From Tim after Luke's game last night:
This is long, but I think you'll find that it's worth the time.
What an incredible night! Luke had his last baseball game tonight. His team, the Astros, lost. It was their second loss of the tournament, so they were eliminated. He didn't make a play in the field and he struck out three times. It was one of the best nights of my life!
It was a season of struggles. Normally, there are 12 players on a team in this age group. Ten can play in the field every inning while the two who sit out rotate in. All 12 get to bat even when they don't play in the field. Two players on the Astros dropped out before the season started. A team must field nine players or they forfeit. For a variety of reasons, the Astros failed to field nine players for several games and forfeited them, although they still played the games. The Astros won half the games they ended up forfeiting!
This is the first year that score is kept. We were warned that it is the most competitive division because of this. Not from the players or coaches but from to the parents. That seemed to hold true throughout the season, although I've heard and saw worse behavior. For instance, no one made a teen age game official cry like in the last soccer season.
The Astros lost the first game of the tournament by forfeit, even though they won the game by six runs while fielding only 8 players.
There was a bad call at the plate in the early part of the game tonight that went against the Astros. Two coaches, one from the other team, and I, (I ran the scoreboard right behind the plate), were closer to the plate than the umpire. We all saw the runner tagged out. There's only one umpire in this division who is positioned between the pitcher and second base. It was a difficult call. The coach on the other team is a friend of mine. He said that he felt like saying something to the umpire, but he didn't want to show him up. This coach's integrity has always been impeccable. I agreed with him. It's better not to say anything. That's the breaks of the game. Something else the kids need to learn. Adults, too! All the adults reacted with humility and good sportsmanship. The Astros went into the last inning down 15-12.
Luke has struggled this year. He's the youngest player on the team and probably the youngest player in his age division. He's only had two hits coming into this season in the 12 games they played. He's made note of it verbally to me. Those two hits were the only times he made contact.
He's had a great attitude. One night, a grandparent said to everyone, "Who's number 7?! Who's kid is that?! I couldn't make that game. Everyone looked at Mandy. She said, "That's my son, Luke!" The man says, "I tell you what, that kid is always smiling no matter what! He's one happy kid! That's awesome!" Mandy beamed with pride!
Part of Luke's struggle this year is because I have had little chance to work with him outside of practice because of my ACL reconstruction surgery. Although, he has improved. His batting stance has gotten much better, he started swing harder, and his fielding and throwing got better, too. The only thing that hasn't changed is his attitude. It was always good!
Now here's where it gets EXCITING!!!! In the last inning, down by 3 runs with a man on second. Luke came to bat. Colby, the runner on 2nd, and like he has done every time cheered Luke on and encouraged him. After two swings, the third pitch came in and he HIT it! Directly to the second baseman. He ran hard and beat out a close play!!!
The next batter got a single. Bases loaded. No outs. The next two batters struck out. Bases still loaded. Two outs. Need three runs to tie. Four runs to take the lead. The next batter hits a double. Two runs scores! Luke scores!!!! He runs past me grinning ear to ear! A mom who helps get the players ready to bat and keeps the dugout organized runs out and gives Luke a big hug! His teammates were slapping his helmet! I could almost hear him grinning!
The next batter made an out. Game over. Final score was 15-14. Perhaps it really should have been tied if not for the bad call. Although, there were other opportunities where the Astros could have made a play or two that would have been the difference.
I'll tell you what though. By the looks of the dugout after the game you would have bet that the Astros had won. In the huddle afterwards, the coach told the boys he was proud of them. He said they never gave up in tonight's game and they never gave up once during the season. He told them that every player on the team played better at the end of the season than they played at the beginning of the season and he was so proud of them!
Now this is where it gets COOL!!!!! The last thing that's done in the huddle is the coach gives out game balls. Usually just one. Sometimes two. For some reason, coach was out of balls and had to get a ball of the other team. So there would only be one game ball. There were two players who each got four hits and a home run. When coach reached into the bag to pull out a ball, all the players started saying, "IT'S LUKE! IT'S LUKE! IT'S LUKE! IT'S LUKE!" All the while, they pointed at him. They got louder, "LUKE! LUKE! LUKE! And then coach gave the ball to Luke. I have been very congested from allergies this week. So, of course I had to turn away to dry my eyes. And there was a lot of dust in the air from the ball field. I must have got some dust in my throat because I started choking up some.
Obviously, I was emotional because my son did well and something good happened to him. His teammates, who were, by a variety of measures, more deserving of a game ball than Luke, all removed their own desires for recognition and acknowledge their teammate and friend. That is what was most poignant for me, where I witnessed and felt the most love given unconditionally because these boys exuded goodness!
It reminds me of a time when Luke was about 3 and I was putting him to bed, he said wanted to see God. "Where can I see God? Is he in heaven with Pappa (my dad)? Where is God?" I have spent countless hours reading about, writing about, and talking about these questions. I could explain it throughly, in so many ways, and provide a number of examples in my life and the lives of others. How can I explain that to a 3 year old though. Suddenly, it hit me. "Well, Luke, whenever you see love, then you see God!" At that moment, I realized two things. That was brilliant and it did not come from me but instead came from God. Often times, I'll post something titled The Gospel According to Luke, or James, or Jacob. It's something one of my sons says that I find funny, insightful, or poignant.
This, however, is The Gospel According to Jesus. This is what I believe Jesus came to pronounce: We are loved!!! We are loved before we deserve it. We are loved before we are successful. We are loved no matter what. WE ARE LOVED!!!!
