I coached youth baseball for several years. A lot has been written and said about youth baseball over the past several years. Some of it good; some of it less than good.
I want to share with you the best the game can offer, and the joy that it shares with the Christmas season.
One of the first groups I was blessed with had many fine young athletes that were a part of that team. Then there was Anthony.
Nobody ever loved everything about the game more than Anthony. Nobody ever was as excited about coming to practice, getting his uniform, picking up the equipment, learning to keep score, or making out a line up card. Anthony was just not blessed with the same physical skill that made him a great player.
We worked on everything to bring up “AC’s” skill. I played catch with him myself more than any other kid on the team. We tried every method I knew about getting the bat on the ball. We worked for two seasons. The kids were great with Anthony. Nobody ever expected much, so when Anthony tried and was not successful the kids did their best to support him.
At the end of our last season, Anthony and I both knew there were other things Anthony was going to excel with. In our last game of the year, we were playing our league championship game. (Big stuff for 8-9 year old Little League.) It was not a tight game or particularly dramatic until one point late in the game. It was time for Anthony to bat. The kid pitching was struggling with his control, and I could tell Anthony was more than anxious. It was not so much he probably could not hit what this kid was pitching but that this kid was probably going bean Anthony at some point in time during this at bat.
I did not say much to Anthony as he headed to the plate but to watch the ball hit the bat. Anthony climbed into the batters box with his helmet sitting right on top of his glasses, and the bat stuck straight up in the air. Anthony took a couple of pitches and seemed to relax when they were both way outside.
At this point the world stopped. Anthony did not take “big” swings at anything. But the stars were in their alignment and the pitch came into the plate, the bat moved, the bat struck the ball, and the ball rolled into fair territory about six feet from home plate. NOBODY expected this and Anthony’s mad dash for first base was successful. Anthony had a hit. You can imagine all the “Fields of Dreams” you want. Pure joy was at first base and filled a Little League field and half of eastern Cabell County.
Anthony went on to be a very good drummer in a very good marching band at Cabell Midland High School and was headed for a career in computers or pharmacy. But in that one moment in time, I saw the joy we should all feel at Christmas. Anthony’s joy is my own standard for the joy of Christmas, and I hope we all can find some of the same this season.
Mike Bowen