Baseball Joy

742 Words2 Pages

The first team I ever played for was Tobers Party Store. For some kids growing up, baseball was just another way to pass time during the summer, away from the grind of public school. For me it was everything. From the moment my eyes snapped open in the morning, until the time I slipped away to sleep, I had baseball on my mind. I loved to play baseball, watch baseball, and talk baseball. Nothing else mattered. Eating and sleeping were just "necessary evils" that took precious time away from my hobby. I anxiously awaited the day when I would be drafted into the professional ranks after a successful college career. Bubbling with excitement, I would explain my inevitable career path to anyone who would listen. Of course, the responses were less than empowering. "Do you know how good you have to be?", and the tried and true " Go to college and get a real job", were two of the more popular sentiments that the "opposition" hurled at me. Naturally, in my 10 year old mind, I knew they were delusional and I would prove them wrong. It was the summer of 1983. Enthusiastic children from all walks of life gathered together at the baseball diamonds to be split up into different little league teams. "This was it", I thought as I patiently waited for my name to be called. I scanned the competition, keeping an eye out for anyone who shared the same love for the game as I did. Upon completing a thorough investigation, I determined that there were only a select few who would challenge my "self-imposed" all star credentials. The majority of the kids, it seemed, were only there because their parents couldn't afford summer camp.Then the moment arrived. "David Ramos, you'll be playing for Tobers this year", the lead organizer called out. I stuck my... ... middle of paper ... ... to play baseball for a few hours each week. I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that everyone doesn't love baseball, so I naturally assumed that I was just better than most kids. Of course I woke up to reality a few years later, when I proved that although I was a good player, I was a far cry from being a superstar. It wasn't a crushing defeat however, as my life's aspirations began to change. To this day I still like baseball, but I don't love it like I used to. Apparently I grew out of it, the same way most kids grow out of childish ambitions. I will never forget, however, the joy it brought into my life. It has had a profound effect on my life to this day. During times of stress and difficulties, I can always think about that magical summer of 1983. It was the happiest time of my life, and it's something that I will never, nor do I want to, ever forget.

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