a rec league (hot stove). He pretty much hadn't pitched all year but kept working all summer on pitching on his own in the back yard. After our season was over another coach put together a 12 yr old tournament team and took my son and another 11 yr old who was (and still is)an outstanding catcher 
and played in a tournament. We made it to the championship game and we were down 4-3. They put my son on the hill and he pitched the final 3.1 innings against a strong and much ballyhooed'(articles in local paper about tourney's won,runs scored) team and gave up no hits, no runs, no walks, and had 6 k's. We scored 2 and won 5-4! I was so proud of the little squirt I got choked up and couldn't even talk for a few minutes. I don't know about you guys but it's still hard for me to tell him when I'm proud of something he's done.
and played in a tournament. We made it to the championship game and we were down 4-3. They put my son on the hill and he pitched the final 3.1 innings against a strong and much ballyhooed'(articles in local paper about tourney's won,runs scored) team and gave up no hits, no runs, no walks, and had 6 k's. We scored 2 and won 5-4! I was so proud of the little squirt I got choked up and couldn't even talk for a few minutes. I don't know about you guys but it's still hard for me to tell him when I'm proud of something he's done.
He hasn't done too shabby since then either!!! 
I'll repost a story I put somewhere else on the site:
We were playing in the CABA WS this past summer. The field we played on faces Lake Erie and has a HUGE tree in left, IN PLAY. I don't recall how deep the fence is but I'm guessing 250' - 270' and my son jacked one out, just missing the tree, and down the bank towards the lake. A while later, the opposing coach came up to me and handed me a ball. I was assuming it was a foul ball so I flipped it back to the umpire. The coach came running back over saying "No, no, no....that's your son's HR ball!" He got the ball back from the umpire and gave it back to me. My son had hit about 15 or so HR over the course of the season and 3 in the WS so it's not like it was his first ever. Besides, I thought it would be a bit pompous to give him HR balls and a good lesson in humility for him so I had never done it before. I wasn't quite sure what to say but responded with "Thanks. I appreciate it but he doesn't really need it". The coach smiled at me and said "Any kid this age that can hit the ball THAT far deserves to keep it!"
After the season I was cleaning out his bat bag (amazing what you find in those things isn't it???). Anyway, I found the WS HR ball in there and my son had written on it "CABA WS 2 run HR". So I took it up to his room and put it on his bookshelf beside his other trophies. I'm sure he'll remember that hit for a long time!
Another neat story was that during the championship game of the CABA World Series, the CABA staff was sitting immediately behind me going over the various players and their respective stats to determine the CABA World Series All Tourney Team. My son came up to the plate and I overheard one of them say "THIS is the kid I was telling you about!" The other one said something like "I've only seen him play once and he didn't really do anything special". They had no clue I was his dad and was listening in.
Now keep in mind, the field is situated literally on the shore of Lake Erie so the wind was pretty strong and coming basically in his face. He CRUSHED one to left center and it one-hopped and hit the 293' fence. The CF took off as soon as he hit it and they kept him to a triple. The funny thing is the CABA guy that was debating about my son's play all of a sudden said "That was a SHOT!!! You're right, he's IN!!!"
Unfortunately, they got drilled but took second. Not too shabby considering they fought back to get there. They really played their hearts out that week. And to top it all off, my son was THRILLED when he was named to the CABA World Series All Tourney Team.
I'll repost a story I put somewhere else on the site:
We were playing in the CABA WS this past summer. The field we played on faces Lake Erie and has a HUGE tree in left, IN PLAY. I don't recall how deep the fence is but I'm guessing 250' - 270' and my son jacked one out, just missing the tree, and down the bank towards the lake. A while later, the opposing coach came up to me and handed me a ball. I was assuming it was a foul ball so I flipped it back to the umpire. The coach came running back over saying "No, no, no....that's your son's HR ball!" He got the ball back from the umpire and gave it back to me. My son had hit about 15 or so HR over the course of the season and 3 in the WS so it's not like it was his first ever. Besides, I thought it would be a bit pompous to give him HR balls and a good lesson in humility for him so I had never done it before. I wasn't quite sure what to say but responded with "Thanks. I appreciate it but he doesn't really need it". The coach smiled at me and said "Any kid this age that can hit the ball THAT far deserves to keep it!"
