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May 14, 2007
Simple pleasures
My 8 year old son is playing Little League baseball. Let me tell you, I have throughly enjoyed watching him play baseball (badly). Most of the boys on his team struggle to throw, catch, and hit the ball ... you know, the basics of the game. However, every once in a while one of the boys does something right and you can see a glimmer of potential. A boy will throw it to first base before the runner and miraculously the first baseman will catch it, or a pop fly will stay in someone's glove. It is at those moments that all the parents in the crowd will clap and cheer wildly, and I will decide there isn't any place I'd rather be.
In their first game against the juggernaut that is the Harmon Auto Glass team, my son got a hit and actually made it all the way around the bases for the first run of the game. I went into the dugout to congratulate him, and I'm not sure I have ever seen him with a bigger smile. He was excited, his team was excited, and all was right with the world. It is amazing how a run in a Little League baseball game can make people so happy, you know? Simple pleasures my friends.
My son and I went to a "skills night" recently and I helped out with one of the stations that had the kids batting off a tee. As we stood in line some of the kids with my son's group noticed that they would be using a wooden bat for this station, a rarity in any league but MLB.
One of the boys asked, "What if we break the bat?"
Impressed with their confidence in their own power, I answered, "There is no way any of you are going to break that bat." Then I added, "I tell you what, if any of you break that bat I will give you a special prize."
One of the boys piped up, "You mean, you'll give us a can of pop?"
"Or a doughnut?" another boy added.
I laughed and said, "If any of you break that bat, I will give you a can of pop AND a doughnut!!!"
The boys all thought that was a pretty good deal. Of course, after that all of them forgot about the fundamentals of swinging a bat in their efforts to crush the ball. The coach manning the station had to ask, "What has gotten into all of you? Don't kill the ball! Just hit it!"
The whole episode put a huge smile on my face, though. Can you remember when a can of pop or biting into a doughnut was something truly special? Or when swinging a bat at a little white ball and running around a diamond shaped playing field could make you as happy as you've ever been? Let me tell you, I am starting to remember. I am starting to remember the simple pleasures that can make a summer time evening so wonderful.
Posted by snackeru at May 14, 2007 06:02 PM
Comments
So true, and proof that baseball is only a spectator sport when your own kid is playing. Beyond that, it is a friggin waste of time and money.
Posted by: Buck Faseball at May 14, 2007 04:31 PM
Shane, if he can hit the ball, the Twins sure could use him in the lineup.
Posted by: kevin in az at May 14, 2007 04:39 PM
Where are all the happy tax payers?
http://www.startribune.com/562/story/1183203.html
Are your incomes increasing double digits per year?
Posted by: Omen at May 15, 2007 07:32 AM
Got my new Gopher football season ticket assignments. My buddy and I each had one seat for the last ten years, and now with the new coach and new stadium on the horizon, we decided to bump it up to two seats each. But, as a result, to stay together, we had to move over two sections, to section 125, we used to be in 129. And, we had to move forward four rows to row 9. I am not a big fan of sitting that close at a football game. Ideally, if we are talking lower level, I want to be as close to the field/court as possible for baseball and basketball. And, about halfway up the lower level for football and hockey. Does everyone else feel the same way?
Posted by: Derek at May 15, 2007 08:23 AM
Shane, that is a neat story. I don't even have kids, and I still get a kick out of watching those little guys (and girls) try to play. When they're out there doing the best they can, even though it's terrible, I think I enjoy that every bit as much as going to a big-league game. Simple pleasures is right.
Posted by: Jeff A at May 15, 2007 09:03 AM
The Boy®, now seven, is in his first baseball league (the hated Red Sox!). He can hit very well, but can’t throw or catch at the moment. We are working on that every chance we get, even before the bus comes each morning.
But what I’m most proud of, is his sportsmanship. Last week my son was stationed at shortstop. The second fielder missed a grounder and got a little upset when the coach might have, let's say, overstated the importance of allowing the ball to go through to the outfield. The second fielder started to sob and my son walked over and said, “Who’s the man? Who’s the man? You da man! You’ll get that ball next time”…and generally cheered up the second fielder. The coach, realizing he may have been a bit too rash picked up on his mistake and the rest if the night the whole group was cheering on each other.
