Truly a Field of Dreams

While writing, I may have alluded to it a time or TWENTY, that I am kind of a big dude but I was never too handy at most sports. Fortunately my father was not concerned with it at all and my mother appreciated that I remained ‘fracture free’ my entire life. When we first made our trek to California somehow I magically found myself enrolled on a ‘C’ little league team.

Now needless to say since ‘C’ team says it all, I was not very good nor did I eventually blossom into a great baseball player. In fact a couple of years later they had tryouts in 7th grade for a baseball team and I went up to bat and crushed a home run on the first pitch. Yes I got picked FIRST which had never happened before in my life but sadly, I never got a significant hit again for the rest of the games.

Now my wife on the other hand in this same era was a regular softball pitching rock star though I did not know her at the time. If there had been opportunities then as there are today, no doubt my wife would have planned to play ball in college and beyond. So what do I see in the news this week but a 13 year old little league pitcher named Chelsea Baker who has two perfect games and has never lost a start in 4 years. The kid is a genuine ‘phenom’ with a mean knuckleball and a 65 mile per hour fast pitch that humbles all takers in the 'all boys' (save 1) baseball league.

Now I know the road only gets tougher from here on out for this kid regardless of the fact that she is a girl in a ‘guys’ game. Especially for young pitchers, it takes an amazing toll on the shoulder and elbow to throw heat like Baker’s through high school and on into college. But is it not an amazing dream to think that someday a young girl like Chelsea Baker, MAY soon get the opportunity for a second look by a Major League Baseball team? Despite the difficulties and the 'coke bottle thick' glass ceiling, ultimately the game is all about performance and winning. If the kid can keep it up, why wouldn’t a major baseball team give her a shot when she’s ready? I have linked up a story HERE profiling the young hurler’s building fame so you can keep your eye on her progress over the next few years. This is one ‘Baker’ whose skill might make her some tasty 'bread' someday, but it will happen in a field of dreams, far beyond the kitchen!