A kid is sitting in the stands wearing a red Scott’s Farms Little League uniform. Number 29. It’s me and yes, I’m here to talk to him again because, for me, getting older is learning to talk to who I was when I was 12. We’re at the Kiwanis Park in Johnson City. The field lights here were installed when Sandy Koufax was still pitching, so they’re humming like cicadas. The concrete stands were painted green when Sandy Koufax was playing Little League; they’re chipped in places. 12-year-old me is picking at one of the chips. He winces as one gets stuck under his fingernail.
Congrats on the little guy, man. I remember my Little League days. I was one of the lucky ones who got to hit a few homers. Had a fierce rivalry with a Puerto Rican pitcher. We both pitched and swung for the fences. I did that thing where you point the bat beyond the fence once and he laughed and then I homered off him. But I've also struck out swinging more times than I can count. I always think it's funny when baseball players say they can read the ball or pick where they hit it. Bologna! You close your eyes and swing and sometimes you hit a dinger and other times you nearly rip your side in two.
My baseball career ended when pitches started curving. No clue what to do with that. As a fellow eye-closer, if the ball moves, I don't see it. Thanks for the comment man.
Great story, Sam! You may not have connected for a homer, but you did play the game. That's pretty cool.
Love this!
Congrats on the little guy, man. I remember my Little League days. I was one of the lucky ones who got to hit a few homers. Had a fierce rivalry with a Puerto Rican pitcher. We both pitched and swung for the fences. I did that thing where you point the bat beyond the fence once and he laughed and then I homered off him. But I've also struck out swinging more times than I can count. I always think it's funny when baseball players say they can read the ball or pick where they hit it. Bologna! You close your eyes and swing and sometimes you hit a dinger and other times you nearly rip your side in two.
My baseball career ended when pitches started curving. No clue what to do with that. As a fellow eye-closer, if the ball moves, I don't see it. Thanks for the comment man.