The Baseball Boys

So nearly every day I run by this park a couple blocks down from the house. There's always something going on there, people playing tennis, soccer practice, etc. But my favorite thing to observe as I run by happens to be the pre-school/kindergarden baseball boys. These guys are no taller than my waist yet they are out there giving it all they got for the team. Well, sorta... The thing I like about watching this group is the fact that their parents are all out there with them. At this age, the kids can't be dropped off and picked up later. Everyone's there together teaching these kids how to swing a bat, just how it ought to be. Anyway, yesterday I hear one of the dads say, "Come on now, Johnny, stand up off the ground and stop playing in the dirt. We're here to play baseball." (Johnny continues to draw shapes on the ground.) Then a little bit later on my way back by I glance over and there's a kid who actually made contact with the ball and sent it to the outfield. The ball rolls past the "pitcher" and past the short stop. The short stop, upon seeing that he's missed the ball and that his rival is rounding second base, has to do something. So he promptly sticks his foot out in front of the runner and trips the kid, sending him flying across the ground toward third base. One of those moments that is hysterical, merely cause you know the child didn't have evil intent, he just didn't want the other boy to score a run. Priceless. Lesson to be learned from the pre-schoolers? It's probably not the best idea to trip others up when you make a mistake, but nor is it best to simply play in the dirt all day. Find a happy medium and just swing the bat. So much can be learned from innocent children. More of those to come, I am sure...