verdugo288

In a reminiscent state…

Well, it’s that time of year again and it’s my favorite time of the year.  Not because summer is upon us and good times are sure to be had.  No, it’s because the College World Series is about to begin.  While watching the Super Regionals yesterday something came over me.  I think I finally realized why this time of year and the College World Series brings such joy to me.  It’s because I’m watching, essentially, a bunch of kids play their hearts out and leaving it all on the field.  A lot like we did during our Legion 288 seasons.  Most of the guys in the College World Series will never see another game after their last in the “The Series” and for most, their last game will be the most memorable.  Watching the ASU Vs. Texas game yesterday I caught myself drifting off into thoughts of Little League Baseball and American Legion.  The best and most vivid memories I have (With the exception of the birth of my daughter) are of my times in Little League and American Legion.  My wife caught me looking at the TV but she knew I wasn’t watching the game. I was in my own head recounting times spent on the ball field and remembering the incredible friends I made along the way and the coaches, players and parents that helped shape my life in the process.  My wife turned to me and said “Hon, what are you thinking about”? I turned to her and simply said “Baseball, it’s fucking AWESOME”.

I spent the rest of the day on the Verdugo 288 Blog and I swear I must have read 75% of the blog. Some of the stories I had read before but purposely searched for them because I remember them striking a cord with me.  I stumbled upon the post “Harry Leroy (Insert My Last Name Here)” Posted: February 9, 2011.  The post was about Gee’s grandfather who passed on his love of the game to Gee who ultimately passed his love of the game on to all that read this blog.  The story brought me back to a memory of a man who in three days one summer when I was 6 years old sparked the love of the game in me and ultimately instilled the philosophy that when your are between the lines everything else in life just seems to fade away and nothing else matters.  His name was Orville and I’m sure he has long since passed away as he was the neighbor of my Great Grandmother and at the time he was probably about 60 years old.  Now I could go into a long story about those three days playing for hours with only a broken wooden bat one old baseball and one really old glove.  However, that’s not what this post is about, it’s about remembering the love of the game and those we came across during those seasons whom we will never forget. 

My wife could sense I was in a reminiscent state and she quietly got up and left the living room.  She returned about 20 minutes later said “Come in the guest room”.  She had an old dusty box open and two Jerseys laid out on the bed my Glendale City Employees jersey from Little League and my Verdugo 288 Legion jersey.  I was overcome with emotion and more and more memories came flowing in.  In the box, believe it or not, was the glove and ball Orville had given me at the conclusion of out three days together.  That glove and ball, along with those two jerseys are all I will ever need to remind me of my love for the greatest game on earth BASEBALL!! 

I look forward to seeing all you guys at the reunion.  Between now and then I hope you all take some time to get lost in the memories of the game.  “Baseball, it’s fucking AWESOME”.

I want to thank my wife Jessica for her support and for encouraging me to get into the Blog and to reconnect with the “Guys”.  Most of all thanks for realizing these seasons were not just a bunch of games, it was life.   And life was GOOD!

Ahhh!!