Awhile back I found a dusty old VHS tape in a stack with others. One was simply titled, "(Bum, Jr's) first baseball game."
I plopped it into the deck.. it was about a 5-minute clip. Coach assigned him to the position he now plays in college.. pitcher. When the camera panned in, you could see the adrenaline and excitement on his 6 y.o. face. "Yea! I'm the pitcher" he screamed for all to hear.
I'm pretty sure he was serious from day one.
Fan, great post about the 6th tool. Not sure if our son has that tool.
My son was the bat boy for my softball team since he was able to walk and drag a bat at the same time and you could see he really liked the game. When he was 7 or 8 years old, my neighbor and I were driving out of the driveway taking my son and his daughter to their first t-ball game, my son spouted out with pride from the back seat.
Mike and I laughed at the profoundness of the statement and off we went to begin his life. Little did we know how serious he was. Sometimes we wonder where kids come up with the statements they make, in this case I later found out it was a line from a movie. While I accuse him of plagiarism to this day, my neighbor repeats the story to anyone that will listen.
quote:Today is the first day of the rest of my life
Mike and I laughed at the profoundness of the statement and off we went to begin his life. Little did we know how serious he was. Sometimes we wonder where kids come up with the statements they make, in this case I later found out it was a line from a movie. While I accuse him of plagiarism to this day, my neighbor repeats the story to anyone that will listen.
I am trying to remember when infidel_son got serious about baseball. Fungo’s response from day one sounded familiar. But then I got to wondering if he was ever that serious. I can only remember two times right now when he was really serious. One when he was pitching to me and I thought it might be safer to bunt the ball as opposed to swinging at it. He would not allow it and demanded I swing. (He may not have known what a bunt was at the time since he was three.) The other was when he was 5 and staged a sit-down strike at shortstop. At the time I figured he was just being a bratty kid pouting. Now I wish I could recall what it was all about. I’d probably find that it was really the harebrained coach’s fault and infidel_son was really protesting some illogical move. 
My son is blessed with enormous natural abilities. I think this allows him to be a little looser when he plays. It was serious, but not that serious. He trains hard, competes hard and plays hard. Perhaps his talents, confidence and apparent ease on the field belie the gravity of it all. I like to think it's because he still loves the game.
My son is blessed with enormous natural abilities. I think this allows him to be a little looser when he plays. It was serious, but not that serious. He trains hard, competes hard and plays hard. Perhaps his talents, confidence and apparent ease on the field belie the gravity of it all. I like to think it's because he still loves the game.
I don't think our son could ever be categorized as "getting serious". He is as my wife calls him the kid who enjoys life, a life-is-a-bowl-of-cherries type. A fierce competitor to a point, has made every team he has tried out for, football, baseball, basketball, etc., but plays the "big brother" role when on a team.
He is a "player's" player, supports those who he perceives are the less talented bench players, and would rather give them the playing time so they can get better, Plays down to the talent on the field and doesn't play up to his full potential unless it becomes critical to the game situation because he doesn't want to show anybody up.
He's been that way ever since he was sceamed at by a coach for hustling to make a catch that another infielder passively stood as the ball fell. He was told it is better to be a team player and allow his teammates to make their own mistakes then try to make up for them.
He manges his performances and it drives us crazy to watch. Can he get serious, yes when it matters. Otherwise life-is-a-bowl-of-cherries. That's our son.
He is a "player's" player, supports those who he perceives are the less talented bench players, and would rather give them the playing time so they can get better, Plays down to the talent on the field and doesn't play up to his full potential unless it becomes critical to the game situation because he doesn't want to show anybody up.
He's been that way ever since he was sceamed at by a coach for hustling to make a catch that another infielder passively stood as the ball fell. He was told it is better to be a team player and allow his teammates to make their own mistakes then try to make up for them.
He manges his performances and it drives us crazy to watch. Can he get serious, yes when it matters. Otherwise life-is-a-bowl-of-cherries. That's our son.