After the season I was cleaning out his bat bag (amazing what you find in those things isn't it???). Anyway, I found the WS HR ball in there and my son had written on it "CABA WS 2 run HR". So I took it up to his room and put it on his bookshelf beside his other trophies. I'm sure he'll remember that hit for a long time!
Another neat story was that during the championship game of the CABA World Series, the CABA staff was sitting immediately behind me going over the various players and their respective stats to determine the CABA World Series All Tourney Team. My son came up to the plate and I overheard one of them say "THIS is the kid I was telling you about!" The other one said something like "I've only seen him play once and he didn't really do anything special". They had no clue I was his dad and was listening in.
Now keep in mind, the field is situated literally on the shore of Lake Erie so the wind was pretty strong and coming basically in his face. He CRUSHED one to left center and it one-hopped and hit the 293' fence. The CF took off as soon as he hit it and they kept him to a triple. The funny thing is the CABA guy that was debating about my son's play all of a sudden said "That was a SHOT!!! You're right, he's IN!!!"
Unfortunately, they got drilled but took second. Not too shabby considering they fought back to get there. They really played their hearts out that week. And to top it all off, my son was THRILLED when he was named to the CABA World Series All Tourney Team.
Beezer, I'm keepin my eye on your son! We just might have a live one there!
He's just hoping to follow in YOUR son's footsteps! 
Gee....I wonder who that catcher was you mentioned???? 
Gee....I wonder who that catcher was you mentioned???? quote:I don't know about you guys but it's still hard for me to tell him when I'm proud of something he's done.
Gentlemen,
Find a way.....Dont let the sun go down on a day when your sons dont know that you love them and are proud of them.....Its a lesson in how to be a man and it will be rewarding to both of you to teach it.....
Someday we will not be here to tell them, and I want my son to be able to answer this question...
"how do you know your dad loved you and was proud of you?"
Answer........Because he told me! ......
Here's a video clip from my son's last year in LL Minors (age 8). He's now 11 and entering his 3rd year in Majors.
At the time though, this was our City Championship series (having won our league playoffs). What I cherish about this is that the game was on the line late and the other team had just switched pitchers as our top of the order came around. Despite my anxiety, my son was quite calm about it.
Video clip
Regards,
Sandman
At the time though, this was our City Championship series (having won our league playoffs). What I cherish about this is that the game was on the line late and the other team had just switched pitchers as our top of the order came around. Despite my anxiety, my son was quite calm about it.
Video clip
Regards,
Sandman
2 great memories: My oldest as a U10 2 years ago was playing in the AAU Nationals in NC. Their team was playing in a game that would determine who went for 4th/5th place in the tourney. His team was down 3-6 in the bottom of the 6th with 2 outs. He stood about 5'4' probably 150lbs. then I'm guessing. He quickly swung hard at the 1st two pitches and went down 0-2 and I was behind the right field fence watching as his coach pulls him down 3rd base line and talks to him, (I have it all videotaped!) then he proceeds to go back and the next pitch was meatballed to him and he jacked it centerfield about 220' to tie it up. Then we got another guy on, stole 2B and 3B and stole home while the pitcher balked so we were awarded the run and won 7-6 ! What a thrill for my son, I had goosebumps galore and all on video!!!
The 2nd time was last year as U11 in the CABA Ultimate WS. His team not only won the tourney, he won the HR derby, got voted MVP of the tourney and won the award for highest batting average for the tourney and made the all-tourney team. We had a blast that week as they defended their U10 CABA title. We stayed in a motorhome that entire week together just he and my younger son, while mom had to work!!
A truly great summer!!!! One I will never ever forget!!!
The 2nd time was last year as U11 in the CABA Ultimate WS. His team not only won the tourney, he won the HR derby, got voted MVP of the tourney and won the award for highest batting average for the tourney and made the all-tourney team. We had a blast that week as they defended their U10 CABA title. We stayed in a motorhome that entire week together just he and my younger son, while mom had to work!!
