Three Worst and Best Baseball/Softball Moments

A friend posted a blog comment this week about our Little League and the need for a Code of Conduct.  The Code needs to be signed by both parent and player, and pledges good behavior by all.  The need for it is because of "Little League Parents" who do things which should be prosecuted.  I thought I would share my three best moments and three worst moments on and around a ball field.  The contrast is amazing.  Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Worst Moment #3- Major Baseball and a dominant team having a struggle with another league's only representative team.  Their best pitcher had spent all his pitches, and they were within two runs, but there was no depth.  The umpire refused to change his strike zone which lead to a coach using profane language in front of the whole ball park.  Umpire throws the coach out, automatic.  Nasty words about meeting in the parking lot later.  Good thing the coach came after the game and apologized to all involved.

Best Moment #3- Minor Softball, and Desiree, a too young, no experience player.  A strong player hits a towering fly ball in her direction in left field, usually a good place to hide someone who can't catch a fly ball.  She stood in one place, held her glove out, and the ball hit it.  Nine hundred ninety-nine times, the ball hits the ground.  Desiree received the one.  The smile alone could have lit up Elkhart...heck, all five boroughs in New York City!

Worst Moment #2-  Minor Softball, All Stars.  Road game, road umpires.  Final score ended up Northern Section 33, Good Ladies 3.  Assistant Coach representing my daughter's team had chewed on the home plate umpire all game.  With my daughter right within earshot, Assistant Coach dropped the F-Bomb, and was promptly thrown out of the game.  Now that the reins were off, loud declarations of questionable parentage, more bombs, and threats on the umpires home.  Hope he is never allowed to coach again.

Best Moment #2- Coach pitch baseball. Final game of the season.  A young man, Ephram, had some special challenges involving autism.  He was learning and getting better throughout the season.  But he had been hit by a coach's pitch early in the season and was still afraid to hit.  I am throwing pitches that night, and made it easy, but he still kept jumping out.  The manager, Karrie, came out and whispered something in his ear that will only be known to the two of them.  The next pitch was a decently hit grounder that found it's way through the infield.  Both sets of stands exploded in cheers, and the smile on his face, the smile of someone who just found a lifelong love.  Karrie passed away this past winter, rest her soul...she left a great legacy.

Worst Moment #1- Minor Baseball.  An obviously drunk individual is next to the dugout, yelling a name of a player who was not on either roster.  He was not yelling positive encouragement, he was tearing down the individual and his parents.  Since, I had the scorebook, I asked who he was here to see.  He drunkenly gave me a name, to which I replied that the team he came to see was not playing that night.

Best Moment #1-Major Baseball, President's Tournament Championship Game.  One of our younger players, Nye, had struggled all season.  Facing a dominant pitcher, he struck out looking, not sure when to pull the trigger.  Chasing two runs, and looking at defeat for the first time all year, Nye came to bat with the bases loaded.  He produced a soft liner into right field, scoring two runs, and was heads up enough to take second.  Standing on second, he involuntarily jumped the jump of joy: hands over head, smile disappearing under the ear flaps of his batting helmet.  It was a reason to coach.

Even seeing the worst and the best, it is still worth it.  Remember, they are your children, not your meal ticket. You can learn as much from them as they do from you.  Teach them well.

So...am I off base?