Last Game

Chris had his last baseball game yesterday. Since our team is so good we had to let the other team bat one more time then us because their coach wanted all of his kids to bat three times for the last game. During this last half an inning Chris was able to play the coveted catcher position.

The very first game of the season was in April during our heatwave. Chris was absolutely miserable and when the coach told him he was playing catcher Chris started crying. He didn't want to put anything on that would make him hotter.

It was a 7:00 game, which I personally think is really late for 5 and 6 year old kids.

We showed up at the field and the game before us had not ended yet. Chris hung his bat on the backstop and went to warm up with his team. Well, from warm-ups they went straight into their positions on the field. I noticed that Chris's bat disappeared. When I informed Chris he went over to the other team to retrieve his bat. Since Chris's name was not on his bat they would not give it to him. As I was paying attention to a new baby I did not notice that Chris didn't come back with his bat. Fast forward to the third inning. The teams are switching positions and the other team's coach tells Chris that they have his bat. So he walks over and they still won't give it to him. (Torture to a 5 year old, even worse for a tired 5 year old) He runs across the field and I can tell he is about to cry. So I take him back to get his bat. Ultimately I get into an argument with another parent about having Chris's bat. I told a little white lie that I actually watched the bat come to their dugout while the kids were warming up. Well, they still decided that they were going to keep his bat hostage until the end of the game. I guess someone suddenly started to feel guilty because after one batter they decided to return his bat. (I had a sharpie in the car and put his name on the bat before we even left the field....but it was the last game)

Then another little boy on our team got sent off the field. He was playing shortstop and when the base runner ran by he threw dirt in the kids eyes. His mom said "This is what happens after his bedtime, he turns evil." She made him sit on the bench until the team came in to bat and then took him home.

My last example of why games should not be at 7:00. One of our players is running towards home plate. The catcher has the ball and our kid decides that he is going to slide to try and beat the tag. As he goes down the catcher smacks him in the face with the glove. Our kids knocks the ball loose, slides through the catchers legs and then smacks his head on the ground. (This is T-ball, right?) He gets up and is smiling and giving high fives like he just won the game for his team. Even the coaches are telling him how amazing the play was. Well, after he makes his way over to his mom, sits in her lap and just starts crying.

Maybe with a year under his belt next years 7:00 games will go better. I doubt it though since he will still be with the same age group. Getting home at 9:00 is just too late!