So, a boy was born this week, a second child for John and Sara; a third grandson,
fourth grandchild for Geeg and Pop. (Yawn.) Big deal, right?
Well, yeah; actually it is. Expect big things from Henry David.
Unfortunately, every day babies are born under difficult conditions, with the proverbial
two strikes against them. Not so, this boy. Henry is born to a family, a team, that is
winning by 5 runs before he even comes to bat!
The hand of God will touch him through his amazing parents, his precocious sister, his
supportive extended family, and, of course, his loving and ever grateful grand parents.
Welcome home, Henry. Forever feel the love.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
THE CALLING
Most of my devoted readers are familiar with the humanitarian efforts of my award winning grandson, Landon. Therefore, I'm a bit embarrassed that, after almost a year, what has compelled me to once again blog is........................Little League Baseball.
Lots of baseball this week end; Miles and Landon had games at the same time, different towns.
Geeg and Pop chose to go to Landon's game.
Shortly after we arrived, we were informed that Miles hit a booming triple in his first at bat. Nice!
Landon's game was riddled with walks, errors, strike outs. By the fourth inning, they were losing, 7-1.
Miles' team won, 4-2, in an amazingly short, crisp game. Geeg and Pop wondered if they made the
wrong choice.
Then things got interesting; Landon's team tied the score with an incredible 2 out rally!
The score remained tied as we entered the sixth inning; the last inning. Unfortunately, the tie did not last long. The opposition scored 3 runs, and with 2 outs, the bases were still loaded.
That's when he got the call.
Landon's coach is his Dad. Dad practices pitching with Landon several mornings every week, before putting him on the bus for school. Landon practices pitching with me several nights every week.
I think he wants to pitch.
With 2 outs, the bases loaded, and already down by 3 runs, coach walks slowly to the mound. As he walks, he turns to his first baseman and says, "Landon, do you want to pitch?"
Landon readily agrees to face this daunting task. His advice from his Dad is "Throw strikes, stay down..
Landon listened and obeyed; 60% of the time.
First pitch was a ball; not an impressive start, but the second pitch was a strike.
Third pitch was a ball, but the fourth pitch was another strike!
With the bases loaded and 2 outs, Landon winds up, fires; strike 3! Nice; very, very nice.
Still, we're down by 3.
But not for long.
My recollection is that a series of fantastic hits tied the game, and brought us to a bases loaded, 2 out situation. A walk or a hit means we win.
If this story was fiction, Landon would be up; but this is not fiction. Every word is true.
Ryan Pliego was up. He had been involved in a controversial play earlier in the day. He was called out on strikes on a pitch that actually hit him.
He was looking for revenge.
He got it.
Ryan blasted a shot back the pitcher. Too hot to handle; pitcher scurries after the ball, lobs it to the catcher. The slide, the call.....................................SAFE!
We win, we win, PANDEMONIUM!
And in the afterglow, I think Landon got the calling. Baseball is a wonderful, wonderful game.
Landon called it a "beast' of a game. Baseball; you gotta love it.
But wait, as is often the case, there's more.
Miles has 2 games today; one on Bethel this morning, and one in New Milford this afternoon.
Geeg and Pop chose to go to the morning game.
I don't yet know what will happen in this afternoon's game, but I think, once again, we made the right choice.
We arrived during the first inning. As I was walking from my car, Miles came up. I chose to watch from behind the centerfield fence.
I'm tellin' ya, you can't make this stuff up.
With a runner on first, Miles hits a shot to centerfield. It's way out there; nobody is going to catch it, except maybe............................me.
The ball soared for Miles" first ever "over the fence" homerun! More PANDEMONIUM!
I didn't catch the homerun ball, but I did retrieve it.
Miles' team won, 5-2.
Baseball; you gotta love it.
Lots of baseball this week end; Miles and Landon had games at the same time, different towns.
Geeg and Pop chose to go to Landon's game.
Shortly after we arrived, we were informed that Miles hit a booming triple in his first at bat. Nice!
Landon's game was riddled with walks, errors, strike outs. By the fourth inning, they were losing, 7-1.
Miles' team won, 4-2, in an amazingly short, crisp game. Geeg and Pop wondered if they made the
wrong choice.
Then things got interesting; Landon's team tied the score with an incredible 2 out rally!
The score remained tied as we entered the sixth inning; the last inning. Unfortunately, the tie did not last long. The opposition scored 3 runs, and with 2 outs, the bases were still loaded.
That's when he got the call.
Landon's coach is his Dad. Dad practices pitching with Landon several mornings every week, before putting him on the bus for school. Landon practices pitching with me several nights every week.
I think he wants to pitch.
With 2 outs, the bases loaded, and already down by 3 runs, coach walks slowly to the mound. As he walks, he turns to his first baseman and says, "Landon, do you want to pitch?"
Landon readily agrees to face this daunting task. His advice from his Dad is "Throw strikes, stay down..
Landon listened and obeyed; 60% of the time.
First pitch was a ball; not an impressive start, but the second pitch was a strike.
Third pitch was a ball, but the fourth pitch was another strike!
With the bases loaded and 2 outs, Landon winds up, fires; strike 3! Nice; very, very nice.
Still, we're down by 3.
But not for long.
My recollection is that a series of fantastic hits tied the game, and brought us to a bases loaded, 2 out situation. A walk or a hit means we win.
If this story was fiction, Landon would be up; but this is not fiction. Every word is true.
Ryan Pliego was up. He had been involved in a controversial play earlier in the day. He was called out on strikes on a pitch that actually hit him.
He was looking for revenge.
He got it.
Ryan blasted a shot back the pitcher. Too hot to handle; pitcher scurries after the ball, lobs it to the catcher. The slide, the call.....................................SAFE!
We win, we win, PANDEMONIUM!
And in the afterglow, I think Landon got the calling. Baseball is a wonderful, wonderful game.
Landon called it a "beast' of a game. Baseball; you gotta love it.
But wait, as is often the case, there's more.
Miles has 2 games today; one on Bethel this morning, and one in New Milford this afternoon.
Geeg and Pop chose to go to the morning game.
I don't yet know what will happen in this afternoon's game, but I think, once again, we made the right choice.
We arrived during the first inning. As I was walking from my car, Miles came up. I chose to watch from behind the centerfield fence.
I'm tellin' ya, you can't make this stuff up.
With a runner on first, Miles hits a shot to centerfield. It's way out there; nobody is going to catch it, except maybe............................me.
The ball soared for Miles" first ever "over the fence" homerun! More PANDEMONIUM!
I didn't catch the homerun ball, but I did retrieve it.
Miles' team won, 5-2.
Baseball; you gotta love it.
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