A truly great summer!!!! One I will never ever forget!!!
Is there any way you guys could dh for him, or have him bat with one hand in his back pocket when we play? 
My favorite when my oldest was 12. We needed a catcher so he volunteered. We were playing a team that had a manager that liked to "screw around with the kids heads".
So with one out and a big kid on 3rd a pop to 2nd was hit and their manager tagged his kid and sent him home. Though outweighed by about 40 lbs. my son caught the ball then charged down the line to block the plate. A collision and a resulting broken thumb for my son.
But when we went to the doctor my son refused to take a cast saying if he had a cast for 6 weeks he wouldn't be voted to all-stars...So we talked the Doc into a removable cast. My son played through the broken thumb (glove hand) by playing first - never missed a game or a practice. He continued to play made the all-stars and no one ever new he had a bad thumb. We one the district and went to states that year.
The irony was I had Wally joiner the first baseman for the Angels on my Fantasy team then. He broke his thumb and sat out 6 weeks during the same period.
So with one out and a big kid on 3rd a pop to 2nd was hit and their manager tagged his kid and sent him home. Though outweighed by about 40 lbs. my son caught the ball then charged down the line to block the plate. A collision and a resulting broken thumb for my son.
But when we went to the doctor my son refused to take a cast saying if he had a cast for 6 weeks he wouldn't be voted to all-stars...So we talked the Doc into a removable cast. My son played through the broken thumb (glove hand) by playing first - never missed a game or a practice. He continued to play made the all-stars and no one ever new he had a bad thumb. We one the district and went to states that year.
The irony was I had Wally joiner the first baseman for the Angels on my Fantasy team then. He broke his thumb and sat out 6 weeks during the same period.
One of my proudest moments was when my son was playing major all stars (LL) last year as an 11 yo. He is a very tough pitcher and generally doesn't get hit too hard. Well that game he was taken deep not once but twice. Each time, my son was the first one to congratulate the batter, greeting him around 3rd. He wasn't upset and actually ended up pitching good, but losing his first game. Had a great attitude and didn't let those hits get to him. He's had many great moments, but that might be the one that made me the proudest
quote:Originally posted by BBfam:
Each time, my son was the first one to congratulate the batter
I really enjoy seeing the players demonstrate good sportsmanship.
I know it may sound corny, but I feel a lump in my throat everytime I see my son playing. The proudest I have been of him for baseball was when he made the "Dirtbag" team and he told me that was his goal and he had worked hard to get there. However, the most proud of him is before every game when he sits with his mom and I, and gives each of us a kiss before he goes to play. I told him one time, that he didn't have to do that still, and he asked me if it embarrassed me. I felt about an inch tall, and here I was thinking he might be embarrassed in front of his high school buddies. I guess for all the bad, we did something right.
Kevin - Your HS age son actually acknowleges you and your wife?
Beezer as hard as it is to believe he actually does. Of course most of his teammates come over before they play and see us as well.
You've got to love that! My oldest (daughter) usually ignores us, especially on the golf course. She's more "social" during softball games. The baseball player is younger and I've been in the dugout till this year so we'll see how that affects things.
My son has been a perennial All Star since he started playing baseball and that obviously makes me proud. But what makes me the most proud is his attitude and relationship with his teammates. He is always the first to offer congratulations on a good play and he is always the first to bring a player back up after a bad play.
During practices he will pull players aside to offer them help if they are struggling with a new concept or I'll hear him saying things like "That's OK, nothing hurt." and offer a smile. I almost consider him one of my assistants during practice because I know that he will say the right thing at the right time. His attitude and demeanor is contagious. We have no "showboats" or bad attitudes on our team and I attribute a lot of that to him. He's just one of those kids that any coach would welcome on their team and that makes me very, very proud.
During practices he will pull players aside to offer them help if they are struggling with a new concept or I'll hear him saying things like "That's OK, nothing hurt." and offer a smile. I almost consider him one of my assistants during practice because I know that he will say the right thing at the right time. His attitude and demeanor is contagious. We have no "showboats" or bad attitudes on our team and I attribute a lot of that to him. He's just one of those kids that any coach would welcome on their team and that makes me very, very proud.
