Home Run Derby Weekend

I don't even know where to begin with this one. Maybe from the beginning? When I think back as far as I can remember, most memories of my dad go hand in hand with baseball. He's coached on all levels from little league on up to college ball. He's done it longer than I've been alive, and I was raised on the baseball field. It's in my blood, and it's in my heart. I absolutely love every single aspect of it. The atmosphere, the sounds, the crowd, the team, and of course the game itself. As a kid at games I had more fun running around with the other kids. But the older I got the more I realized where the fun really was, and that was sitting right with my dad in the dugout. On any given day, he'd ask my opinions on certain strategies. I was always overly excited to offer it, but didn't really realize that that was his way of teaching me the ins and outs of the game.

When I was in 9th grade and he was coaching at a county school in Dothan, he had the idea to put on a home run derby as a little money maker for the team. He invited one high school player from all the area schools to hit in it, and at the end of the day the top three got to hit with a couple of major league players. He got his old friend Mike Mordecai to come in for the finals. He coached Mike in summer league baseball years ago, and he eventually started his pro baseball career with the Atlanta Braves. Mike brought a teammate with him to the derby. Not many people knew him back then, but Chipper Jones would soon become a big name. Spending the day with them led to my obsession with the Braves and an even deeper love for the game. I could name every person on the roster. Including their position, batting average, how many RBIs they had, if they were a righty or a lefty, and their blood type. I even got a subscription to Chop Talk for my birthday that year. I was a crazed fan! As in personally offended when Hideo Nomo stole the Rookie of the Year title right out from under Chipper. He was robbed. Since that first home run derby back in '95, there's been one every year since. They're always such a big deal to my dad and before we had little ones I wouldn't have missed one. Traveling is never easy with the girls, and Dothan is a haul. So we've always opted to spend the weekend with him when he wasn't crazy busy like he is on home run derby weekends. But this year I got the itch to make the trip. The girls are at an age where they could enjoy it. And it's been a while since I've gotten my baseball fill. By the time we got there Friday night I was convinced we'd be better suited getting there by boat. It rained and rained some more. But by Saturday morning the skies were clear and things were fairly dried out...just in time for the big day!

There aren't many things I've seen my dad be as passionate about as he is baseball. But even baseball is all but forgotten about when his girls are around...
I guarantee you that's the first derby eve that he's spent in a recliner. He's wound tight and is the ultimate perfectionist, so sitting back just hours before a big event isn't in his genetic make up. But I had to make a CVS run that night, and the girls were more than happy to curl up in Paw Paw's lap while I was gone. Cate could stay with him 'til the cows come home. Towns is a Mommy's girl, though. The second I walked back in the door she bolted from his lap as you can see. She's a blur!
When they finally went to sleep that night I couldn't resist a picture of this sweetness...
Such a contrast to when they're awake...kidding! Well, sort of.
Saturday morning we got to spend a little time with my friend Darby before the festivities began. Rover and Paige were sweet to let my children destroy their play room while D and I chose to ignore it. We were there to get a must-have pink bicycle shirt that Towns was excited to wear Monday to school, but not so excited for me to take a picture of her in it...
Now then, that's better...When we saw it, we knew we couldn't live without it. It worked out perfectly that we'd be in town to pick two up over the weekend!

Turns out the day wasn't just about baseball. As an added bonus, my dad had Ben Leard (Anna Kate - major flashbacks!) drive four National Champs down from Auburn for a private luncheon, silent auction and autograph signing. Aubie greeted us on the way in...
Inside we found a sea of orange and blue...
Now that's a beautiful sight!
The girls were a nervous wreck to get beside those big football players for a picture. They started out with Lee Ziemba and Ryan Pugh...
They warmed up to them really fast, and by the time they got to these two they acted like rubbing elbows with those guys was old hat...
That's Zachary Terrell and Neil Caudle. Cate quickly got googly eyes for Caudle. And when he came and sat at our table to do a newspaper interview, she nearly lost it...
I know I'm partial, but I have honestly never met any nicer, more respectful guys. They truly were class acts. Just one more reason it's great to be an Auburn Tiger!

The fun ended before long and the players boarded the VIP bus to head to the public autograph session. Little Miss Blondie thought she was going with them and hopped right on...
She just knew she was deserving of a State Trooper escort to the baseball field, too! Ha!

We got to the derby only to find there wasn't a single seat in the house. No standing room either. But who needs a seat in the stands when you can park it on the field...
They were glued to the action. I just knew they had it in 'em!
When the winner had been announced, we waited our turn for more autographs. After Saturday, the girls are slightly taken by the idea of famous athletes...
They were in awe of them being surrounded by the crowd and having TV cameras in their faces!

They were particular interested in the NY Yankee and wanted to get his autograph first...
Then we made our way over to Gabe Gross. I'm not sure what Cate said to him, but I can only imagine...
We ended the day with a picture of our favorite baseball guy...
When it was all over and the crowd cleared out, the girls made every step my dad and his baseball players made...
I have a feeling this is just the beginning of their love for it!

It's always sad to see these kinds of weekends come to an end. Sunday morning I spent a little time in my dad's office looking at all of his memoirs...
I've seen it all a hundred times, but it's still neat to look at. I had to smile when I saw he still had the poem I wrote him back in '98 hung right in front of his desk...
It didn't have the prime spot that his prize baseball has, though...
One baseball signed by three greats - Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio...
I always have nightmares when we're there of the girls thinking it's a perfect ball for playing with. We'd only been there an hour Friday night before Towns hit her sister in the head (unintentionally) with Paw Paw's bat he got from the Louisville Slugger Museum. At least he's a good sport about! It thrills his soul that they've taken such an interest in the game. Before we left he gave them a pop quiz. What are the last two words of the National Anthem? They didn't have a clue, but he quickly taught them the answer to that one...
"Play ball!"