T-ball

I saw five year old Max play in a tee-ball game for the first time this week. At first I thought they might cancel the game since the temperature was still in the mid-90’s at game time, but they played anyway. Shane and Max and I got there a little early and watched the game before ours. There was one little girl with a hat bigger than she was, you wondered how she could see anything. She was just arms and legs and a hat.

For those unfamiliar with this game, the baseball is placed on a "tee" about two feet off the ground and batters take a swing at it. There is no pitching. They smack the ball and they're off! No one keeps score in these contests, and they only run three “innings”. Each team bats around three times and then that’s it. It was hilarious.

Max got a hit, and eventually scored a run. As he approaches the base, he stops and then does a little hop to land on the bag with both feet. This slows him down of course, so he could be tagged out during his dismount. He’s hasn’t quite got the principle of catching the ball just yet. Chasing the ball, he knows. He watches it roll past him and then he happily runs after it then picks it up and holds it in the air triumphantly while everyone urges him to throw it in. He’ll get a running start and lob the ball in the general direction on home plate.

The kids have no idea what the score might be, and don't really care. Parents cheer and holler advice (" Throw it to first! Throw it to first!....Not now! Not now!--as the runner is already safe.) There are "coaches" in the outfield and on the baselines to help the kids along.

He really enjoys playing, and loves hanging out with his “teammates” before the game. After the game, the coach told the boys “No more playing with the dirt—it’s ball playing not dirt playing.” His audience was not exactly rapt, as they watched the ants crawl in the dugout or tossed their gloves in the air. Talk about herding cats.