My son is getting ready for his first season of college ball, and wrote this little story a few weeks ago as he looked back on his life in baseball.
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Baseball is not a sport, but rather a way of life. I have won many personal awards and achieved many things in baseball, but these aren’t the things that make me look back and smile. I look back at the times when I was first playing tee-ball and playing in the pitching machine leagues. If you ever have the time to go watch a tee-ball game, do it. These youngsters can really teach you something. They bring back the original aspects of the game. That’s right, game. The kids don’t really care about winning or losing for the most part. They care about having fun, doing something they really enjoy doing. It could very well be the after game snack that is handed out to the kids, but in reality isn’t that fun too?
I remember when I was a little kid watching the Atlanta Braves play against the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Pennant in the early 90's and thinking, “Wow, I want to be like those guys!” I took in every moment of that series trying to learn the game of baseball. I remember seeing the bases were shaped like a diamond with second base being towards center field. Take note of towards center field. After taking in everything I could possibly understand about baseball, I wanted to play tee-ball.
I never asked my parents if I could play, but I demanded it instead. Even though I was a year too young and it was already half way through the season, my parents finally caved to me and signed me up. I remember receiving my first uniform of many in the future and holding it with pride. The first game I would play was the next day and I didn’t sleep a wink that night being so excited to be like the guys on TV. I arrived to the ballpark after school anxiously awaiting my game. For the first few innings I would sit the bench since I had never played before and it was half way through the season. The middle innings came and my name was called to go up to bat. The feeling I had was like no other, getting the opportunity to hit in a real game. I put on my helmet, put a real mean look on my face and went into the batters box. I stared down the pitcher like I had seen on TV and finally realized the ball was on a tee. I looked down at that ball and took a mighty swing sending the ball into the outfield. I gleefully ran down the first base line. I rounded first base proceeding into center field like I had seen on TV. From the view on the field the bases looked more like a box than the diamond I had seen, so I just ran to my imaginary second base in center field. I won’t forget the laughs I got when I was standing proud in center field that day. That was my first memory of baseball.
Another great one I have growing up is in the pitching machine leagues. I was the pitcher, the player who had nothing to do since we used the machine after all. I was really in to the game, I felt like I was the coolest guy out there. Feeling really macho of myself I was also thinking, “Wow, I really need to go potty.” Abruptly I call timeout, and before the umpire could acknowledge my timeout I was off to the races to the porta-potty. I didn’t think of it as anything out of the ordinary because as a kid you’re taught, when you gotta go you gotta go. I came running back out of the outhouse, ran back to the pitcher’s circle and yelled, “Time in!” Meanwhile I see everybody in the stands laughing. I never understood why everyone was laughing either of the times I goofed up at the time because of my lack of maturity.
Now that I look back at those times it brings a smile to my face as I realize how much fun those times were. There was never a coach yelling at you for missing a sign or a bunt. These young times in baseball are great for society. It brings a smile to not only the young player, but also to the elders who are watching the game. If you ever find yourself getting mad at a player on TV or what not, take time to think about the kids playing the game today, where it is for fun and not money. Go watch a tee-ball game and I promise you it will bring a smile to your face.
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