I don't normally get into this corny stuff but I'll tell a quick funny story. Last year my 11yr old was on the county LL all-star team and travelled to Louisville for the opening rounds of the tournament. We don't have any little league sized fields in Northern Kentucky. Our kids play on softball fields with 300-350 foot fences. So, while my son has a few inside the park home runs he'd never hit one out.
We played 3 games at Louisville Valley and with no pitching, we were over-matched, going 1-2. The first game my son hit 4 doubles off the 200 ft fence. I never video tape him but decided to bring the camera the second game. The first pitch was a fastball right at his head and he had to dive out of the box. He got up and glared at the pitcher...in fact he stared at him so long the umpire quietly told him it wasn't intentional to get him back in the box. Next pitch was a fastball at the letters and he crushed a towering home run over the fence in left center. I don't enjoy it when pros do their little dance when they hit homers but it was kind of funny to see my son casually drop the bat and start a home run trot right out of the box. He knew it was gone when he hit it. The infielders from the other team high-fived him around the bases.
And the best thing is he has it on tape (and now disc) forever.
That's more of an amusing story than a "proud" story. In the three games he went 9 for 11 with 1 HR, 1 single, and 7 doubles and most imporantly, he got to enjoy playing on a little league size field with his friends. He still talks about how much fun he had even though they lost.
I can't wait to go to Cooperstown this summer to play on the 200 foot fields.
Jon
We played 3 games at Louisville Valley and with no pitching, we were over-matched, going 1-2. The first game my son hit 4 doubles off the 200 ft fence. I never video tape him but decided to bring the camera the second game. The first pitch was a fastball right at his head and he had to dive out of the box. He got up and glared at the pitcher...in fact he stared at him so long the umpire quietly told him it wasn't intentional to get him back in the box. Next pitch was a fastball at the letters and he crushed a towering home run over the fence in left center. I don't enjoy it when pros do their little dance when they hit homers but it was kind of funny to see my son casually drop the bat and start a home run trot right out of the box. He knew it was gone when he hit it. The infielders from the other team high-fived him around the bases.
And the best thing is he has it on tape (and now disc) forever.
That's more of an amusing story than a "proud" story. In the three games he went 9 for 11 with 1 HR, 1 single, and 7 doubles and most imporantly, he got to enjoy playing on a little league size field with his friends. He still talks about how much fun he had even though they lost.
I can't wait to go to Cooperstown this summer to play on the 200 foot fields.
Jon
I tend to stay away from talking about my kid's accomplishments. I guess it is just the way I was raised, you just don't toot your own horn. As I am sure with all of you, there are so many things to be proud of with your kids both in and out of sports. But if you will, please indulge me this one time to do a little horn tooting for my oldest boy. I know that I don't write this kind of thing particularly well, and I hope it doesn't come off too corny.
In the city where we live there is a real nice full sized field that in the summer that is used by all the "Big Boys". In this area it is THE field. The field is where city high school championships are played, as well as, a college summer wood bat league. I have been going there and taking my son to watch games throughout the summers while he has been growing up, mainly to learn what the game is played like on the next level. But...would always tell him, that if you work hard, in a few years you could be out there playing on that field.
My son's team, which in the 05 season was a 13u team and my son was a 12 yr old at the time, decided to play in a fall league at the JV high school level. Games played on full sized fields, with teams comprised of mostly 10th graders ( 15 year olds for the most part). Coaches and parents new that it would be a stretch for the boys to play at this level. However with it being fall ball, and many of the better players at that age committed to other sports, that it would be a great opportunity to play up. The team got some great experience, played .500 ball, and played very competitively.
The first week of the fall season the Saturday double header was scheduled to play on ....THE field ...which I described above. For the first game, my kid gets the start on the mound. I'm thinking to myself ... oh no........well.... its going to be a learning experience right !!!!
