While I have shared the story behind the entire “Alphabet Soup” series in the past, I never wrote specifically about “B is for Baseball.” A family outing to the Phillies game last night reminded me about this print and all the reasons why little boys (and girls!) love this game. Maybe it’s the summer night air that turns blissfully cooler as the sun sinks below the horizon, or the fact that hot dogs and water ice are handed out freely by moms and dads who, for one night, are not making their children eat vegetables and drink their milk. Maybe it’s cheering for their favorite player as loudly as they want, without their dads, uncles, and moms telling them to quiet down. Maybe it’s the hope of catching a pop fly, or having Jimmy Rollins toss an extra ball to them on his way back to the dugout, as he did last night for a little girl seated just a few rows ahead of us.
This morning, there will be many reenactments of last night’s major league games in backyards and playgrounds across the country. Teams will be chosen, announcements will be made. There will be carefully crafted pitches, powerful swings, and the joy of running through the grass to catch hold of that well-loved, well-worn baseball.