Sunday, July 27, 2008

Winners

We lost tonight. A championship. To a team to which we'd lost three times in the last two weeks. We lost 2-0. There aren't Little League games anywhere that are 2-0, but we had a bases loaded shot down the third base line, called foul, and what can you do?

"What, you sacrificed a goat?" I asked the other coach.

"Two," he said. "I wasn't giving this one up easy."

These All Star teams are different. We only have three weeks with the kids and then they go their separate ways. One kid camping. Another, he's moving two hours away, his family staying here until the last out of the last game. He's been a rock and Coach P. and I offered to adopt him next year. Another to bible camp, even though I offered to teach him religious philosophy in the dugout.

We only gave up twelve runs in six games this weekend. I'd put our defense up against any team in our state. Against any team in our region. Damn, they played some ball.

As we were going through the lines shaking hands, one of the umpires said, "Your shortstop had the best sportsmanship of any kid I've seen in the five years I've been working here."

The shortstop is my son. The umpire didn't know that. On the way home I told my kid, "Good job."

I'm very proud of him. I'm very proud of our team.

4 comments:

Jennifer said...

Good job, Snag. We're very proud of you, too.

I can't believe you didn't do the double-goat sacrifice! That's a no-brainer in the All Stars! If anything, you do the triple and you name them Tinker, Evers and Chance.

Kathleen said...

2 goats outweigh one moose, I guess?

congrats to the team, and you too Coach.

fish said...

Congrats on a nice season of baseball.

Brando said...

Snag, I'm not only impressed by the fine sportsmanship of your son, but I'm glad to see that you weren't willing to commit a human sacrifice to guarantee victory. That sends a positive message to the kids.

Congrats on a great season.