So, despite the fact that The Boy® has a better slugging percentage than 99% of the Twins, I was most proud of his teamwork and sportsmanship….a true rarity in this day and age.
Posted by: Brian Maas at May 15, 2007 11:11 AM
I umpired a lot of Little League games when I was 13 or 14 and I remembered how excited an entire team could get by turning a double-play because it meant the coach would by them all Blizzards.
Posted by: Will Young at May 15, 2007 11:47 AM
Derek-
You mention that you got your Gophers football assignments. I paid back in January, and was wondering when I'd get them. Did they come in the mail today?
I'm pretty anxious because I requested a seat move, and backed it up with a contribution to the scholarship fund. I'd heard this helps, but haven't heard anything as of yet...
Posted by: tato at May 15, 2007 12:13 PM
After having student tickets for about 5 years, I finally splurged this year with my dad and bought two seats for the football season. Brewster has me excited as do the eventual new digs. I got a call at 11:30 this morning and got my seat assignment. Section 100, Row 19. I didn't make a donation to the Williams Fund, but I've heard that it does help, as do years as an alumni association member. If it doesn't help this year, it will when they move into TCF Bank Stadium.
I thought I heard them say that they will give "points" out for donations, years as a season ticket holder, the number of seats you've purchased, years as an alumni member, etc. Those with the most points have priority in choosing their new seats when they leave the Dome.
By the way, the excavation of 100,000 cubic yards of dirt begins on Monday morning in downtown MPLS. Amazing how it works. A year ago this upcoming weekend, the Twins were in Milwaukee waiting to hear whether the House and Senate had passed the Stadium Proposal. A year later, construction will begin.
Off to Milwaukee on Friday morning for two games. Thank god Ponson's gone.
Posted by: Mylometer at May 15, 2007 12:51 PM
Shane-
My kid is 7 going on 8 and it amazes me how pure their love of the game is. His coach also coaches his older son's practice right after ours on Saturdays and alot of the kids hang around to practice with the older kids. They practice for three hours total and then want to play catch when they get home, and later fall asleep listening to the Twins on the radio that night. It is alot different then 14 year old girls softball which I did my best to coach my daughter's school team this spring. You thought there is alot of back biting in the legistlature? You should hang around 8th grade girls for awhile. Anyway, "Save the Ford Little League Fields", my kid has at least 8 or so years left.
-Jiminstpaul
By the way I also meant to post on your recent movie purchase. Take this in the good fun it is offered, but maybe you want to change the name of the blog to the "Geek Machine".
Posted by: Jiminstpaul at May 15, 2007 01:01 PM
Since Jiminstpaul is resurrecting the movie thread, did anyone mention "The Goonies"
Posted by: Snyder at May 15, 2007 01:38 PM
How appropriate that the press conference announcing the new stadium construction schedule was held on a "typical" 55 degree mid May day, enduring 30 mph wind gusts.
I'm sure there were more attendees at the press conference than will be showing up for a Twins game under the same conditions, 10 years from now.
Posted by: Voice of Reason at May 15, 2007 02:21 PM
I enjoy reading the positive odes to baseball, spending time with kids, summer etc. from the regular contributors to this blog.
And then, like clockwork, a negative, bitter, cynical statement comes in from the anti-stadium "crowd." (Or possibly from the same person using many different names).
Makes me happy that I am pro-stadium!
Jeff T.
Posted by: Jeff T. at May 15, 2007 03:19 PM
tato,
I paid a while back too, and just got a call last week. She was online looking at seat availability, I was on the website looking at the seating chart. We came to agreement and she said they would be processing and sending out in the coming weeks. We have been season-ticket holders for 10 years, I am not an alumni, but my buddy (in whose name two of the four seats are held) is, and we haven't donated to the Williams fund (although I am sure that Mylometer is right with his post). One other thing we do is purchase two seats to one away game each year and do a road trip, but, I doubt that has anything to do with it. I am also a lifelong Gopher fan, but I doubt that has anything to with it either.
In case anyone is interested in my road trip track record:
2002: Loss at Wisconsin (ugly 4th quarter)
2003: Loss at Iowa (outgained them like 450 to 175 and still somehow got beat by 20 points)
2004: Loss at Indiana (blow 14 point lead, can these road trips get any worse?!?!?!)
