A long time ago
 

It was the summer of 1972 that my brother and I stayed with our grandparents. I was 9 years old. My grandparents had a dairy farm a few miles north east of Tonganoxie Kansas. Grandpa was a huge KC Royals fan. He listened to Paul Harvey every weekday at around noon. It was his love for baseball that introduced my brother and I to sports. We played for Corbin Electric. Grandpa made sure we made it to every practice and game. We had a lot of fun that summer. My brother was a pitcher and I played 2nd base and right field. My brother would throw some wild pitches sometimes. He threw hard for an almost 11 year old. He was ornery and courageous. He wasn’t afraid to mix it up with anyone. I was quiet and shy.
I can’t remember why we had different colored hats in the picture.
Anyone else play sports at a young age.
Let’s hear some stories.

Re: A long time ago
 

In grade school I played basketball and had the same coach for 6th through eight grade. I had him for a teacher in high school too. I call him every year on his birthday and this year he turned eighty seven. Just a great guy.

Re: A long time ago
 

Played little league ball, sponsored by the local VFW hall. I always wanted to be the lanky, strong, long ball hitting first baseman. Ended up being just the "first baseman" part.

And we played sandlot ball from sun up to sun down all summer. Wish I had a dollar for every time I broke the street light out in front of the house.

We used to mow the field out in the boonies so that the mowed portion was fair territory, and the long grass was foul. I used to always mow the right field line a little shorter than left field (I bat left handed).

I understand now why my dad was so mad when I used his new Lawn Boy to mow that.

I'm still pretty good at finding lost baseballs (or golf balls) that have gone off in the deep grass.

K

Re: A long time ago
 

Sidebar:

When I growing up we would use a baseball until there was nothing left but the cork or rubber center. When we knocked the cover off them I could use two needles and re-sew the cover back on and keep going.

When my boys started playing ball the coach would show up with a whole bucket of brand new baseballs!. I didn't know that was a thing. Man I lusted after those new baseballs!

And at some point it occurred to me: What a minute! I'm an adult! I could buy all the baseballs I want!!

I never did buy a bunch of baseballs, but the revelation was at least helpful. I have - however - ascribed that philosophy to ice cream.

;)

K

Re: A long time ago
 

I've been playing, coaching, umpiring for over 60 years.
Started playing with my 4 brothers in the 60s,Gramma showed us how to restitch the baseball with a curved needle. We only had one ball to play with. Coached my 3 daughters in Tball thru the beer leagues for 17 years, took a few years off coaching and umpired /did field work at our local park.
Then the past 14 years been coaching the grandbabies. Did 11 consecutive years of Tball until I ran out of grands that age(4-5). Two years ago they named the Tball field after me since no one else has ever been stup-.er...brave enough to do 11 consecutive years . I love the kids but the parents can be you know whats. Last year moved up to Major league (Little league) with my 11 year old gs. My wife and I regulary see 6-10 games a week with the 3 boys playing at multiple different locations. We are a baseball family!

Re: A long time ago
 

"Big Blue 72 Field".

(lol)

K

Re: A long time ago
 

We had a championship team for years in the early to mid 70s. I caught and we had 3 very capable pitchers. One that played every other year with
Us due to him being a year older. The memories last a lifetime and I find it odd that this thread surfaced this week. Monday, they buried one of our pitchers at 62 years old. We are aging and last evening I spent a little while catching up with our right fielder. We laughed and remembered.

Re: A long time ago
 

I am sorry for your loss. That age hits a little close to home and is far too young.

I had another story to share and for the life of me I can't remember what I was going to say.

K

Re: A long time ago
 

I played a lot youth sports in my young years, but what I remember most is my older brothers luck.

We would play tackle football in our yard, maybe 5-6 players on each side. We were probably 5th-6th grade age. My brother gets tackled and literally cuts his tongue, about an inch long slice from tip going inward. Of course we kidded him for a long time saying he spoke with forked tongue. Fast forward to his freshman year at Purdue and he is playing in a flag football league at school. He and another player collide at full speed (they didn't see each other) and my brother broke his face. He broke one of his eye sockets and they had to repair the bones and insert a balloon device around that area to keep it stable so the eye socket bones would heal correctly. He was laid up at the university hospital for quite awhile. That was pretty much the end of his sports playing days except for playing golf.

Re: A long time ago
 

I was in 3rd grade (1973) played baseball for our local little league club. We were called the M C Lively Eagles, named after our elementary school. I started as the pitcher and my first game I got a bee line hit to the junk. No nut protector and my baseball career was over before it really got started. I can tell you some 3rd graders can hit a ball pretty hard.