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At The Ballpark
by

Michael Basham

One evening, my Son and I had gone to the Ball Park to a Major League team play. We always loved to leave our home about 3 p.m. We would get there early and eat our meal early, as well. We didn't want to miss any of the pregame warmups. We would watch batting practice and the pitchers and fielders pregame practice.

I was really glad we had come to this game, it was the first, for us and this season. It was nearing the end of the season and we had not been able to go. I was anticipating, a possible stray ball for my son, to catch. We watched as hitter after hitter, came up during batting practice. He was never close enough to grab one of the balls. The seats were hard to jump over and to get to the ball was impossible. He was just six years old. I tried to help, but there were a lot of fans ther with the same idea. We sat and waited patiently, then batting practice ended.

The pitchers were still warming up with each other. I thought, maybe one of them will toss them a ball. The people would yell at the if they weren't even human sometime. I thought of how hard it must be for them to ignore the insults, sometime. We sat quietly watching and we talked about pitching in general. My son had many questions about Baseball.

When the pitchers were preparing to leave the field and join the team, one walked over our way. I recognized him, immediately. He tossed a ball over the fence to my son. He said "I have been saving this for you."

My son was ecstatic. I was, too, for this pitcher, before coming to this team, had won a World Series. When he walked away, my son was tapped on the shoulder by an older man who had sat behind us. He said, "I'd like for you to have this. You see, I appreciate seeing boys at the ballpark with their dads. That ball is from when my son. H stood on that very mound and pitched a game, dedicated, to his dad." He said, "I have more, but this one has been kept for a special occasion, like today."