Parker's First Home Run
After the last game, the coach told the kids how proud he was of all of them and that some of them would be going on to All Stars. He didn’t say who would be going to All Stars. Parker was, as usual, the last one out of the dugout. I was standing there waiting for him outside the dugout and Parker asked me, “Memaw, will I be on the All Star Team?” I looked around and saw the coach, Eric Morton, talking with some other parents about All Stars. So I said to Parker, “No baby, not this year. But I bet you will be on the All Star Team next year! You’re good!” About that time, the coach was reentering the dugout and overheard our conversation. “Oh Yes you are on the All Star Team!” he said to Parker. Parker lit up with enthusiam. He was so excited. We went up to the concession stand where Parker’s parents were working and Parker told his dad he was on the All Star Team. Jeremy, Parker’s Dad, was smiling from ear to ear–so proud of his son! I didn’t get to see Parker tell his mother, Kim. But I’m sure she was equally as proud.
Coach Eric had practice five days a week for the team to prepare for the double elimination. Parker was with me the day All Stars started. He was so excited. “Is it time to get ready yet?” he asked. “I have to get my uniform on.” All day long. Then a couple of hours before gametime, we got a call from Kim. Parker will only be playing on the All Star Team if any of the other kids don’t show up. We were to still bring him and stay there until we knew if he would be playing. Kim and Jeremy had to go to another park where their daughter, Alyssa–Parker’s older sister, would be playing in her All Star Game.
What happened was that Coach Eric met with the Aaron Price-the District Level and was told that he could only have twelve players. Last year Coach Eric had thirteen and didn’t know of any rule changes for this year. He tried to get it approved for the thirtenth player. After all these kids had practiced five days a week for over two weeks and payed for a uniform for All Stars. But Aaron Price was very strict. So Coach Eric called the East Cheatham Athletic Association 3201 Bearwallow Rd, Ashland City, TN 615-746-5251 and spoke to the league president-Alvin Graham (Buba) who knew there could only be twelve players this year, but failed to tell Coach Eric. Buba said there was nothing he could do.
So how was Parker picked to be the one cut from the team? I have to assume that it was because he was the youngest one on the team. It could not be because of his ability. I certainly don’t want to say anything negative about others on the team, but Parker loves baseball and his actions prove it. Whenever the ball was hit, he would take off toward the ball. I know this is not right, he needs to play in his area only. After all, it isn’t right for a center fielder to run to first or third base area when the ball is hit there. But it was better than other kids on the team not watching the game at all, and getting hit in the back of the leg because they were just standing there facing home plate when the play was behind them, and the ball was thrown to them from behind. As for his hitting-he was very consistant the whole season. He hit first or clean-up. He is a lefty and consistently hits between the 1st and 2nd basemen. So he either got on base or brought in an rbi almost every time to the plate.
This was very very sad trying to tell Parker. But we had to. So we got to the field and helped with concessions and waited. Coach Eric was very busy working on the field. He was sweating and stopped to give Parker his All Star Team shirt, which we had paid for. I was nearly in tears as he handed it to Parker. I could cry as I write this. Anyway, we had Parker stay in the air conditioned truck for awhile because of the heat. As each of Parker’s team mates came in, I tried to count them. It was so hard. Parker kept saying, “I have to get ready for the game.” I kept telling him that he would only be playing if someone didn’t show up, but he just didn’t understand. Finally 15 minutes before gametime, the coach was walking by and we called him over to the truck to make sure that everyone was there. He said they were there and apologized to Parker and said he would be his coach next year and that he was proud of him. Parker didn’t say anything. I was crying at this point. As we pulled away from the field, Parker put both hands on the window and started wimpering. He never cried out loud, but I felt his disappointment. It was a very sad moment in time!
We didn’t say much. Just wanted to give him time to process his sadness as we headed to the other park for his sister’s game. Once we got there and he was around his “girlfriends” – two girls his age that he takes presents to, he started acting like himself–a very happy little guy. I think this was harder on the parents and grandparents than it was on Parker–or rather he was more resilient.
Early Saturday morning brought game two of Alyssa’s All Star Games. They won! Yeah! So after that game there was a break in the action for us as we went home for awhile, took Parker with us. Later we would be going to another grandchild’s first All Star Game of the Season, Rachel, in yet another city. Kim and Jeremy had to go work at the concession stand and field in between games. We got a call during our break that Parker’s Coach had been taken to the hospital for heat stroke. They admitted him and gave him fluids. He was unable to return for his team’s game and they lost, but he got better and was released from the hospital.
In between games, we were asked to pick up supplies for the concession stand at East Cheatham. They got a $4500 grant to fix up the field, but they have to match it. They have struggeled to come up with the funds. We donated the supplies to try to help them meet this challenge. So after Rachel’s team’s win, we head back to East Cheatham to deliver the supplies. By this time it was dark and by the time we unloaded everything and helped clean up, it was dark. All that was left at the park was the league president and some of the volunteers. All of us gathered around the bleachers and Buba called Parker over to him. He awarded Parker with a medal. Parker was very proud, and so were the parents and grandparents.