2005: Win at Michigan (are you kidding me?!?! Can these road trips EVER get any better than this!?!?!?!)
2006: Loss at Purdue
2007: Originally schedule to do Northwestern, but everything fell apart and we are doing Iowa again.
Hope to see all Big Ten stadiums in the next six or seven years...but, with the increased level of non-conference competition on the horizon: home and home with Colorado, Oregon State, Washington State, Cal, etc...we may have to do that. And, UNLV is on the horizon, which could be a cool trip.
Posted by: Derek at May 16, 2007 09:05 AM
Derek-
Thanks. Maybe I'll give them a call.
I haven't done a road trip. I was darn close to going to the Insight Bowl. Pretty glad I skipped that one.
I had student tickets for four years, and then purchased season tickets for the first time last year in anticipation of the new stadium (as a part-time grad student, I'm still eligble for student tickets).
It was pretty funny, the past few months have had me on a roller coaster of emotion regarding my purchase of Gophers season tickets:
Dec. 29 Halftime of the Insight Bowl: "Wow, I'm really glad I decided to get season tickets this past season. EVERYONE is gonna be buying them after this game!"
Dec. 29 Insight Bowl Collapse Complete: "Sh&t. I could have waited at least another year before buying my season tickets. The Dome is gonna be a TOMB next year!"
Dec. 31 Mason Fired: "Holy Cow. I can't believe they did it. Boy am I glad we've already got our season tickets!"
Jan. 15 - Brewster Hired: "Hmmm, I have no idea whether I'm gonna want to watch 7 Gophers games next season. We'll see..."
Jan. 15 - Today - Brewster markets himself well and actually manages to IMPROVE the Gophers recruiting class: "This guy has come out of the gate pretty well. I'm sure glad I got my season tickets before everyone else does!"
Posted by: tato at May 16, 2007 10:29 AM
Off-topic, but interesting article at MSN today. "History's 10 most undeserving MVPs" and I half expected to see Morneau listed not because I don't think he deserved it but more due to the whole East coast vs. Fly Over Country mentality. Link is here if you want to see who was listed:
1=10035">http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/6808412?MSNHPHCP>1=10035
Posted by: Brian Maas at May 16, 2007 11:09 AM
I thought MLB contributed so much to our "quality of life." Funny -
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1187307.html
Posted by: Shadrap at May 16, 2007 11:56 AM
Shadrap,
We never said it helps YOUR quality of life, just that it helps OUR quality of life. We left you out of the equation.
Posted by: Derek at May 16, 2007 12:35 PM
Well the representation was; "how much having a MLB club helps, among other things, the general quality of life."
It appears that the top three cities have been able to obtain an independent 3rd party rating as "the best" without having anything to do with MLB. In otherwords: MLB adds nothing.
Posted by: Shadrap at May 16, 2007 01:42 PM
MSN may not have slammed Morneau, but ESPN did:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=schoenfield/070515&sportCat=nba
As for the Strib article on quality of life, who gives a Buck what Kiplinger's thinks and what makes them such an authority on measuring something like "quality of life" anyway?
That's like putting credence in the Forbes article that said Kevin McHale was the best GM in professional sports.
Posted by: Snyder at May 16, 2007 01:53 PM
"who gives a Buck what Kiplinger's thinks and what makes them such an authority on measuring something like "quality of life" anyway?"
No kidding. Anyone ever notice how the composition of these lists change completely over the course of a single year? One year Rochester is the best place in the country to live, and the next year it's like 49th. Did the city really change that much in a year?
Hmm, if I wasn't so sure the media had only our best interest in mind, I might suspect that these rankings are just cheap stunts to sell magazines!
Posted by: tato at May 16, 2007 02:49 PM
Shad,
You can't make that conclusion. Just because the top 3 don't have baseball doesn't mean MLB adds nothing. Maybe they are great places to live despite the lack of MLB. Maybe Mpls wouldn't be top 5 without MLB. Maybe we would be number 8.
Towns with MLB provide baeball fans with a place to go to feed their interests.
