| The Base Hit | | | | disheartening. |
| © William A. Patsis | | | | As time went on and I started to get more |
| 2004 | | | | involved with coaching my own team and Dimitri, |
| Sometimes there is that rare moment that | | | | getting to see Evan practice was difficult. His |
| causes one to reflect on those matters that are | | | | catching and throwing seemed to improve slightly |
| deemed important and deflect those that are not. | | | | but his hitting was the same. But somehow he |
| It is a very humbling experience but a nice feeling | | | | hung in there, and fortunately, the rest of his |
| nevertheless. I had one of those moments. | | | | teammates never made fun of him. There was |
| Spring time has many activities for kids. The | | | | camaraderie with the boys and the coaches. The |
| most notable, or at least it was when I was | | | | coaches continued to be supportive and |
| young, is baseball. Moving into a new area and | | | | encouraging. |
| signing up Evan (10) and Dimitri (8) in the winter | | | | Then the games started for real. Evan would play |
| was originally intended to have them participate in | | | | for an inning or two in right field and typically bat |
| an activity they were familiar with and hopefully | | | | just once. He had made a couple of nice plays in |
| sidetrack the wonderful memories they had in our | | | | the outfield but his batting consisted of either |
| previous home during the moving transition. | | | | walking (rarely) or striking out (mostly). He never |
| Signing them up came with conditions, particularly | | | | complained nor did his attitude change. Come |
| from Evan. He would play if I could become his | | | | practice or game time he was eager to be out |
| coach. Now the pressure was on me. I knew | | | | there, listen to the coaches, and enjoy the |
| agreeing to this condition would make my already | | | | practice of being a kid with the rest of his |
| hectic life even more difficult. But there comes a | | | | teammates. The team lost their first game of the |
| time where you just do it, and live with the | | | | year. Afterwards the dejection and silence |
| consequences. I agreed to become a coach. | | | | emanating from the dugout was prevalent except |
| Little League was divided into 4 divisions. T-Ball, | | | | from Evan. He made a statement heard by all, |
| Coach Pitch, Major Minor, and Little League. Since | | | | hey it’s only one game, and we are |
| Evan was 10 and they were unfamiliar with his | | | | not going to lose them all. I was stunned to |
| abilities, he had to participate in a tryout. If he | | | | hear him say that, but very proud. So were his |
| wasn’t picked, he would automatically go | | | | coaches. Evan had no idea how winning was all |
| to the Major Minor division. Dimitri already qualified | | | | that most kids knew playing under Frank, but he |
| for Major Minors and did not need a tryout. If he | | | | brought it all into perspective. The team bounced |
| did tryout, they would’ve discovered a | | | | back with some wins. They were not going to be |
| natural athlete who already possessed skills that | | | | the dominating team they were last year, but |
| surpassed his older brother. The tryout was | | | | they still were among the top. But as the games |
| preceded with a voluntary clinic which we | | | | went on, he still struck out for his only time at |
| participated in. Watching him from the sidelines | | | | bat. But the coaches still kept encouraging him. |
| with the other boys, it was apparent that he | | | | Frank kept saying not to be discouraged and Phil |
| really wasn’t skilled at the game. It was | | | | kept working on his swing. |
| disheartening since this was a game that I played | | | | One day coming home my wife was elated. She |
| faithfully throughout my youth and ended as a | | | | told me at practice Evan practically hit every ball |
| starting pitcher for my high school team. I started | | | | that Frank threw to him. This was confirmed by |
| to feel very guilty watching him at the clinic. Why | | | | Evan who was noticeably excited by this new |
| did I not spend more time with him teaching the | | | | development. He started to build confidence. I |
| game? His frustration showed but he completed | | | | went to the next practice and noticed that, |
| the clinic. During the clinic I was told by one of the | | | | although he missed a few and the kids were still |
| organizers the coaches for Little League were | | | | gathering around the pitching mound when he |
| intact, basically the same ones from the previous | | | | batted, he did get the bat on the ball. What I also |
| years, but there was a need for a Major Minor | | | | experienced was something you do not see |
| coach and that Dimitri could play for me and if | | | | often. The parents of the kids, particularly the |
| Evan was not going to be picked for Little League | | | | stars of the team, showed a lot of interest in the |
| he also could play for me. I agreed to do it and | | | | progress of Evan. He was the kid to really root |
| looked forward in seeing both of my sons play | | | | for, the underdog. They were very supportive of |
| together and under my direction. | | | | him. |
| The tryout was the following week at the local | | | | Dimitri and I had just finished a practice with our |
| high school gym. The gym was divided by an air | | | | own team and headed to the Little League field |
| wall. I observed the parents sitting in the | | | | where Evan was having a game. We arrived |
| bleachers while some kids were warming up by | | | | around the 5th inning. The team was winning 4-0. |
| throwing to each other. On the other side of the | | | | Evan had not batted yet. He saw me and without |
| air wall were the coaches conducting drills in | | | | hesitation asked if we could get Chinese food |
