"Is it normal to wake up in the morning in a sweat because you can't wait to beat another human's guts out?"Joe Kapp
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Back By Popular Demand
Back By Popular Demand Come and See Those Interesting Baseball Stats For some people this is Baseball Fantasy For some people this is Baseball Memorabilia For me it is joy and amazement. I love perusing the baseball stats. Walter Johnson - One of the ...
Pressure in Youth Sports
Pressure is part of all sports and its impact in youth sports is something we need to carefully evaluate. The spotlight is brightest in baseball; there is simply no place to hide. For the pitcher, batter, catcher and anybody the ball is hit to, all the ...
Softball: Olympic Sport No Longer?
Softball has been around since a man named George Hancock first invented the game in 1887 in Chicago. It took over 100 years, but women's fast pitch softball became an Olympic event in 1996. Fast pitch is different from the looping, relaxed pitch often ...
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A Choose Up Game - One of My Best Games
The teams were picked and the line ups were announced. I was batting third. I could not wait to hit. Hitting to me was like eating for a fat man with a tape worm. I lived for the experience. I knew even before I batted that I would get a hit. I was so young and cocky! After the first two guys on my team made outs, I strolled up to the plate, as confident as Babe Ruth - pointing to center field in the 1934 World Series when he called his famous home run. Digging in and sneering at Donnie, I was determined to smack that pill. First pitch was a high and tight fastball. .
I got out of the batter’s box and stared again at Donnie. I was thinking fastball for his next offering. I was right. The ball came in so big so round so slow. I could see the red seams on the ball. Boom! I connected on that real sweet spot on the bat.
All batters love that sound. That crack that sounds so solid. Pitchers hang their heads when they hear that noise. It’s like the strike of chalk on a backboard, they hate it. The ball jumped off my bat and sailed over the left and centerfielder’s heads. It was a shot and a half. As I rounded the bases I got a glimpse of Mr. Ginsburg, the high school coach, watching me round the bases. This was Major League stuff.
A few innings later.....
Gazing at Donnie, I thought how much more determined he looked, as I went to bat for the second time. His
brow was crimped and his eyes were staring. With a runner on first he was pitching from the stretch. His leg glided toward home his arm raised high, he flung the ball at me. I do not know what kind of pitch he threw. What I do know is that I hit a rocket about 15 feet over the third baseman’s head down the left field line. As the ball rolled and rolled I scampered around the bases as if I was being chased by some animal. I saw home plate in my head as I ran. And as I rounded second base I again saw Coach Ginsburg now watching the outfielders race after the ball. I hit third base with authority and sped home for my second round tripper in two at bats. My teammates congratulated me. The stands were buzzing again. I remember my friends jumping up and down with big smiles on their faces.
I felt wonderful. Two times to bat. Two home runs, against our high school star pitcher. This game was a fantasy baseball dream come true.
I was Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Willie Mays all rolled in to one that day.
Aron Wallad
Founder Baseball’s Pride and Joy
About the Author
Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. His passions have included; playing, watching, reading , evaluating, and coaching the game he adores. Check out his baseball ezine. For inspiring quotes, unusual statistics and most of all heartwarming stories go here.
http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=goart
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