Baseball and Softball

It's another April, and another Spring baseball season for Jack. He's aged out of Little League, so it's all new: a private team, rather than a "town" sponsored team, with fewer "Dad" coaches and organizers, more money involved, and kids from a wide variety of area towns. Jack played on this private team last Fall, but it was all sort of rushed and haphazard; over before we even thought much about what was going on.

Things are also different for Kate, who had me as her baseball coach for the same local Little League last spring, albeit a lower, younger level than Jack. We knew that would be her last year, and didn't hold out much belief that she'd play at all this year. So it was a big surprise to us when she said she wanted to play in a local Softball league this spring, one that a number of her friends played in last year -- and that she and all of them are doing this year.

Jack had a couple of games last Sunday, but it was so absurdly cold and unpleasant that the portion of my brain that registered it has already switched off. So the season truly began -- for both! -- on Saturday, a day that dawned bright, and clear, and sunny, for the first (and last) time in quite a while.

We got Jack a ride to his games (which started at 9 a.m.) early, with another of the team's parents. He told us later he'd given Jack a bacon and egg sandwich from McDonald's that Jack ate so quickly he had to check to make sure he'd actually given it to him. Note to self, make sure Jack has enough food at breakfast time. Emily and I drove up in time for the games, enjoying the sunshine.

A while back I'd said I could keep the scorebook if necessary, and that indeed happened. Jack was the starting centerfielder and batting 9th, just like his number. He had a colorful new Westchester Academy jersey, predominantly red; his color.

For most of the two games, he played centerfield or right field. He was remarkably busy, which is both good and bad (would be nice if fewer of the opposing team's outs were long fly balls to the outfield). But he ended up catching 5 balls, and after one of the later ones I saw one coach turn to the other and say, I wish we had three of him. Something I'll remember, I think. It wasn't perfect (one he turned the wrong way on and it was over his head, another he couldn't control, so 5 of 7 on the day), but a very good day, and included a one-hop throw to the plate after a catch. He's become a really good outfielder over the years, something nice to see.

Jack also had a nice hit (after a week where I reminded him about a swing element he'd been lax on), and late in the second game came in to pitch the last two innings. With two on and nobody out the manager went to the mound and pointed to Jack in right field. He later told me Jack did a little fist pump, Yes!, which I'd missed at the time. Infielders turned two double plays behind him, and he ended up throwing 2 scoreless, one-run innings. He did little fist pumps after a play was made behind him. Fun to see. Walked one, a giant who in his previous at bats had hit towering fly balls over three different outfielders' heads, including Jack. That at-bat included Jack lobbing a rainbow Eephus pitch that was pretty close to being a strike and amused everyone. After the walk, coach said "I have no problem with that." Definitely walked the right kid.

While I was pleased with the on-field performance, even better was Jack's attitude and emotions during the game. In Little League, everyone on the team had been his friend and teammate for years. Here he only knew a couple of the kids particularly well, but still brought good humor and spirit to the clubhouse throughout, smiling and joking and rooting for teammates (OK and some talking about the videogame Fortnite). When there wasn't enough cheering after we scored, the coach said, "Are we at a funeral?" Jack said, but not in a rude way, "Well, there is a cemetery over there" (there was). Coach said, "I'm glad that somebody was paying attention."

The doubleheader ended without wins, but in good spirits, and we drove Jack and a friend back home. Where we had just enough time to get to Kate's first softball game, which she was getting a ride to with another friend. From Gymnastics class. It really does take a village.

Kate arrived wearing a pair of crazy mismatched socks; her friend's were also a somewhat garrish color. I snapped a picture which is the image I'd remember from that game: the two girls looking taller than you'd have expected in their colorful socks. Kate not wearing her visor, just as she never wanted to wear her hat in baseball. But when she did put the visor on, she pointed out "I can still scratch my head!" So she wasn't thrilled to wear it, but liked it more than a hat. I'll take it.

She started at first base, which was surprising, since you want the person who's best at catching the ball there. The team hadn't even had a practice yet, and Kate and I had only tossed it around a couple of times in the yard. She's much better at catching the ball than she used to be, and in fact, she caught the balls thrown her way during the game. Had the game gone any longer, she'd have gotten to pitch -- something she'd said a week ago "I don't want to do!" -- and was now, however, really hoping to do; upset when the game ended too soon for her to get the chance. Next time.

At the plate (batting leadoff!), she got two at bats, with a good hit to near short and a walk. Scored the first run of the year. On the bench, she joked with her friends, took her visor off as soon as she could, complained a little about her cleats (hand-me-downs, after buying a new helmet, glove and bat, we had to draw the line somewhere). After the game, they had a practice. She was clearly starting to run out of steam near the end; had been a long day, especially for a girl who had never exactly loved the sport. But she was still smiling and of good cheer.

That's what I'll take away most from the day, which ended with them both going to see a school play with friends; a really long day for both of them. Not the hits, or the catches, or the pitching (or the desire to pitch). But the smiles that were there at the beginning of the day, and during the games, and when they fell into bed relatively late at night. Neither one will play baseball or softball all their lives. But as long as they're enjoying it, hopefully it will continue for both of them for years to come.