Field of Dreams
Almost 60 years ago, baseball was played on sandlot fields involving boys of different races during times of segregation. In small towns, it was necessary to include both black and white boys to have enough players for the games. That is the way I grew up.
During the off-season, we would gather on Saturday and Sunday afternoons to play pickup games. Occasionally, we used dried cow patties for bases in a pasture where we played. At another time, we played at a nearby dairy and offered some kids chocolate milk to join us in a game to have enough players. How times have changed.
When the Atlanta Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, I listened to their games on my transistor radio as a sixth-grade student. Today, children have access to cable or satellite television, allowing them to watch the Braves and nearly every other major league or college baseball team.
This past weekend, our grandson Will Faulk, an enthusiastic baseball fan, along with his friend John Clark Downs, visited us for another baseball marathon in Auburn. It is gratifying to share the cherished game of my childhood with these young boys who appreciate it equally, despite differing circumstances.
Due to weather conditions, the series with South Carolina was rescheduled to a Thursday night, followed by a doubleheader on Friday. These two 11-year-old boys were informed that they needed to miss school to attend the doubleheader. Their weekend was off to a great start.
The first game we attended was at the Broadway Club in Plainsman Park. This differs significantly from parks of earlier decades, including those during my time as an Auburn student. While the boys appreciated the televisions at each seat and the comfortable leather seating, they were particularly interested in the food options.
My grandson admitted that he consumed approximately half of the crab claws available at the buffet table. John Clark had two hamburgers following a hot dog. Both boy indulged in multiple bowls of ice cream, cookies, chips, soft drinks, and Cheetos. All this occurred prior to the fifth inning.
At a certain point, the boys moved to the newly established seating area above the Green Monster Wall in left field. They met new friends their age, and before long found themselves in possession of a home run ball.
During the second game of the double header, we moved to the Hall of Fame Club. Thanks to our friends, the Rossers, the boys were positioned in seats where they would be visible on television during every pitch.
Nevertheless, their interest was captivated by the prospect of catching another home run ball, leading them to wait on the ramp by the scoreboard for another ball to come their way.
The probability of two young boys catching two balls during a doubleheader with 6,000 fans in attendance at both games is statistically quite low. Nevertheless, the boys did it. Will caught a foul ball that could then be exchanged for a ball signed by an Auburn player. I never knew this was an option.
At the conclusion of the doubleheader marathon, the boys proceeded with two new baseballs to obtain autographs. Despite the onset of light rain, their determination remained undeterred. They successfully acquired approximately ten autographs before we decided to head towards the exit.
At that moment, we noticed that the Senior players were all signing autographs at a table situated in front of the home team dugout. By then, it was raining, and most spectators had departed. The boys quickly approached the line, and the gatekeeper granted them access.
It required approximately 20 minutes to obtain all the signatures, and I observed as every Senior meticulously signed each program, shirt, and baseball, despite the increasingly heavy rain. Will and John Clark, situated near the end of the line, approached each of their heroes individually.
By the conclusion of the day, they had caught a home run ball and a foul ball, getting 19 and 18 autographs respectively. They achieved their goal of consuming food during every inning, totaling eighteen in all. Fortunately, the event did not extend into extra innings.
After spending over nine hours at the ballpark, we returned home. The boys expressed their wish to take a bath before bedtime. Exhausted from the day’s activities, they went directly to bed without returning to the den.
Throughout my lifetime, I have had numerous memories of baseball, but some of the most treasured are watching two boys just enjoying themselves with a little bit of independence at a baseball park.
On this long doubleheader, for me and hopefully for these boys, it was indeed like a field of dreams.
o0o
Dan Ponder can be reached at [email protected]