NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Though I’ve always enjoyed the game, it’s been a long time since I’ve played baseball or softball. I’m thinking the last games I played were Sunday afternoon games about 10 years ago, back in Kansas, when my kids would be over and want to spend the afternoon on the ball diamond.
As I remember, wearing bifocals made batting a bit more challenging than in my younger years. Yet, I could still knock the ball over the heads of the outfielders and could throw some hard-to-hit pitches even when we didn’t have enough gloves for baseball and pulled out the 16-inch softball for a slow-pitch game.
Well, I had opportunity to play again last weekend in the 100-plus degree heat with a couple of grandkids who came to visit. They were 5 and 6 and discovered the ball bats Mrs. Griz had behind the door for purposes other than playing games if someone uninvited happened to come through the door. Once the kids found the bats, grandpa had to find aball and the games were on and on and on again!
My guess is that I lost because the grandkids were always up to bat. I got to play pitcher, outfielder and sometimes catcher too - though a golf caddie might also apply when missed pitches were returned golf-style with either a wood or aluminum bat.
I quickly found out that it has been a long time since I had fielded a ground ball. My hands and arms weren’t quite long enough to reach down that far any more, but after a couple days of play and picking up the ball from way down there on the ground, I can scoop up a grounder again without getting down on my knees.
I didn’t bother trying to jump up and snag those line drives over my head into the outfield because I knew the grandkids would feel more of a sense of accomplishment if I let the ball go as far as possible. At least, that’s my excuse and I’m stickin’ to it!
For two youngsters who had never batted a ball before - theywere too small to swing a bat the last time I saw them, and that was in the middle of winter - they were getting pretty good at making their grandpa run (well, maybe just walk fast) deep into the outfield after each pitch to retrieve their home runs.
Not wishing them to accidentally hurt each other or knock out any windows, I replaced the heavy wooden and aluminum bats with some plastic bats and wiffle balls for the second half of the weekend and sent the lighter-weight equipment along home so they can practice up before their next visit.
I probably ought to buy a plastic bat and a wiffle ball for Mrs. Griz too, and have regular practices with her so I can still reach down and scoop up a grounder when they come back for their next visit. Maybe I ought to do a little batting practice myself just in case they come back ready to pitch and play in the outfield too. I would hate to be shut out or struck out by my grandkids before they even make it through kindergarten and first grade!
Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by email at [email protected].
News, Pages 6 on 08/01/2012