Towns with MLB get their name in the paper everyday.
Towns with MLB are seen on sports tv everynight across the world.
Towns with MLB bring thousands of people to an economic center 81 nights per year to spend money.
Towns with MLB have at least one more fun thing to do than towns without MLB.
Saying it adds nothing is ridiculous. I will grant you that the benefits are way overblown by some people who don't have a clue what they are talking about. But, the benefits are underestimated by an equal number of people who don't have a clue what they are talking about.
Posted by: Derek at May 16, 2007 02:55 PM
To backup Shad, I offer the following irrefutable evidence:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/05/15/miami_tops_rude_drivers_list_again/
We dropped from 30th to 14th, all because we have a publically funded stadium. It's pretty clear to me that we've lost our way as a society and that by 2010 we'll definitely be #1 on this list.
All because of the stadium...
Posted by: Drake33 at May 16, 2007 03:16 PM
Nice try Derek. I'll give you #1 on your list; nobody cares about #2 & #3; if #4 were true, the report that showed sales tax receipts in downtown St. Paul actually increasing by .7% during the NHL lockout would seem to contradict any purported benefit; and, I wonder what we're sacrificing for #5.
Posted by: Shadrap at May 16, 2007 03:39 PM
I can't believe you all want to talk about the economic impact of stadiums. It is the never-ending argument. Shadrap, nice of you to join in, but you've missed about three years of discussion. Your conclusion concerning St. Paul tax receipts going up during the NHL lockout is completely flawed. It assumes that St. Paul remained stagnant in all other areas of potential tax receipts during that same time. In fact, during the NHL lockout some big businesses opened in St. Paul, including a huge new Walmart. We'll never know, but without the NHL lockout St. Paul tax receipts would have probably gone up more than .7 percent because St. Paul would have had the NHL in town and all these new businesses.
Whatever you want to believe though. Like I said, it is a never-ending argument. Fortunately for me, I don't have to worry about it anymore. Construction on the new Twins stadium will start next week.
Posted by: Shane at May 16, 2007 03:59 PM
Enough about "baseball been very, very good to me" (circa 1979 Garret Morris, SNL). How's about some football. Anyone see the story about Pat "The Planet" Williams today? Vikings DT Pat Williams has been losing weight and has just two more pounds to go to get down to 325, where coach Brad Childress wants him. Oh, for the days of being "down to 325" again!
http://www.startribune.com/510/story/1185905.html
And we can't forget about His Highness, the great Lord Favre. His Lordship now has caved on his decision to NOT attend minicamp. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Packers quarterback Brett Favre will report for this weekend's mandatory minicamp. Favre previously had said that he would skip the minicamp due to his daughter's upcoming high school graduation (I think she was held back for 4-years), and because offseason ankle surgery (incured from kicking the team GM in the rear-end for not securing Mr. Moon) would prevent him from participating in any of the on-field sessions.
But a team spokesman said earlier this week that coach Mike McCarthy regards the camp as mandatory since, you know, it is. Mandatory, that is.
Per Mort, Brett has had a change of heart, and will make the trek from Missisippi to Wisconsin.
Ah, football is only what, 3 months away?
Posted by: Brian Maas at May 16, 2007 05:48 PM
Ugh, back to Shane's topic at hand and off of all this stadium stuff for a moment.
Little league games are the best. I lived in Staten Island for a year and after leaving the ferry would always walk past the field for the Staten Island Yankees (?!) and sometimes I'd sneak into the stands to watch a little league game. It was pretty fun stuff, baseball at its purest. I loved your story and it is so nice how a can of soda (SODA!) and a doughnut can be inspiration even in these days. I'm just surprised -- and very pleased -- that they were interested in the simple pleasures instead of "You'll buy us a Wii game?" The double-play/Blizzards story was pretty good too! I'd gun for a dp myself if given that motivation.
Posted by: Vicki at May 18, 2007 08:28 AM
I like big butts and I can not lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist
And a round thing in your face
You get sprung...
Posted by: drake33 at May 21, 2007 01:41 AM
whoops. I think I posted to the wrong thread. If my "I Like" post gets posted here, feel free to delete it.
:)
Posted by: drake33 at May 21, 2007 01:43 AM
