Where do I want to go now with this entry and future entries? How about
memories of dad? Sounds good. I could take a whole bunch of time and try to create some order and flow, but I'd rather just put these out periodically, for my own edification.
Let me start with a memory that was brought up by
one of the neighborhood kids (2 years older than me) at the funeral. After I
read what I wrote down, breaking down repeatedly, my buddy asked if it was okay
for him to say something (let’s call him DK). I nodded yes and he went to the
podium. He started reminiscing about how my dad would come home from work and
be the “all time quarterback” while throwing footballs to DK and me. DK said he
was always a bit jealous of me because my dad was able to do these kinds of
things while his father was working. Plus he had six brothers and sisters, so
attention was in short supply. DK understood that his dad had to work, so that
was fine, but he realized later in life that he would make sure that HE was the
kind of dad who be the out there throwing the football around with the
neighborhood kids. I honestly had no idea how important my dad was in his life.
But we all have people like that in our lives that we have impacted and the
more outgoing, giving and open you are as person, the more people you impact.
I’m sure my dad impacted many more people in many more ways than I’m aware.
In baseball, for instance, he was able to bond with
some of the kids who were “on the fringe” of attitudes let’s say. These players
would use chewing tobacco during games for instance and their life outside of
baseball was similar. But my dad was similar as a kid, so I’ve heard, and that
allowed him to communicate very well with them. So if other coaches didn’t want
to deal with them, my dad would take them. It didn’t happen often, but he was
always open to it.
And I remember my dad around the baseball field all
the time when I was a kid. In fact, in high school, when he wasn’t there, I
sort of felt like I was missing a layer….a blanket of security. He was often
the manager, but sometimes a coach, and always involved. We talked baseball
quite a lot, something that would continue for the next 40 years.
Even when I wasn’t playing, we were around the
baseball field together umpiring. I know umpiring together was one of my dad’s
favorite things to do and I totally get that now as a father. While I remember
us doing a lot of games together, of course the only specific games I remember
is when there was some kind of controversy. Two games actually come to mind:
one where I was behind the plate and the other when I was in the field. The
game I was behind the plate umpiring a Mexican League game in Aurora, the
pitcher for one team was throwing a late breaking curveball. Maybe unfortunately
for him, I saw it as breaking TOO late and not catching the plate. Apparently
from everywhere else on the field (and off) they looked like strikes, but not
to me. What could I do? If I think it’s a ball, then I have to call it a ball.
It’s possible though that I didn’t have enough experience with a good curve
ball from behind the plate. So that wasn’t a fun day as one team was super
pissed at me. The other game is a little less clear in my memory as it was an
odd play that involved multiple runners on base. My position was behind the
pitcher so I could see a play at first (straight on) or second. My dad was
behind the plate and in some circumstances would rotate to make a call at
third. Well that happened and there was a play at first where the throw beat
the batter, but the team at bat thought the first baseman pulled his foot.
Unfortunately, since my dad was covering third, we didn’t have a clear view of
his foot coming off the base like you would from down the foul line. One team
was chirping at us all the way into the parking lot.
Now mind you, those were two games out of probably a
hundred or more that we worked, so the fact that I remember ANYTHING about them
is somewhat remarkable, but also means that for the majority of games we had no
issues.