This is long, but I think you'll find that it's worth the time.
What an incredible night! Luke had his last baseball game tonight. His team, the Astros, lost. It was their second loss of the tournament, so they were eliminated. He didn't make a play in the field and he struck out three times. It was one of the best nights of my life!
It was a season of struggles. Normally, there are 12 players on a team in this age group. Ten can play in the field every inning while the two who sit out rotate in. All 12 get to bat even when they don't play in the field. Two players on the Astros dropped out before the season started. A team must field nine players or they forfeit. For a variety of reasons, the Astros failed to field nine players for several games and forfeited them, although they still played the games. The Astros won half the games they ended up forfeiting!
This is the first year that score is kept. We were warned that it is the most competitive division because of this. Not from the players or coaches but from to the parents. That seemed to hold true throughout the season, although I've heard and saw worse behavior. For instance, no one made a teen age game official cry like in the last soccer season.
The Astros lost the first game of the tournament by forfeit, even though they won the game by six runs while fielding only 8 players.
There was a bad call at the plate in the early part of the game tonight that went against the Astros. Two coaches, one from the other team, and I, (I ran the scoreboard right behind the plate), were closer to the plate than the umpire. We all saw the runner tagged out. There's only one umpire in this division who is positioned between the pitcher and second base. It was a difficult call. The coach on the other team is a friend of mine. He said that he felt like saying something to the umpire, but he didn't want to show him up. This coach's integrity has always been impeccable. I agreed with him. It's better not to say anything. That's the breaks of the game. Something else the kids need to learn. Adults, too! All the adults reacted with humility and good sportsmanship. The Astros went into the last inning down 15-12.
Luke has struggled this year. He's the youngest player on the team and probably the youngest player in his age division. He's only had two hits coming into this season in the 12 games they played. He's made note of it verbally to me. Those two hits were the only times he made contact.
He's had a great attitude. One night, a grandparent said to everyone, "Who's number 7?! Who's kid is that?! I couldn't make that game. Everyone looked at Mandy. She said, "That's my son, Luke!" The man says, "I tell you what, that kid is always smiling no matter what! He's one happy kid! That's awesome!" Mandy beamed with pride!
Part of Luke's struggle this year is because I have had little chance to work with him outside of practice because of my ACL reconstruction surgery. Although, he has improved. His batting stance has gotten much better, he started swing harder, and his fielding and throwing got better, too. The only thing that hasn't changed is his attitude. It was always good!
Now here's where it gets EXCITING!!!! In the last inning, down by 3 runs with a man on second. Luke came to bat. Colby, the runner on 2nd, and like he has done every time cheered Luke on and encouraged him. After two swings, the third pitch came in and he HIT it! Directly to the second baseman. He ran hard and beat out a close play!!!
The next batter got a single. Bases loaded. No outs. The next two batters struck out. Bases still loaded. Two outs. Need three runs to tie. Four runs to take the lead. The next batter hits a double. Two runs scores! Luke scores!!!! He runs past me grinning ear to ear! A mom who helps get the players ready to bat and keeps the dugout organized runs out and gives Luke a big hug! His teammates were slapping his helmet! I could almost hear him grinning!
The next batter made an out. Game over. Final score was 15-14. Perhaps it really should have been tied if not for the bad call. Although, there were other opportunities where the Astros could have made a play or two that would have been the difference.
I'll tell you what though. By the looks of the dugout after the game you would have bet that the Astros had won. In the huddle afterwards, the coach told the boys he was proud of them. He said they never gave up in tonight's game and they never gave up once during the season. He told them that every player on the team played better at the end of the season than they played at the beginning of the season and he was so proud of them!
Now this is where it gets COOL!!!!! The last thing that's done in the huddle is the coach gives out game balls. Usually just one. Sometimes two. For some reason, coach was out of balls and had to get a ball of the other team. So there would only be one game ball. There were two players who each got four hits and a home run. When coach reached into the bag to pull out a ball, all the players started saying, "IT'S LUKE! IT'S LUKE! IT'S LUKE! IT'S LUKE!" All the while, they pointed at him. They got louder, "LUKE! LUKE! LUKE! And then coach gave the ball to Luke. I have been very congested from allergies this week. So, of course I had to turn away to dry my eyes. And there was a lot of dust in the air from the ball field. I must have got some dust in my throat because I started choking up some.
Obviously, I was emotional because my son did well and something good happened to him. His teammates, who were, by a variety of measures, more deserving of a game ball than Luke, all removed their own desires for recognition and acknowledge their teammate and friend. That is what was most poignant for me, where I witnessed and felt the most love given unconditionally because these boys exuded goodness!
It reminds me of a time when Luke was about 3 and I was putting him to bed, he said wanted to see God. "Where can I see God? Is he in heaven with Pappa (my dad)? Where is God?" I have spent countless hours reading about, writing about, and talking about these questions. I could explain it throughly, in so many ways, and provide a number of examples in my life and the lives of others. How can I explain that to a 3 year old though. Suddenly, it hit me. "Well, Luke, whenever you see love, then you see God!" At that moment, I realized two things. That was brilliant and it did not come from me but instead came from God. Often times, I'll post something titled The Gospel According to Luke, or James, or Jacob. It's something one of my sons says that I find funny, insightful, or poignant.
This, however, is The Gospel According to Jesus. This is what I believe Jesus came to pronounce: We are loved!!! We are loved before we deserve it. We are loved before we are successful. We are loved no matter what. WE ARE LOVED!!!!