I trust that everyone is getting settled into their various summer routines, which if it is like my house there is a lot of swimming involved. In the closing weeks of our baseball season just be sure not to let any of the coaches know that you are letting your ballplayers do so on a game day. I’m not sure why this is so, but I have seen the results of swimming on a game day and most of the time they are not positive and coaches will be beside themselves as if you just stole their new $ 300 bat. You might think playing your PSP for three hours straight would also be detrimental to a good showing on the diamond but it does not seem to be as bad as doing cannonballs for the afternoon.

At any rate, I have enjoyed musing this season on the various topics that concern our park and the great game of baseball. I hope that in some small way these articles have helped you learn more about our park and league or made you chuckle from time to time.

The next time you see a post under this banner it will be about the exploits of our various All Star teams to keep you informed how each are doing in the march to repeat as state champs. Just a reminder….we are defending state champs in ALL FOUR DIXIE YOUTH CLASSIFICATIONS.

I want to urge each of you to come out and support our All Star teams. You will see a brand of baseball that you might not think kids this age could play. If nothing else come to the Quads to watch practice, especially during batting practice for the Majors.  But as a reminder, if they are taking BP on field eight, for heavens sake don’t park outside the fence unless your automobile insurance is paid in full. I will get with our web wizard Guppy Jones and see if he can post the dates, times and locations of the SUB DISTRICTS AND DISRTICTS on the welcome page to make it easy to find them.

SEE YOU AT THE QUADS!!!!

For those of you new to Fall Ball, it is designed to be more instructional and give kids that are moving up in age a chance to taste what the next level is about.  Parents can see a list of the fall coaches and make a request to play for a particular one.  This does not guarantee that your child will get that coach because sometimes more kids request a coach than he has roster spots.  I think it is a very good idea to play Fall Ball at all levels, but if your child is moving from 7/8’s into 9/10 kid pitch it is really a good idea. That is a big jump to say the least and Fall Ball gives them a chance to see what it is all about without the intensity that is our spring season.

The games are played through the week so you will not have to make that dreaded decision about what to do on Saturday’s in the fall. You can still stretch out on the couch, tape the remote to your wrist and watch college football all day without the guilt of not showing up to watch your child’s baseball game because State U. is playing some directional school from Montana. (You know, like Southwest Montana State or Northeast Podunk University).

Think about it and give it a try. If nothing else, while you are watching your child play in late September and October you will get to wear the same sweatshirt that you had on in April.

For those of you who read my rambles you may have noticed that I didn’t have an article last week. This was not by choice but by circumstance. Last week was spent trying to clean up after the events of May 9^th. I know that date is in no way a holiday but it will forever be a day that I will remember and not for anything good. In the week leading up to that day I was looking forward to my wife’s birthday on May 8^TH and Mother’s Day on May 10^TH. Just a note…..it’s not that I am any good at keeping up with those kind of dates, I just happen to have a very sweet bride who takes it upon herself to remind me each day in the week leading up to those days. Anyway, at 5:25 AM that morning I awoke to the sound of voices outside my bedroom window and my first thought was who is in my yard that I am going to have to shoot. So I looked out my window and I could see water everywhere. I ran out the door and started moving my vehicles to higher ground. When I returned to my yard the water was already knee deep in my back yard. I heard a loud pop and I saw my storage shed breaking loose and make contact with my fence which in turn uprooted our swing set. The whole shooting match floated away on its way to the river. With the water still rising I thought about how I loved my home and how this could not be happening…but it was. Needless to say I started praying like I never had before and literally as the water lapped into my doorway the water started receding. It never got into my house but I realize now that it washed away my peace of mind.

Now a lot of people lost a lot more than I did. In the grand scheme of things we were very lucky and we will make it through. One thing I learned through this is that I have a lot of good friends in this town. I was offered anything I needed from a bunch of folks. I was offered trucks, money, help cleaning up, tools, sump pumps and the list goes on. For that and them I am very grateful.

The best thing for me was when the rain finally gave up and we could play baseball again! I knew I loved being at the quads but the events of May 9^th really drove it home. I was able to put all the “stuff” out of my mind and watch and coach the game I love.

                                                                            PLAY BALL!!!

I can tell you it is bad enough when you have another coach tell you what you did wrong in your game only to come home and be asked “Why didn’t you fake bunt and steal third in the second inning?” Followed by “I’m not trying to tell you what to do but I was talking with Rhonda and Sandy and that is what we would have done”.

The other aspect of this is that the moms do so many things to make it possible for our kids to play this game. They do wash the uniforms, keep up with the uniforms and know just where to look for the belt when we can’t find it. They remember the sun screen. They make sure the snacks and drinks are where they need to be when they need to be there and they get the players to all the practices and games like a well oiled machine. And some moms are managing to do that with more than one child playing.

So in closing, I want to say that I did not forget you moms. I appreciate all you do for everyone involved. We could not do it without you.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!

When the big boys play on field 6 you might notice that the birds and squirrels stay clear of the trees just past the fence. It is a survival instinct.

While I don’t typically single out players I must mention a couple of home runs that have been hit so far. The Bash Brothers or at least the parks version of the Bash Brothers ( without the ‘roids) the Redsox Parker Campbell and Braden Sloan, have each done their part to wreak havoc on the parking lot. The home run threat has earned Parker the respect of opposing coaches who now choose to pitch around him offering him very little to hit. As an example, he drew four walks in four at bats against the Indians. I have chronicled Parker’s home run on field 6 that is the stuff of legends. But Braden would not be outdone in a game a few nights later as he hit a shot on field 6 that was still rising as it CLEARED the trees. The ball did not disturb one leaf as it sailed majestically into the night. I am sure there were about 50 people who witnessed this event and as more time passes the number will grow to several hundred. But we know who we are. Mr. Sloan has also clocked not one, not two, but three grand slams. The kid is in a zone. I heard one coach say “ I know the bases are loaded but if we walk him we will save three runs”.

These two are by no means the only sluggers in the park and I am certain there will be many more to talk about as the season moves forward.  I am looking forward to seeing many more.

I want to encourage everyone to come out to see the Major leaguer’s play. They put on a show every game. Come, grab a Coke and hotdog (or like T.O. says “get your popcorn ready”) find a good place to watch and be amazed at the skill these guys will exhibit.