Take Me Out To the Ballgame

So what do you do when you’re 10 years old
and your super cool Uncle offers you a chance to throw out the opening pitch at
the semi-pro baseball game?

Why, you say “no” of course.

Especially, since you gave up the game a couple seasons ago.

”Geez! Do you remember, Mom, that I HATE baseball?”

Why would you throw that pitch when you vehemently deny
any offers of picking up your mitt and trying the Great American Sport again?

”Geez, Dad! Remember when I got hit in the face with a ball?
It hurt!”

Why would you throw that pitch?
I mean…. DUH! Baseball is a TERRIBLE sport!!

Imagine how proud your parents would be,
if you showed a moment of maturity unusual for such a young age 
and you realized that this was a
CHANCE OF A LIFETIME
and you decided you wanted to throw that pitch after all?

This was the scenario in our house during the month of August.
My cool brother, who is the top server of Texas Roadhouse, arranged for Scooter
to throw the opening pitch for the semi-pro game his restaurant was sponsoring.

Scooter didn’t want to do it.
NO WAY!

We talked, cajoled, pleaded with and bribed him.
He wasn’t going to do it.
And we couldn’t force it.
(Stubborn little stinker!)
We walked away from the offer and let the matter drop.

Until the Sunday before the game.
We were talking about going, what time we would meet my bro there, etc.
when OUT OF THE BLUE, Scooter said,
“I decided I want to throw the opening pitch after all!”

WHAT THE WHAT?
Man, we hope it’s not too late!
So we called Googenheim who asked his manager who said,
”SURE!”

So, Scooter was good to go.
We practiced for THREE WHOLE DAYS leading up to the big game.
His throws were wild.
Too far to the left. Too far to the right.
Frequently he sent the “catcher” on a wild goose chase trying to catch the balls he threw.
Scooter can throw about 40 feet.
In professional ball, the pitcher’s mound is around 60 feet from home plate.
So, most of his pitches were short.

But, it didn’t matter.
We just wanted him to HAVE FUN AND ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE!

He’s a cool Joe before he heads out to the pitcher’s mound.
(Actually, he got kind of nervous, but he hid it well.)

Look at the style… the form!
Such intense concentration!

The cool catcher didn’t even have to move to catch the ball.
Scooter didn’t make it all the way to the plate, but it bounced right into the mitt.
He threw it straighter than he ever did in our practices.

Yep!
You can see from that face,
NO REGRETS!!

Way to go, Scooter!
You made your mama and daddy proud!

Disclosure:
There were actually 4 people that threw out the “first pitch” for this game.
Kind of silly, I know.
The kid behind Scooter also threw and there were two adults.
The kids definitely threw better than the grownups.
And yes, Scooter got to keep his “game ball.”

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