Big Day at the Ball Park

There is a play in baseball folklore simply known as "The Catch."

Late September, 1954; World Series, my beloved Giants vs the Cleveland Indians.  Willie Mays, my first childhood sports hero, makes a game saving catch, described as an optical illusion by those who saw it in person.  The Giants go on to win that world series, their last until 2010.

"The Catch" has been replaced, not in baseball folklore, but in my heart.

I remember my first catch.

Summer of 1957, a pick up game in the long alley way behind the houses of Bartley, Eddie, and Don.
I'm playing first base.  A line drive is hit to my left, I lunge and catch the ball just before it flew over the fence into a small garden.
It was a game saving catch, and perhaps a life saving catch.
The garden belonged to a mean old man in the neighborhood.  Maybe he wasn't mean, just sad.
He was a widower.
It was a game saving catch because we wouldn't have been able to retrieve the ball if I hadn't caught it, and the game would have been over.
It was, perhaps, a life saving catch because he might have killed us if we trampled his garden.

Flash forward to late May, 2011.

The day, like most Saturdays in May, starts with Landon's T-Ball game.  He gets numerous hits and makes an out at first base by catching the ball and touching the bag.
So proud; he couldn't wait to tell his big brother who was at another field waiting for his game to start.

By the time we got there, Landon determined that he had made 13 outs!  Atta boy, Landon.

Now it's Miles' turn.  Early in the game, he is playing centerfield; same position Willie Mays played.
The best player on the opposing team (I think he was eight feet tall), hits a scorching drive to Miles' right.
He lunges, gets  back handed leather on the ball, but can't quite hold on to it.  Nice try, Miles.  Good effort.

Last inning,  Miles is playing first base; good strategy to have your best fielder there in the late innings.
Miles records the first out just like Landon did; he caught the ball and touched the base.  Attaboy, Miles.

(It should be noted at this point in the narrative that Miles' Mom has sweetened the pot by offering the incentive of a trip to Friendly's if either Miles or Landon catch a fly ball during a game. The outs Miles and Landon have made so far do not qualify.)




Several batters and run later, the game is no doubt tied.  The bags are loaded, there is only one out, the out Miles got several batters ago.


After carefully taking several pitches, the batter (a behemoth of a boy), lofts a high fly ball  on the right side of the infield.  Miles appears to be under it, but a gust of wind has the ball drifting into the stands.
At the last possible moment, Miles dives, catches the ball, and in one sweeping motion touches first base with the tip of his toe.  (At least that's how I remember it.)
An unassisted, game ending, tie preserving double play!
A joyful roar erupts from the crowd.!  As well as roaring, I am struggling to control my quivering lips.

Wow.  "The Catch."
Awesome.  And a trip to Friendly's.

Tom Hanks, in a famous baseball movie, tells his all girl baseball team that there is no crying in baseball.

Apparently Mr. Hanks' character never suffered for almost six decades with a bridesmaid team, only to be finally rewarded with a World Series Championship.

Nor did he ever see his grandsons play Little League Baseball, where everyone is a champion.

Thanks for the memories, Miles and Landon.  I look forward to many, many more.