Brody's First T-Ball Game

My brothers didn't play much baseball growing up and Mike's favorite sport is football...so I was a little surprised when Brody became OBSESSED with baseball!  I'm sure a big reason that he loves it so much is because Mike is on a softball team and he loves going and watching Mike play.  I secretly think that he's obsessed because Junior played encripted music at the gym in KS that only Brody could hear and it said over and over, "Baseball is the greatest sport ever!  Baseball is the greatest sport ever!..."  Ok...so maybe Junior didn't do that...but I do know that Junior would love the fact that Brody is so obsessed with baseball!  This boy would play baseball all.day.long. if we'd let him!  Thankfully there are several of us to take turns playing catch and throwing him pitches.  I wear out after 30 min to an hour!

Since he loves the sport so much, we decided to sign him up for t-ball this year.  It's a little more involved than t-ball was in Lyons, KS.  Brody has 14 games on his schedule (rather than 3 like in KS!)  At the first practice the coach told us all the gear we'd need to have, "batting helmet, black pants, baseball mit, and a cup."  The dads at practice immediately started laughing.  "What?  A cup?  To cover what?!?"  One of the dads said, "Do you mean a sippy cup?!?"  lol  Nope.  League rules state all boys have to wear a cup...no matter how old they are!  I didn't even know they made them that size...but they had a huge display of them at Sports Authority.

Brody woke up early this morning because he was so excited about his very first t-ball game (although he doesn't like the fact that he has to hit off a tee...he'd rather someone pitch to him).  After breakfast and after getting dressed he told Barrett that he needed some quiet time in his room so that he could prepare for his game.  He spent 1/2 hour in there by himself.  I'm not sure what he was thinking...but I guess he was giving himself a pep talk?  On the way to the game Barrett kept trying to talk to Brody and he wasn't responding.  I looked back there to see Brody sitting straight up in his seat with his eyes closed.  He finally said to Barrett, "I can't talk right now!  I'm trying to get energy for my game!!"  If he's this focused at 4...what will 16 look like?!?

We arrived at the fields where it was 40 degrees with the north wind gusting 20-30 mph.  It was FREEZING cold just sitting there!  The coach from the other team asked if we wanted to call the game...but there was no way we could do that.  The boys were super excited for their very first game...and they wanted to PLAY!  The coach handed out jerseys and hats and the boys tried to keep on as many warm clothes as would fit underneath their jersey.

Each time Brody was up to bat he hit the ball the first time and hit it far!  The he ran straight to 1st base as fast as he could (unlike some of the kids who sprinted to 3rd! lol)

 

Barrett wasn't having near as much fun as Brody.  He was huddled up under a blanket and just reminded me over and over that he was cold!

Some of the kids playing found it miserable too.  The catcher on the other team cried the ENTIRE time his team was in the field during the 2nd inning!!!

Some on our team weren't any different!  This little boy did NOT want to keep playing!  The kid on our team who was standing on the pitchers mound actually walked off the field during the 2nd inning.  He walked out of the dugout and up to the stands and told his mom he was ready to go!  She told him to get back out there and he said, "I'm done.  It's too cold!" 

Brody, on the other hand, wasn't about to quit.  He was ready to get some action at short stop!

 

Finally a ball came his way...

and he narrowly missed one of his teammates as he threw the ball to 1st base.

Mike is one of the assistant coaches and he was out of the field encouraging the boys and giving them tips.

I can't leave out this picture.  What's a t-ball game without a 1st baseman who's playing in the dirt?!?

 

As more of the players started crying for their mommies...the coaches of both teams decided to call the game after the 2nd inning.  All the kids had been up to bat twice and had fielded the ball for 2 innings...enough to give them a taste of a real game.  They wanted them to want to come back on Monday...so they made the executive decision it was time for snacks and a warm car!

A proud daddy with his t-baller after game #1

The fans were just as happy to see the game come to an end.  It was so much fun to watch...but we had begun to lose feeling in our hands and feet!  Daddy Steve and Namaw were so sweet to endure the cold to watch Brody play!  (FYI:  Caleb & Audria came out to the fields to watch...but they had the wrong game time and showed up and hour late.  Oops!  It's probably a good thing.  Audria would've been miserable in the cold!)

 

The Muckdogs have another game on Monday night and the weather should be much nicer. 

More pictures to come!