| groups of 5 or 6. Parents were not permitted to | | | | after the game. At first I told him no, since my |
| observe the drills. I asked Evan to go on the floor | | | | wife had prepared a really nice dish. He is crazy |
| and start warming up with some of the kids, but | | | | about food and the dejection gave him a sour |
| he was reluctant. Being shy to begin with, coupled | | | | pus. I then said to him that if he got a hit I would |
| with not knowing any of the kids; he was very | | | | get him Chinese food. He relayed this information |
| hesitant to go out. It was frustrating to me since | | | | to Jeff the scorekeeper. Jeff is a school teacher |
| I knew he really needed the practice. Finally he | | | | and father to one of the ployers. He has a very |
| went on the floor to throw. Just watching his | | | | upbeat attitude, a lot of enthusiasm and a great |
| poor mechanics made me feel bad again. I felt | | | | liking towards Evan. He came to me and said |
| this was going to be a damaging episode to his | | | | there may be a possibility that he may not get to |
| ego and eliminate any idea that baseball was a | | | | bat due to his position in the lineup and the game |
| cool sport. They called his name and he | | | | being late in the innings. But he assured Evan I |
| disappeared onto the other side. Afterwards | | | | would get him the Chinese food anyway. |
| when asked how he did, he simply said OK. | | | | As it turned out Evan got a chance to bat. There |
| Much to our surprise, we received a call from | | | | were two outs and a man on base. The kid from |
| Frank a coach for the Little League, who informed | | | | the opposing team still looked pretty good and |
| us that Evan was going to play on his team. Evan | | | | throwing hard. Evan had always remarked that he |
| was elated, I was shocked. Never in my mind did | | | | felt the pitchers he opposed threw very hard so I |
| I think he would make it. | | | | always felt he came to the plate already |
| Frank, we were told by others in the league, was | | | | intimidated. The first pitch thrown was high but |
| a tough coach who approached the game with a | | | | Evan swung at it and managed to foul it off. A |
| no nonsense attitude. At this first practice, this | | | | foul ball from Evan was a cause to celebrate and |
| was very apparent. He was a drill sergeant, calling | | | | he received applause from his teammates and |
| kids knuckleheads, demanding their utmost | | | | from the parents. The next pitch was also high |
| attention and not tolerating a bad effort. Despite | | | | and Evan put his bat on the ball cleanly. It was a |
| his apparent demeanor, I learned this team, the | | | | grounder between the second and first basemen |
| Rockies, won the league last year going | | | | into right field. A clean hit. |
| undefeated. In fact he lost very little over the | | | | The applause was as if someone hit a homerun. I |
| years. When I asked him if could become an | | | | turned to my wife and gave her a big hug and a |
| assistant coach, he calmly told me he already had | | | | kiss. She was elated. I looked at my son at first |
| 2 assistant coaches, the maximum allowed under | | | | base and he was beaming. That look of |
| league rules. I could however, participate in the | | | | satisfaction was enough to send through my |
| drills if I wished. So I did. I helped out a coach | | | | heart this warmness and elation that stopped |
| named Phil, whose son was on the team and one | | | | time, and for a moment I was living his moment. |
| of the stars, with the outfield players of whom | | | | The more he smiled, the more I smiled. The boy |
| Evan was grouped with. The other coach, Kevin, | | | | was walking on air. The ball was retrieved by the |
| was usually working with the infielders. | | | | coaches so that he could have it signed by his |
| Evan could not catch a fly ball nor throw it with | | | | teammates. They did not score and the inning had |
| any strength. But he seemed eager. Coach Phil | | | | ended, but the rousing high fives and genuine love |
| was very encouraging and afterwards told me | | | | the kids and parents had for this wonderful |
| the things he felt I should do to help him get | | | | moment caused him to finally feel like he |
| better. I listened. I did not want to be arrogant | | | | contributed, he was really part of this team. The |
| and explain to him I knew the game of baseball. If | | | | elation did not stop. I have never seen him run so |
| I did, how would I explain why my son was so | | | | fast to his position in right field. |
| poor? When Evan came to bat it was even uglier. | | | | After the game had ended, I turned to Frank, Phil, |
| Standing close to the backstop with Frank | | | | and Kevin and told them all Good job guys. |
| throwing batting practice, he did not hit even one. | | | | Just a normal thing to say but it carried a lot of |
| But Frank was encouraging, time and time again | | | | emotion. The base hit was a confirmation. The |
| saying it was his fault for not throwing better. | | | | desire to keep on trying, never give up, |
| This might have been somewhat true since Evan | | | | encouraging others who are less skilled than you. |
| was the last one to bat and his arm was probably | | | | This is what the game should be about. A lesson |
| shot. The rest of the kids already had gathered | | | | about life and love. |
| by the pitchers mound knowing Evan was not | | | | I took him to get Chinese food, just the both of |
| going to hit anything remotely close to the infield. | | | | us. I looked at him and said that was a really |
| And gathering the balls was too easy since they | | | | special moment. He just smiled and said, Yeah, |
| were all laying around Evan’s feet from all | | | | it really was, I got a base hit. No son, you and |
| of the pitches thrown and missed. It was | | | | I got more than that. |