BBkaze,
your son sounds like he has some great attributes and will be successful in whatever arena he goes into becasue he gets the human side of people. Thats what is really important.
your son sounds like he has some great attributes and will be successful in whatever arena he goes into becasue he gets the human side of people. Thats what is really important.
I think 27 started getting serious at 8. From 5-7 he had played with his friends from his small elementary school, with one of the kid's dad as the coach. At 8, the "draft" started for the rec league, and players started pitching for the first time. A different coach drafted 27 and put him on the mound.
Then came the game against his former coach. Great guy, but "blustery" would be a good description. 1st inning, 27 takes the mound, kid enters the batters box, and his former coach (standing at 1st-base coach's spot) starts up, "You can hit this kid!" "Smack the cover off the ball!" 27 stares at the coach, and fires strike 1. "Stroke one out to the fence!" Stares at the coach: Strike 2. "Now you've seen it, drive one out of here!" Stare: Strike 3. Coach continued on throughout that half of the inning, shouting encouragement to his hitters. 27 continued through that half of the inning: staring at his former coach between each pitch, and striking out the batters. 27 never once cracked a smile...never once nodded his head to his former coach. Just stared, and then rocked and fired. After each defensive half, 27 would simply turn and walk to his team's dug-out. By the 3rd or 4th inning, the coach was silent, and 27 stopped staring. Message delivered. The kid was serious.
Then came the game against his former coach. Great guy, but "blustery" would be a good description. 1st inning, 27 takes the mound, kid enters the batters box, and his former coach (standing at 1st-base coach's spot) starts up, "You can hit this kid!" "Smack the cover off the ball!" 27 stares at the coach, and fires strike 1. "Stroke one out to the fence!" Stares at the coach: Strike 2. "Now you've seen it, drive one out of here!" Stare: Strike 3. Coach continued on throughout that half of the inning, shouting encouragement to his hitters. 27 continued through that half of the inning: staring at his former coach between each pitch, and striking out the batters. 27 never once cracked a smile...never once nodded his head to his former coach. Just stared, and then rocked and fired. After each defensive half, 27 would simply turn and walk to his team's dug-out. By the 3rd or 4th inning, the coach was silent, and 27 stopped staring. Message delivered. The kid was serious.
2B was serious from the beginning. One day during his first year of t-ball practice he hit a "double" - a little dribbler that rolled out to second base. He arrived at second base about the same time as the ball. Then he cried when he learned that he couldn't pick up the ball and throw it somewhere. 
Now he is more serious, more motivated, and working hard every day to be the best he can be. He's starting to see some results, starting to catch up somewhat to his teammates in size and strength, and that motivates him more. Plus he has chosen motivated, hard working friends, which is fantastic. It's like he sees the "next level", whatever that turns out to be, right over the horizon. I'm very proud of him.
Now he is more serious, more motivated, and working hard every day to be the best he can be. He's starting to see some results, starting to catch up somewhat to his teammates in size and strength, and that motivates him more. Plus he has chosen motivated, hard working friends, which is fantastic. It's like he sees the "next level", whatever that turns out to be, right over the horizon. I'm very proud of him.
my son started playing tball when he was 4 and was always pretty good there was another kid same age who was maybe better than him (he didn't like that haha!!) in 2nd grade his teacher gave out a sheet of questions asking what some of their favorite thing were food color etc... while reading it one question was whats your fav sport to my suprise he said football i was puzzeled to say the least but i kept reading then the question whats your fav game and there it was "baseball" it made me smile a little. i guess it stayed a game till this year (fr in college) he's in for the break and was working out on his own he knows he's going to be thrown in fire early this year (pitching coach told him) with the likes of ole miss oklahoma etc he knows he has to be as ready as he can be. we can just hope for the best!! i can see he is going to try.
oh and that other kid from tball also made it to college ball!! those are far and few between in our little town.
oh and that other kid from tball also made it to college ball!! those are far and few between in our little town.
TPM
What does that last post have to do with this topic???
What does that last post have to do with this topic???