Top of the 4th inning, score tied 1-1, the other teams 3,4, & 5 hitters are due up. I'm thinking he's had three good innings, he's probably going to get roughed up a little now, and I hope he can weather the storm. Well he weathered it all right, 11 pitches 3 k's on nothing but straight cheese. That's when it really kind of hit me. There is my 12 yr old lefty, (along with his teammates), on THE field, trading punches with a bunch of high school sophomores. Well the boy pitched a complete game (7 innings - low 80's pitch count), and with timely hitting and great play by his teammates won the game 3-2. He had 10 k's, 3 hits, 2 walks & 1 earned run.
To say that I was proud of him would be a understatement. But it was more than that, and I hope I am able to convey my thoughts in the right way now. From a performance standpoint both he and his teammates have had more impressive days since then. But...it was that day, my oldest and his teammates left "little boy" baseball behind. That was the day, in my mind, they proved they could play on the big field.
Anyway, thanks for letting me indulge myself.
In the city where we live there is a real nice full sized field that in the summer that is used by all the "Big Boys". In this area it is THE field. The field is where city high school championships are played, as well as, a college summer wood bat league. I have been going there and taking my son to watch games throughout the summers while he has been growing up, mainly to learn what the game is played like on the next level. But...would always tell him, that if you work hard, in a few years you could be out there playing on that field.
My son's team, which in the 05 season was a 13u team and my son was a 12 yr old at the time, decided to play in a fall league at the JV high school level. Games played on full sized fields, with teams comprised of mostly 10th graders ( 15 year olds for the most part). Coaches and parents new that it would be a stretch for the boys to play at this level. However with it being fall ball, and many of the better players at that age committed to other sports, that it would be a great opportunity to play up. The team got some great experience, played .500 ball, and played very competitively.
The first week of the fall season the Saturday double header was scheduled to play on ....THE field ...which I described above. For the first game, my kid gets the start on the mound. I'm thinking to myself ... oh no........well.... its going to be a learning experience right !!!!
Top of the 4th inning, score tied 1-1, the other teams 3,4, & 5 hitters are due up. I'm thinking he's had three good innings, he's probably going to get roughed up a little now, and I hope he can weather the storm. Well he weathered it all right, 11 pitches 3 k's on nothing but straight cheese. That's when it really kind of hit me. There is my 12 yr old lefty, (along with his teammates), on THE field, trading punches with a bunch of high school sophomores. Well the boy pitched a complete game (7 innings - low 80's pitch count), and with timely hitting and great play by his teammates won the game 3-2. He had 10 k's, 3 hits, 2 walks & 1 earned run.
To say that I was proud of him would be a understatement. But it was more than that, and I hope I am able to convey my thoughts in the right way now. From a performance standpoint both he and his teammates have had more impressive days since then. But...it was that day, my oldest and his teammates left "little boy" baseball behind. That was the day, in my mind, they proved they could play on the big field.
Anyway, thanks for letting me indulge myself.
Innocent Bystander, what team are you affiliated with?
Eric G, I spoke with you in Stow this past summer,I sent you a pm
Innocent, was your son on that combined team Ohio Starz?
He played in 3 tourneys with them, but not in that one
Its a shame a team like that cannot stay together, y'know. They wre strong! So it looks like you guys are going to the Battle in the South too, man that is going to be a blast! Talk about facing some teams to see where you stack up against the best!
My bad Innocent, that is the South Oakland A's that is going there. What tourney are you guys playing in? I thought maybe I saw your name on the AAU Qualifier in Itasca, Il.?
EricG - let us know how good the 12u S Oakland A's team is if you see them. We played the now 13u team 2 years ago at the CABA World Series so I'm curious how good the younger team is.
Beezer, I will do so. We played them also when we were U9 and they were U10 in a Dayton USTOC tourney. They were good, we almost beat them, but of course who knows how many of the original team is still together, huh. We also play the u12's in our MWSL and then will see them in Tenn. in May.
Surprisingly it seems like many of the kids we played are still on the team from reading about them at "another" site. I did see they lost one of their pitchers to a team down south (don't recall who/where). Wonder how that came about? I'm hoping they moved for work...not baseball. But hey, it's their life.