Favorite Baseball Memory

What is your favorite memory? Although many will post about their son's game --and that's fine, post it-- it could have been an experience that taught a life lesson or a traveling experience that didn't involve a game.

Whatever memory that was important to you, tell us what it was.

 

It has been a couple of years now since my son's senior year and not long before the final game of the season. I don't really remember who they were playing, or the score of the game, all I remember is looking out during the post game handshakes and noticing his catcher's helmet, mitt and the ball laying in the grass as if posed for a picture. It is hard to explain the emotion that I felt at that moment, and feel now as I think back to that night. I pointed it out to my wife, and without having to explain to her she understood. We both realized that very soon our son's playing days would be over and a new chapter of his life would begin. I wish I had a camera that night to take a picture, but most anyone else that saw it would not understand the impact that image had for us. There were hundreds of games and thousands of memories, both good and bad from our years in baseball but that one simple image of a catcher's helmet, mitt and a ball stand out to me above them all. My son has since move on to Campbell University and is persuing a degree in Pharmacy. I was always very proud of my son the player but I am even prouder of man he is becoming.

 

Wow! This thread will allow many to dust off some cobwebs and relive some great moments. Baseball is a game that many think is slow and lacks excitement, but I'm sure many who post here will recall many exciting and gratifying moments.

Favorite as a parent: My son just joined a new school as a sophomore and our very first varsity game was against last years' state champs at their field and surprisingly the game was tied in the bottom of the 8th inning 1-1. The home team had a batter hit a triple with two outs and the next batter stroked a long tailing drive down the right field line...if it gets down, that's the ballgame. I've seen him make many diving catches and I can usually tell if he is going to get there or not and I didn't think he was going to make that catch. It had been raining and his backhanded, diving catch sliding in the mud across the foul line into the right field corner was an electric moment and cemented his worthiness with his new teammates.

Player's favorite: Last year in our first round state playoff game played at home we were trailing our crosstown rival 9-7 with runners on 1st and 2nd and two outs in the bottom of the 7th inning and my son doubled deep to center field to plate the tying runs. He is primarily known as a pitcher, but he says the ovation that flooded him from the large crowd made that moment really special as the season was on the verge of ending.

Favorite as a coach: Our 13-year old travel team was playing in a big tournament at the new Cal Ripken complex in Myrtle Beach. After several days of play-in games, we were in the championship bracket and we drew a team from Arizona that was undefeated for the week. The game was delayed until an 11:00 at night start due to storms and when things got underway our players gutted out 5 runs in the top of the first, including a hit batsmen that resulted in a broken arm. Our pitcher (not my son) was so strong mentally and our fans were so excited (and wet) that things came together in a surreal way. We won 13-7 and the opposing team mooned us in the handshake line. The head coach was a former professional player and he was arguing with the parents who were now facing a long trip back to Arizona. They came unglued and our players played the game of their lives. We got in bed about 2:30 am and our 9:00 am game the next morning was not a good showing for our boys, but everyone will remember that night for a long time.

 

Great stories...keep them coming

 

Winning the 2005 13U AAU National Championship with LKNBaseballFan and Phillydave and a great group of kids and parents.

 

Favorite Parent Moment:
Sophomore year of High School, March 2008! Michael had TJ surgery in April of 2007 and after many months of rehab, (thank you Alan Tyson), running and self doubt if he would be able to come back and pitch, ..... there he was back on the mound. With tears of joy from his Mom and I he gets ahead of the first batter he faces with a count of 1 & 2, then he hits the guy with a curve ball! My tears turned to laughter! He now is in his first year of college baseball at USC Sumter!

Favorite Player Moment:
Striking out the side in a one run ball game at Independence HS with the winning run on second base!

Favorite as a Coach:
This may sound corny and all but having the chance (thru Little League, AAU, USSSA, HS) to meet and become friends with a boat load of great coaches & umpires that all have the same passion for baseball that I do! Moose, Brad, Kevin, Mark, Scott, Tom, John, Tim, Oscar and many many more!

***Winning the 2005 13U AAU Championship with Moose was pretty cool as well! Michael proudly still has that Gold Medal!

 

As a dad, watching my son Paul pitch a 4-3 complete game win over Ardrey Kell to clinch the '08 4A state championship for Greenville Rose. It just doesn't get any better than that imho.

As a fan, back in '07, Rose had a player who had a pretty rough upbringing without much structure. He also was not a very good baseball player as compared to his other teammates and rarely played but RV kept him on the team, probably just to try to give him a foundation to lean on. Without baseball and the team, the kid might had drifted to trouble. Anyway, told the end of the season, he finally got an at bat in a hs game and dang it, he hit it out. Guy Smith Stadium went absolutely crazy. I never cheered so loud in my life. This kid went on to ECU and will have his degree this spring. Without baseball, without RV keeping him on the team, who knows if he would have accomplished what he has done.

 

My favorite moment as a player: It's senior night for us and I'm batting lead off. On a 3-2 count I hit a ball well to center field, and being that i'm not much of a power hitter, all I was thinking out of the box was extra bases. As I round first base I look up to locate the ball and I see the center fielder stop at the fence, look over, and then turn around. I'm thinking WOW, I did it first homer of the year! I round second base and turn to third and the umpire yells "wo wo wo hold up! stay at second" I turn and ask him if it went out and he replied, "On a bounce, nice hit though." All I could do was laugh.

 

It is interesting that you start this today. I was finally able to get around to 'digitizing' some old video this week. I'll post the youtube...as i think it speaks for itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7zb1Jli7I

edit: i tried to embed the video in the post...I'm not quite that smart i guess.

 

Childhood:
Being a part of legion baseball from the time I can remember for my dad's legion teams in Cary.

Player:
Throwing 9 innings in a high school win vs Garner's Arik Hempy (future USC/draft pick)
Hittin a HR and getting the win in my last high school game on the road at rival Apex
Participating in 2004 JUCO World Series

Coach:
Winning 2008 JR Legion State Championship (asst. coach)
Having opportunity to coach 2010 Triangle Sr Babe Ruth All-Stars
Watching a kid go from a virtual unknown to signing a DII scholarship because he worked his butt off to prove the doubters wrong