Baseball makes me smile

"Let me try, Dad! Can I? Can I say the pledge?"

When I was a kid, I lived at the baseball field. My brother played from little league until college, and my Dad coached right along the way. My Mom was always volunteering to organize the team pool parties, order the trophies, and collect the uniforms. So, that left me climbing trees and consuming as many big league chew pouches and suicide filled snow cones as my teeth could handle. I loved the ball park then. I love the ball park now.

Some of my fondest memories involved being in "The box". "The box", as it was labeled by me, was the Field office, usually located above the concession stand. Only the most important people were allowed to go into "The box", and kids were NOT ALLOWED. Except that I was one determined (and perhaps annoying) kid sister who happened to love the game of baseball. I can remember tugging on my Father's shirt many times asking to recite the little league pledge. On the rare occasion that some poor soul would give in, I would climb to my knees of the folding chair that sat behind the tabled microphone in "The box". In front of me lie the scoreboard with all it's flip switches and lights, pads of scorecards, and freshly sharped pencils. I still remember the smell of the infield dust and the must of the wooded room. I remember watching the ballplayers remove their hats as they lined up on the baselines to the left and right of home plate, and would quickly scan the standing spectators for friends and family with whom I could share my excitment following the big event. Some gentleman from behind would usually give the call,"Go ahead, Kid", and I would lean into the long rectanglar button that sat behind the mic...

Repeat after me.

I trust in God. (pause)

I love my country (pause)

and will respect its laws. (pause)

I will play fair (pause)

and strive to win. (pause)

But win or lose (pause)

I will always do my best. (pause)

Play Ball!

I swear the word "pause" was written after every line on the worn out piece of paper taped to the table.

I still remember the smile that graced my face and the joy I felt when releasing the microphone button. So, it was only natural that when we had a son, one of the first songs I sang to him was about this great American sport.

This clip (which I recorded incognito while sitting at the dinner table) is of our daughter. It makes me feel just as much joy as those days in little league. I am still smiling.