In my family, baseball is a way of life. You played growing up — both organized ball and unorganized with the other kids in the neighborhood — and you followed Major League Baseball religiously. Period. While my time with the former ended relatively early, the latter is still very much a part of my life and is something I subject my kids to like to share with my kids.
So it’s not as if The Girl had any choice but to play ball when she was old enough.
Last night, after three straight rainouts last week, was The Girl’s lidlifter to her baseball career. She gets to play on a team with her cousin and is coached by her uncle (did I mention baseball runs in our blood?).
While I’m happy that she’s playing, I’m also realistic about her talent level, particularly because this is her first time stepping on a ballfield in anger. So imagine my surprise to see her strolling up to the plate to take her team’s first plate appearance of the season.
After a few swinging strikes (coach-pitch has liberal interpretations of the rules), she managed to get a hold of one, and I was lucky enough to capture the moment:
A legitimate single in her first-ever official at-bat. Bursting with pride, I momentarily considered calling time and asking for the ball. I didn’t want to be That Parent™, so I settled for the photo.
Awesome AC! This one deserves a frame.
Wow! You should be proud. And so should she. She’s got great form. She is real.
Amazing photo, too. Wow, again.
Thanks, Shoo and Marie. She was so excited. And I do plan on framing the photo.
As well you should.
It’s really a thing of beauty watching her run. She probably only takes 75% of the strides the rest of the kids do. As you said, EASILY the fastest kid out there.
–Uncle Coach Johann
Great Pic, AC. I think I will be framing it myself.
Something tells me you did not get this excited for her first soccer game.