Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Last night my oldest boy and I attended his first ever professional baseball game. Angels vs. Orioles. It was free visor night.

Some of you may know that I absolutely abhor professional sports. But this is my kid we're talking about. I'm a dad, this is what you do.

My son recently joined the local pack of Cub Scouts. After pleading with us for some time, we have finally relented. Anyhizzle, this baseball game was the most recent summer outing with his pack. I had worked all day and was tired, hot and generally cranky. My son had been at Cub Scout camp all day and was therefore very jazzed about the whole endeavor. No chance of talking him out of it.

It took us over an hour and a half to get to the flingin' flangin' stadium due to the 'freeway' traffic. Parking was a crime. Once we parked we made our way to the entrance, it took so long from where we parked I began to commisserate with the Israelites. Walking to our seats was another adventure in and of itself. The crowd, the sweat, the smell of deep fried something. Our seats were so high up that I bumped my head on the space shuttle as it made its way over Anaheim. We made it to our seats, settled in and made small talk with some of the people we knew in the pack.

Then, the Star Spangled Banner.

I admit, I still get choked up toward the end of that little ditty. I thought about all of the imperfections of our great nation and how so many have fought and continue to fight to preserve our right to work toward a more perfect union. It is humbling. I explained to my son what the song was about and why we stand when it is played. Cool.

As the game went on, the various and marauding vendors made their rounds. Ice cream sandwich, $4.25. Bottle of Gatorade, $5.00. Hot dog,$3.75. Peanuts, $5.00. I could not believe it. Of course , this being my son's first baseball game we got the required hot dog, peanuts and soda. He had already eaten everything by the time I paid the vendor. Incredibly, he was still hungry and we had eaten dinner before we left for the game!

I taught him how to read the scoreboard. Explained what a full count was and what stealing bases really meant. It took a little while for me to tell him about batting averages, grandslam home runs, foul balls and ERAs. By the end of the 5th inning he had learned that you boo when the oppossing team's best hitter is at bat. He wasn't quite sure what to do during the seventh inning stretch but he caught on to the words of 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' quickly enough.

By the bottom of the eigth inning, the house lights were blazing, the temperature had cooled and I was more comfortable and able to enjoy the whole experience.

This was my boy's first ever real baseball game.

I looked at him and he felt my gaze and turned to me and smiled as he asked for yet another Red Vine. My boy. I'm supposed to teach him stuff about being a boy and eventually how to be the right kind of man. No pressure. He has recently turned eight and so much about him is changing. He has asked that he be allowed to let his hair grow out, which we agreed to. It is too long for my tastes, but as a parent you pick your battles. He has started skateboarding, he no longer exclusively asks to see animated movies and he just seems bigger somehow. I don't want to lose that little boy, but know I have to and look forward to relating to him on deeper things as he matures. Still, it is bitter sweet.

As the game came to a conclusion(Angels won 8 to 4), we began to exit. We stopped at the top of the stadium before heading down and looked across the parking lot and noticed all the parked cars bathed in the artificial light of the parking lot at 10:45 p.m. My son stopped and said "Hey dad, when you look at all those cars from up here doesn't it look like an army of sleeping beetles?" Yeah, I guess so. Only through the eyes of a eight year old boy. We made our way down to our car. We talked about the game the entire way down.

We talked for a few more minutes once we were in the car, talking about our favorite part of the game. He fell asleep before we got on the freeway. When we got home, I roused him form his slumber and guided him to the his room and got him dressed and put to bed. I kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear as I do every night " Good night Little Prince." I then turned to the crib where the baby lay sleeping and kissed him as well.

I'm a dad. This is what you do.

Blessings and peace to all.